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About Jared from USA:

Nostalgic album (51,462) by Jared from USA I was born in '85, so when Mariah made her debut, I wasn't aware of any of it. I was more into Thundercats, He-Man and Ninja Turtles. I think I started singing at age 6, just singing along to cassette tapes I had, which were mostly Disney songs. I was marginally aware of some pop music as a kid. For instance, Whitney's smash cover of "I Will Always Love You" was inescapable. I'm sure I heard Mariah songs here and there, but I truly became aware of her during the Butterfly era. I was a high school freshman. I remember watching MTV (back when they mostly only played music videos) and seeing the Honey video. I was mesmerized. My mom was in the same room, and I remember her saying, "she's so beautiful". I heard the entire album soon after while carpooling with a friend who was very into R&B back then. I was more of a Showtunes guy at the time. Lol. "Butterfly" the album is hypnotic, and I loved the melodies and harmonies so much that I bought a cassette tape (later, a CD). My favorite album is "Butterfly", sonically and lyrically, but the album that truly makes me nostalgic is "Rainbow". While I didn't love all the tracks, I was truly taken by Mariah's provocative transformation. I was still in high school and one of my close friends was - and still is - a huge lamb. So we found ourselves constantly talking about her, watching her videos, checking sites like Mariah Daily, mcarey.com, and MCArchives. Rainbow just evokes some great memories of that time. (Tuesday 7 April 2015; 19:14)

The illuminati (51,022) by Jared from USA I'm sorry, but I'm not buying it. Like Edward said, if you look hard enough, you'll find symbols and signs everywhere. People who wear funky jewelry don't necessarily do it out of adherence to a cult or knowledge of the symbolism behind certain images. Maybe that woman with the "Eye of Horus" just thought it was cute and tried to make a fashion statement. Besides, if the illuminati were real and still active, what exactly are they trying to accomplish by "controlling" artists like Beyonce and Katy Perry? Are they trying to raise funds for their nefarious plans with concert revenues? Are they trying to brainwash the masses into mindless single ladies putting their hands up? What is the point of all this? What's their end game? And what do they plan to do with the people who don't listen to their artist puppets? Someone please tell me, because I haven't been paranoid enough to read up on their doings. (Wednesday 18 March 2015; 18:05)

Shelly / Abraham / Andrew (50,639) by Jared from USA Shelly, it's nice to see another member showing love and appreciation for The Beatles. Abraham, I also love Earth, Wind And Fire, Chicago, Journey, Bee Gees, etc. I love most anything from the '70s, though I am a millennial. Haha. And finally Andrew, I used to find your posts very offensive. Your posts have an abrasiveness, heavy sarcasm, and sometimes outright antagonistic flavor. I never responded to them, though I was tempted to call you a "hater" more than once. But now I'm beginning to see that you truly are a fan with a good head on your shoulders. You appreciate Mariah, but you're not chugging the Butterfly KoolAid. You want her to succeed as much as anyone else on this board, but you're not afraid to call her out on the weird things that have been going on lately, to put it mildly. I don't always like the things you have to say, or the way that you say them, but I feel that you are at heart someone who's on team MC. I'm in the NYC area if you are serious about meeting up with lambs in December. I'll definitely be watching if she does a second Annual "Night of Joy and Festivity". And don't worry, I won't be frothing in the mouth from drinking too much Butterfly. (Wednesday 4 March 2015; 22:27)

Amber C (50,637) by Jared from USA Amber C, we got off on the wrong foot. Clearly you're miffed, since you're referencing me on your post as "someone... offended by" your post rather than just address me directly by name. I'm not even going to respond to your "rebuttal" with the eyeroll emoticon, "darling". You are entitled to your views, and perhaps I shouldn't have singled you out. I honestly wasn't sure if you were joking about The Beatles. Like I said, they're not my favorite, so I wasn't offended by anything you said - just taken aback by the flagrant disrespect. I know that this is a Mariah messageboard, but I wasn't under the impression that we're free to diss and make fun of other artists here for no apparent reason. The last thing I have to say on the subject is that I love Mariah. I'm obsessed with her, so I am very much aware of her merits and accomplishments. Only time will tell if she can truly eclipse The Beatles in the modern pop canon, so I hope that 50 years from now, she will be celebrated and her music will live on just like the Beatles. I think she has a shot, especially with AIWFCIY being a perennial favorite. (Wednesday 4 March 2015; 22:18)

Amber C, are you joking? (50,612) by Jared from USA First off, I want to say that I do not want to start a fight, and I have nothing against you personally, but some of your statements struck me as ignorant and clearly biased. I am not a fan of The Beatles, but I do like some of their songs and I am aware of their importance and place in the modern music pantheon. Like you I am a huge fan of Mariah, but to say that "she's bigger than The Beatles" is false. Right now, she's more relevant and prominent, but I'm sure that even Mariah herself will admit that The Beatles' contribution to modern pop/rock is far more significant than hers. Yes, she has influenced a lot of singers, ushered in a new era of hip-hop flavored pop, and was a pioneer in singles remixes, but The Beatles completely changed the musical landscape when they came into the scene. At the pinnacle of their career, the level of their success far, far outshines Mariah at her peak. I guess you've never heard the coined word "Beatlemania". They have all kinds of crazy chart records that no one will ever touch. And it is absolutely untrue that "no one goes around singing their (The Beatles') songs" anymore. Kids these days may not be aware of it, but chances are they've heard a Beatles song. Their songs are still being covered by new artists, and are all over film, television, and other media today. I mean for heaven's sake, there's an entire Cirque du Soleil show built around their music, and entire movies like "Across the Universe" (2007). Furthermore, you can look at how influential Paul McCartney (another prolific songwriter like Mariah) is to this day. His participation in Rihanna's new record generated so much buzz for the song even though the guy is 72 years old. And they say that the entertainment business is ageist. Anyway, whew, sorry for the long rant, but as a major music aficionado, I cannot allow my fellow Mariah fans to make blanket statements about other artists' legacies that are patently and verifiably untrue. Mariah is an icon, a superstar, and a major part of music history - that's undeniable. The Beatles, however, have earned a very, very high place in music history, and many will agree with me that Mariah still has a ways to go before she can be on equal footing with The Beatles. The Beatles changed modern pop/rock and without them, we may never have had the MC that we have grown to love, so let's respect them. And if ever Mariah manages to break their Hot 100 #1's record, I will be the first to cheer and celebrate, but even then, I don't know that I would place her musical contributions above the revolutionary Beatles. Amen. (Wednesday 4 March 2015; 4:53)

