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About Alex from England: Mariah lamb since 1997. French but been living in London since 2009. Singer/songwriter

Stephen (41,752) by Alex from England I just wanted to say that I like everything tou say in your posts. You seem like a grounded person with common sense, at least that's what I get from your comments. It is nice to have someone on here who says what he thinks in a polite ad constructive manner. Keep it up. (Wednesday 26 February 2014; 3:07)

Orkun (41,691) by Alex from England Well, sorry maybe I misunderstood what you wrote. I thought you were saying that you kind of warned that the song was a bad song and that it would flop and now that it is supposedly kind of flopping, we should, in all fairness, apologize for saying that the song was good and could actually be somewhat successful. Or maybe you weren't very clear. (Tuesday 25 February 2014; 2:17)

Orkun (41,668) by Alex from England You thinking it is a mediocre song is up to you and nobody should have to apologize for thinking it actually is a nice song. Once again, someone who confuses quality (up to the listener) and chart trajectory. I personally won't say sorry for saying I liked the song 2 weeks ago and still liking it even if it should fall out the Billboard charts. (Monday 24 February 2014; 14:55)

YM (41,612) by Alex from England I personally don't care how the GP considers Mariah's music. I used to when I was younger and when Mariah was still cementing her legend status. Now, I'm 30 and just happy she keeps releasing music. Honestly sometimes I wonder what's more important for some fans. That she gets a #1 record or that she keeps releasing music that she likes? Chart success does not indicate talent at all, especially in today's market. Sometimes I feel like some people judge her music from her position on the Billboard chart. I'm sure if YM had debuted at #1, 95% of people would be like "she's amazing, she's back, this is the Mariah I love". Are you in it for the music or for the stats? On another note, yes I'd like Mariah to take more risks as well but up until now she's always released good albums, some better than others IMO, so I'll just leave the creative process up to her and the enjoying (or not) of the music part up to me. (Saturday 22 February 2014; 1:31)

Mariah's success (41,523) by Alex from England I think we all wish she could have success again like she did in 2005 but the truth is it probably won't happen. Why? Because teens will never relate to a 43-year-old female singer. Secondly, the people who are now in their 40's and liked Mariah from the beginning are probably not following her every move like we do. They have careers, families and don't spend their time on MCA or Mariah Daily to know when a new album is dropping. These people would hear a new Mariah song on the radio and think "Oh, she's still here, cool, I'll buy the CD single when I do my shopping on Saturday." Too bad, CD singles are not released anymore. The problem is that radio plays 15/20-year-old singers for their core listeners so Mariah on the radio will not happen the way it used to and those 40-year-old people won't be aware she'll have an album out. Then there's US, the fans. Some of you are stuck, more than Mariah is. You can't accept she is not #1 anymore. For me as well it's hard because she is so talented that she deserves more chart success but seeing how even lambs can't even support her and would rather always write something negative about her, it's not gonna inspire non-lambs to pay attention to her. Mariah has had an incredible career, she is still here, people still know who she is. The world know about her and I'd say that people have actually grown used to her voice to the point everyone takes it for granted so it's not like they're gonna be mesmerized again. Just enjoy her music. (Thursday 20 February 2014; 2:32)

Response to Carly (41,444) by Alex from England I'm with you. While I love all her albums including the earlier ones, I do think Mariah became more interesting as an artist from 1997 onwards. At least we all know the music we get is what she wants us to get. Also, she has shown her sense of humor and self-deprecating image a lot more and she literally cracks me up. Music-wise, I do think she had great songs in her early years (she always has) but her vocals have grown so much in the meantime. Honestly for me, her vocal peak was 1996/1997 when she recorded Butterfly, her voice is sultry, magnificent and on top in her all her registers. Daydream was vocally good but I prefer how she sounds on Butterfly and Glitter for example. Her style of writing has evolved so much as well and nowadays she is as comfortable writing an introspective song like Languishing as a playful one like Obsessed. This indicates to me pure growth and talent. People should actually listen to her albums back to back and recognize how much she's evolved instead of being stuck in 90's mode. Sure I do miss the quality of her voice from that era but I must say she had a fantastic belting voice on Charmbracelet and TEOM. I think her voice was at her "worst" on MOAIA but quickly redeemed herself with MC2Y. Mariah has an amazing body of work, has had different textures to her voice and has tried out different things. People saying she's doing the same thing over again. Triumphant, Beautiful, TAOLG, YM don't sound anything alike to me. (Tuesday 18 February 2014; 19:18)