Promoting the Vegas residency (50,585) by Jared from USA I've just read online that Madonna will be the musical guest on Ellen for an entire week in support of her new album. It's brilliant, and I feel that it will boost her sales somewhat. I do hope that Mariah's team has a major promotional push planned for Vegas and the #1's re-issue. If she's adding a brand new single to the mix, she should be performing it on TV at every high-rated show. Preferably, she would be doing entirely live performances to avoid backing track mishaps like the GMA circa 2008 performance of TMB ("stop singing my part now baby") and other recent disasters. Several of you have suggested a documentary of her road to the Vegas show and behind-the-scenes looks at the show. If tastefully done, this could really help her win new fans and win back lost lambs. They could also do a week-long rollout of sneak peeks at the show to whet everyone's appetites leading up to May 6. Yes, I want Mariah to work her behind off and rise back to the top where she belongs. However, I also want her to take care of herself and her family. I hope they can find a balance between an aggressive promotional effort and a healthy lifestyle for our beloved MC. (Tuesday 3 March 2015; 1:13)

Vegas shows (50,515) by Jared from USA I am hoping that the quality of the production for MC Vegas shows will be up to par with Celine's. I watched Celine at Caesar's in 2006, and the show was so beautiful that I was moved to tears. Before I became a Mariah fan (circa 1997), I used to listed to Celine's albums on cassette. I also had Alanis' Jagged Little Pill on cassette, and listened to it constantly. Once I became acquainted with Mariah's music, I was hooked. I still have a soft spot for Celine, but I prefer Mariah by leaps and bounds. Having seen Mariah's Christmas shows at the Beacon, I am confident that she can pull off beautiful performances, especially if she works with a team as creative and accomplished as Celine's in Vegas. I also hope that she makes more of an effort to control her public image. I think the general public are tired of the "dahlings", "splashes", "moments" and "festivities". As fans or "lambs" we love and appreciate her quirky humor, but in recent years, it has really gone overboard. Many of her recent interviews are so awkward and cringe-inducing. I recently stumbled across her Vibe magazine interview circa 1998 (she's on the cover), and she sounds to down to earth and intelligent - not a rambling mess. I hope that Mariah resurfaces soon. Also, when she's done with this "#1's" show, I hope she really takes big musical risks. Take a page from GaGa's playbook and surprise us all. And finally, I wish she would stop using the same #1's-heavy setlist on her next tour. Peace. (Saturday 28 February 2015; 2:08)

Last night's festivities (48,544) by Jared from USA The house lights dimmed, and scattered cries of joy came from the audience as this tiny little ballerina came onstage twirling to "Dance of the Sugar Plum" fairy. Suddenly, the curtain rose to reveal Mariah dazzling gloriously in a silvery long gown, standing atop a platform made to look like a stack of presents. She is the best present of all, obviously. Wild cheers erupted and the entire theater got to its feet as she cooed the opening strains of Hark. The Herald Angels Sing. She struggled in the beginning. Was it nerves? Technical issues? Perhaps. It was opening night, after all. Did she mime? Yes, a few high belts and buttery soft coos here and there were mimed. When she sang live, and of course she did for most of the show, she sounded lovely. I am happy to report that (as many of you have seen in the photos and videos that have emerged) the production was classy and high-value. I loved the arched giant screen backdrop, which sometimes gave the stage the appearance of a giant snow globe, and the all-white platform for the band and backup singers. The numbers flowed into each other with hardly a lull, with her ensemble of dancers and singers filling in while she changed into two other magnificent dresses. She got a well deserved long standing ovation after "Oh Holy Night". She stopped "Hero" (the only non-Christmas song performed) at the bridge when her mic pack fell off, and started from the top. She was amazing, and gave us a beautiful performance. (Tuesday 16 December 2014; 19:57)

Hey lambs, watching MC tonight (48,524) by Jared from USA I'm so excited, as I haven't seen her in concert since the TEOM tour. Watching with my husband tonight. Will come back and share details later. I read the message board frequently, but I don't usually post. Can't wait to put all the negativity of the Rockefeller lighting to rest. Mariah has good and bad days like many singers, and she deserves more respect than people give her. Merry Christmas to all. (Monday 15 December 2014; 21:12)

Me. I am Mariah... (43,092) by Jared from USA I love the album cover for the standard edition. Stunning. Sexy yet classy. I wish the pre-order came with a download of an unreleased song. I already have #B, YM(E) and TAOLG. (Thursday 1 May 2014; 6:32)