Pleasing everyone (41,397) by Alex from England Truth of the matter is she can't please everyone. While I do understand that some folks may not like the song and it's completely fine (obviously) I do get anoyed with people complaining about every little thing about MC, the promotion, the interviews, the videos, the remixes, this, that and this again. Honestly, when she was releasing hiphop songs everyone was like "we need a Mariah ballad". When she releases a ballad, people want an uptempo because ballads don't work anymore at radio. If she still makes the music shelikes without compromising her artistic integrity, people say she needs to change it up to have another #1, but I'm sure if she had a song produced by David Guetta featuring Pitbull everyone would lash out like no one's business. It is ok not to love a song or an album or whatever and to actually say it, it is another to want to shape someone into something else just so you can like it. Mariah is a human being, she will make the music she wants, period. PS: Also, Mariah is not the one who decides when to release her album so all the pushbacks are not her fault. A record label will not spend millions on promotion for an album if the first single doesn't take off. I'm just tired of all the constant gratuitous bashing. For the love of God, can we rejoice that our favourite artist is still making music 24 years into her career? If Mariah needs to stick out her tongue or pretend being fucked by Robin Thicke to be #1, I'd rather she was #50 and still be the Mariah I love. (Monday 17 February 2014; 0:26)

Mariah's insecurities (41,340) by Alex from England Yes Mariah has always been insecure since she was a child, she has said it many times. She is a very sensitive reflective woman (her lyrics throughout her carreer shows that, Close My Eyes, Languishing, Looking In, Outside, I Wish You Well etc etc). She thought she wasn't pretty growing up because of how people considered her as a biracial person. Starting in the business at age 18 she was told her left profile looked terrible compared to the other side. Now after reaching 40 she's had to fight off the bias that women older than 40 are no longer relevant or interesting. Can you imagine living all your life with people having a say on who you are, from a child who was bullied (that always stays with you) to a globally famous singer (where everyone has something to say about the way you look, speak, do your hair, which dress you wear)? I do agree with the poster who said she hides her insecurities behind that diva act. I think she gradually stepped up the act as she started growing older. That being said, Mariah is still the same person, she will have those interview moments where she just talks about something and is just serious and focused. Yes sure, not lately, but it's not like someone changes at 43 from one month to the next. Mariah is still trying "to let go" as she beautifully sang. Yes sometimes she does come across as a bit pretentious but I think it may be annoying for her to see all those talentless "singers" on top when she actually loves music with all her being. (Saturday 15 February 2014; 4:01)

UK lamb (40,633) by Alex from England I may be French but have been living in London more than 4 years and do love this city, more than where I come from. So maybe I can be counted as a UK lamb? Hehe. Mariah has been my inspiration since 1997 thanks to her amazing lyrics and voice. It's true that here in the UK I've never met anyone who's remotely into her music. In France I found 1 guy (who became my best friend) who was as much a lamb as I am. Sometimes I'm like "Where are all the people who actually buy/bought her records?" Lol. (Sunday 19 January 2014; 4:14)

Fairweather friends (40,615) by Alex from England Those words were obviously used as a reference to her song I Only Wanted and only directed at fans who actually go as far as insulting Mariah and calling her names. I don't mind that people have different opinions or that they were disappointed but insulting someone just because they're not giving you what you expect is plain childish and disrespectful. I called those so-called fans fairweather friends because the minute she'll release a song that goes up the charts they'll be like "it was soworth the wait" and that is the kind of attitude that I can't stand. I don't agree with everything Mariah has ever done or said but at the end of the day I am aware she is a human being and I would never insult her for disappointing me. I hope I cleared up the air about my previous post and I didn't mean to attack all fans who have a different opinion. Just R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Friday 17 January 2014; 6:15)

Fans' reaction (40,582) by Alex from England I am just ashamed of some of the fans. Really? I feel so sorry for Mariah. I can imagine her thinking of that great self-less idea to donate something so personal and then reading the reactions of some fans. She must have been heartbroken. I hope she knows by now some people are just "fairweather friends" and we, true polite lambs who respect her as an artist but also as a woman with feelings, will stick by her. Of course, I can't wait for new music but honestly, that gesture of hers should have reminded how much of a great person she is instead of being called names. It just goes to show what kind of world we live in. Rant over. (Thursday 16 January 2014; 3:36)

Another game (40,456) by Alex from England Does anyone remember which whistle note they heard the first time when they fell in love with Mariah? I mean, I'm sure we all experienced that crazy goosebumps moment when we first heard it or actually comprehended that it was her. As for me, I do recall buying all her albums in 1997 after falling in love with "Butterfly" and it took me like 1 month to realize it was her doing those notes. I kept thinking "Why would she use that same computer gimmick on each album?" Hahaha. Boy was I amazingly shocked when I saw her do the high notes while watching the MTV Unplugged videocassette. (Wednesday 8 January 2014; 4:18)

Positivity / My All/Stay Awhile (40,432) by Alex from England I'd like to take a minute and say how great it is to read positive comments about Mariah and her music. Also I'd just like to know if anyone else thinks My/Stay Awhile remix will never be surpassed as an R&B/HipHop remix? I remember when I heard it on the radio in my home-country, France, when I was 15. I had fallen in love with her the previous the same year with the song "Butterfly". To promote #1's she had done an interview for a popular French radio and after playing some of the new tracks they just announced the next song to be My All and then that remix started playing. I was like "What is this song?" I became obsessed with it and managed to record it on my cassette player. It took me 3 years to finally get my hands on the CD single, the longest 3 years of my life haha. Still to this day, that remix is for me the most amazing remix I've ever heard from her and God knows how I love most of her remixes. (Tuesday 7 January 2014; 1:50)

Mariah's behaviour (40,369) by Alex from England I find it strange that people keep raising concerns about anything and everything. When we don't have the "does she still have the voice?" argument, we're talking about her mental well-being. Oh well, in 1999 people were calling her crazy because she was having fun doing her little Bianca thing, in 2001 she was crazy because she overworked herself to the ground. 13 years later she has a mental problem because she is rambling, not answering questions directly and having fun. Oops, I almost forgot that she is "a heavy drinker". I can understand if some people are concerned or whatever, like any other lamb, I wish Mariah happiness and success. But I think it is taking it a bit too far to say that she has a mental condition. On my end, what I have noticed is that she speaks her mind a bit more openly actually (the label, American Idol) and I like it. You know, we see Mariah in an interview or wherever else with a glass of bubly and people say she drinks a lot. The truth is that it's only 10 minutes out of 24 hours. Even if she has 1 or 2 glasses of wine everyday she's not he first, not the last. I'm actually on my second Martini as I write this, I hope I'm not rambling too much or sounding like I have a mental illness. Oh well, maybe some people will start writing about something positive for a change. There's a difference between stating that one thinks she is rambling and saying she has a mental problem. (Thursday 2 January 2014; 3:56)

Mariah's carreer at this point (40,302) by Alex from England People need to understand Mariah will never dominate the charts/radio the way she did before. Her peak is long gone. But it is OK. At least she's had a wonderful time and has solidified a legacy. Mariah will go down in books as one of the most prolific, talented and influencial singer/songwriters of our generation, if not, ever. I think this should be enough for lambs, right? Sure, I'd love for Mariah to be on top again, to have several #1's to beat The Beatles, etc. But I do think it is better for her to have an album that will be raved about by critics, more so than a big-selling radio-friendly album. After 23 years in the industry, Mariah needs to be remembered as an artist, not a #1 making-machine. I wish her album "Butterfly" would come out today, it would be such a fresh album to reignite the interest in her, still 15 years after its release. Overall, Mariah has had so much success and so many incredible songs, her voice has taken our breaths away on so many occasions that I understand it is hard to accept that that Mariah is a thing of the past. But I have let go of that period in time, I still cherish it as a treasure and am so glad I was alive to experience the magic of 90's Mariah. Now I just want good music, a good album, a good vocal, something that will make me think 'wow, I didn't expect that!' I want music, not hits. But if that music happens to turn into hits, I'm not saying no. (Wednesday 25 December 2013; 21:00)

Mariah's latest interview (40,272) by Alex from England While some fans will again say she was drunk or something was wrong with her because she made fun of Nick or rambled or what-not, Mariah did show her being annoyed with her record company at some point in the interview. What I'd like for some fans to realize is that Mariah doesn't get to decide what single is released, when the album is coming out etc etc. The people behind the curtain are the ones who decide so stop blaming Mariah for not releasing an album in over 4 years, we all know how prolific she is as a songwriter and there must be dozens of recorded unreleased songs. Now I can't wait to experience listening to a full album from her again! (Saturday 21 December 2013; 5:16)

To George Golden (40,187) by Alex from England I completely disagree with you. Mariah should not make a dance album just to stay relevant. She is an artist that loves music and after being forced to make the kind of music she did for the first few years of her career I hope she will never release any material just to be on top of the charts. I think people should accept the fact that Mariah's golden age may be over, at least commercial-wise. Now if she gave me the most beautiful album ever and ended up not selling a lot, sure I'd be disappointed that it'd be overlooked but at the end of the day, music is what counts if you're a true "fan". Mariah is Mariah, she has her insecurities, she is a goofball, she likes to look as pretty as she can, she is "eternally 12", she's a girly girl etc etc, nothing new. But she is also a woman with depth (her lyrics throughout her life about personal matters should ring a bell), a mother, a wife etc etc. While I understand that some fans are worried about her everytime she opens her mouth and says something that you personally wouldn't have, it is starting to be exhausting to read so much negativity. Yes she has given what might be her worst performance ever, no she doesn't have the same voice as she used to (it's time to come to terms with it, it's been 15 years) but she can still give great performances, she can still make good music, she can still sing most singers under the table. If you can't handle this Mariah, just move on and learn the "art of letting go". (Wednesday 11 December 2013; 22:48)

Mariah's voice (40,168) by Alex from England I can understand some people are scared Mariah will fade away into oblivion. But what you guys should realize is that even after the debacle that was Glitter and the breakdown moment (though I loved the album) when everyone was saying she is over, she is still here 12 years after that. Yes, she has issues with her voice, nothing new, it's been 15 years. Whether it is due to alcohol or not, I don't know and neither do you. All I know is Mariah's had bad performances here and there for more than a decade, but she's also had great ones (you know, the ones you watch and then you think "I'll never doubt Mariah's voice again"). Everytime she has a bad performance, I end up being still blown away by the next one. Mariah's voice has changed, we all know it. It's not about singing in the cold or all those lame excuses. Let's be real, there is another explanation whether it is because of her nodules flaring up or her not sleeping properly or drinking/eating the wrong things. Or even something we are not aware of. That being said, I wish people would just be a bit more supportive (while still being realistic) because I'm sure she sings the best she can on a given day, why wouldn't she? Sure I'd love for her to have that powerhouse voice she used to but she doesn't. All I know is her voice is touch and go and as a singer myself I can relate. Some days there is just no controlling my voice however bad I want to. Mariah, I love and support you no matter how good you sing next time. (Tuesday 10 December 2013; 16:47)

To Faith (39,842) (39,843) by Alex from England Mariah is not 20 anymore, she's not gonna create a brand new image of herself. Her stage persona is to be that sexy woman that acts like a diva calling people "dahling". She was forced to play a role for 7 years and if we do wonder why she's never changed her image in the past 16 years, well I think the answer is simple: she is real and true to who she is. Sure it'd be nice for her to re-invent herself for us fans, but the truth is she is a human being who cares a lot more for the emotional aspect of music than for the gimmicks. I am sure she knows people have been put off by her not changing things up a bit, but I will always appreciate the fact that she has been the same woman ever since she broke free of the Tommy situation. Mariah will be Mariah and she's not gonna start "twerking" or shaving one side of her head to gain interest. I think we should realize that Mariah does care about her fans a lot, to the point that she's given us a dance remix of Triumphant with brand-new vocals, just for us. Also, she released TAOLG because she knows some of her fans have been praying for an old-school song moment from her, keeping in mind that she doesn't even have to and yet she did. I had the pleasure to meet her through a contest I won and spent 20 minutes talking to her and all I can say is she is a funny warm real woman that just loves to have a laugh. Anyway she is 43, she is a grown married woman with 2 children, she is not gonna change so embrace who she is or move on. (Saturday 16 November 2013; 2:24)

TAOLG (39,718) by Alex from England I am so ecstatic about the new single. I am not one of those lambs who keep looking back hoping Mariah will release Daydream part 2, because I have loved her since Butterfly came out. That being said, I love the new song and it reminds me of her older anthems such as Outside (background vocals) and Can't Take That Away (lyrical style). Her voice may not sound the same as then, but damn, she is still the reigning diva of all divas. #Beautiful and TAOLG are really making me excited about the album that shapes up to be a classic yet contemporary type of record if I may guess. Anyway, welcome back Mariah, now give us the album. (Monday 11 November 2013; 19:34)

The Art Of Letting Go / Ryan (39,490) by Alex from England I 100% agree with you on the meaning of the title. I still hope it'll be the album title also, it sounds poetic and beautiful to me and if the meaning she has for it is the same as we have understood, perfect. It does sound like something profound like Butterfly did, but I will not overthink it until I hear the song (and hopefulle one day soon, the album lol), I don't want to be disappointed, I just want to hear the song and listen to Mariah's heart without having preconceptions. "Baby I can hardly wait." (Tuesday 15 October 2013; 17:41)

To RadChad (39,363) by Alex from England I completely agree with you. People are always expecting so much from their favorite artists and don't even realize they are the ones hyping it up for themselves and then end up disappointed. Mariah loves hip-hop and R&B, it's not like she's gonna release a country album at this point. Yeah sure I'd love to be surprised and listen to exciting new things she'd be willing to try, but we should remember that Mariah is her own person and makes music she wants to make. It's OK if some people like her old sound (90 to 95) better, but as a reminder it's been almost 20 years she hasn't been the pop/ballad Mariah we all knew and loved so maybe we can give it a rest and just enjoy that she's still here and judge the album when it actyally comes out. (Monday 30 September 2013; 23:43)

Re: #Beautiful remix video (39,306) by Alex from England It's been 2 months now, we'll probably never see that one. Just like the resung dance remix she teased 2 months ago, where the heck is it? It sounded fantastic, I want it now! (Sunday 22 September 2013; 20:38)

Re: MC#1 from USA (39,290) by Alex from England Mariah's voice does not sound the same as when she first started. Neither does it sound the way it did in 1995 or 2000. Mariah's voice has gone through quite a transformation since she broke out on the scene. Her voice has become airier (especially comparing her debut album with later releases in the 90's) and more nasal (starting with Charmbracelet). She does not have the same fluidity or power she used to have. She is still an amazingly technically gifted singer, but there's no arguing her voice is not the same. Even her technique has changed, you can see it just from how she moves her mouth when singing. It has become harder for her to reach certain notes so I don't think she sings the way she wants to but I do think she sings the way she can. People like Patti Labelle have managed to preserve their voices throughout their carreers, but Mariah's has lost some of its earlier shine. Don't take me wrong, I still adore Mariah's music and always will, but I think one needs to be honest with oneself and accept that certain things are no longer the same. Perfect example: In the 90's I knew for a fact Mariah would blow me away with her vocals, now I'm always a bit worried she's gonna sing a few notes out of key or lipsynch some parts, which she does a lot. No hating here, just stating facts that are obvious to me. (Friday 20 September 2013; 23:39)

Mariah's vocal decline (39,277) by Alex from England Hey to all lambs, I'm new here but have been checking out the website for years. I do think "unhealthy" partying and drinking took its toll on her voice as well as the fact she had been cranking out hit after hit, working herself into the ground plus the fact she's always had nodules and her voice being a really rare breed of different registers (belting, whistle, breathy, head, falsetoo) plus her voice being really fragile. On "Butterly" she had, for me, reached 100% of her potential. All registers were perfect, her voice had become richer, deeper and full of nuance yet she could still soar to great heights in belting mode (she still can... sometimes). Then a few months later, after the split from Mottola and a bit of fun was had, her voice had begun her first transition. I miss the voice she used to have, but I know she still has the same vocal range, the only difference is she has to force out high belts, sings a bit more nasally at times and the fluidity is not what it used to be. Good point in 2013: in concerts in Australia her vibrato was back in full force. Anyway, I'm thankful she still is here making music, especially writing most of it. Sorry for the long essay! (Tuesday 17 September 2013; 23:38)