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J.Lo (44,889) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It seems like every lamb is expected to hate everyone who wronged Mariah in any way, but I actually like J. Lo (please don't hate me). She's probably the only exception. Even if she basically built pretty much her entire music career around stealing other artists' material or ideas, but I like her earlier material (or mock my taste), as in her first 5 albums, when she stayed true to her Latin roots and ventured into R&B and hip-hop. It's less about her music, though, and rather more about her overall appeal and business acumen. In some ways, she's like Mariah - exotically gorgeous, just as good/bad an actress, plus an above-average dancing ability, minus a whole universe of vocal talent. The other similarities are creepier though: they're of the same age, have worked with a lot of the same people, and both have boy-girl twins. But the truth is, even with her new release flopping, that woman currently has a better public image than Mariah now. She's surrounded by better people and seems to have a better attitude towards things, which makes a world of difference and presents her as someone more likable. And as far as I have observed through the years, she has always been respectful to Mariah. If this era won't be salvaged, I hope Mimi does a total housecleaning of her team and instead hires people who positively challenge her and put her in her place when she starts to revert to diva mode - not just those who indulge her every whim. That may bring her back to earth. (Thursday 19 June 2014; 3:48)

I'm thirsty (44,888) by Manny from U.S. I was driving pass Walgreen's and a little voice told me "oh you're thirsty, oh you're thirsty",. so I went to buy The Butterfly drink. I texted my lamb Darren and told him it tastes like "M" (as a joke), Mariah's first perfume. For some reason it reminded me of the perfume. He said he thought the same thing. Ha ha. I guess I'm still "obssessed" with Mariah. (Thursday 19 June 2014; 3:32)

Confusing publicity vs. "popularity" (44,887) by nikki from usa First thing I gotta say is when Nicki and MC did AI I was appalled by Nicki's behavior. Never have I seen a judge that expected all the other judges to explain themselves to her rather than critique the contestants. Nicki had a chance to throw in her 2 cents and always interrupted the other judges while speaking, especially Mariah, which was beyond pompous. That q-tip comment is exhibit A. After a few jabs Mariah, rightfully so, put Nicki in her place. I used to go through public commentary at the time. The no moderated kind, so people could be as brutal as they wanted. The unanimous vote was most didn't like either of them, Nicki was the worst, and at least Mariah can sing is what it ultimately came down to. Because of constant MC bashing in the media I was expecting people to vie for Nicki, but that wasn't the majority. When it comes to J.Lo, publicity doesn't translate to sales and never has. Her biggest selling album in the US has sold 6 million and was the music she swiped from MC. Both Nicki and J.Lo are known for YouTube views and publicity. Yet, MC made a single tweet and 24 hours later Times Square was shut down. Beautiful didn't reach top 10, yet still went platinum. She and her label didn't promote an album or single, yet 2 million people tuned in to see her NBC special. Imagine what would happen if she actually tried? (Thursday 19 June 2014; 2:14)

Re: Mariah vs J.Lo (44,886) by Lamb_O_Chop from Australia I know she would come across as "likeable", because she's all about being politically correct and not messing up her money flow. That wasn't up for debate. My point was that they would have never pulled that stunt on her. Ask yourself why is it that they didn't regard Mariah enough to be the only female judge like they did J.Lo. People have attacked and mistreated Mariah (J.Lo via Tommy, AI, Eminem) yet the public get all up in arms when she doesn't pretend that all is well and speaks up for herself. I just don't think it's fair at all. I've watched AI and it appears to me that Mariah and Nicki started off being playfully shady towards each other, when Nicki got serious and crossed the line. Mariah kept her cool for the most part. If Mariah not being overly PC and fake makes her unlikeable then I say so be it. She doesn't have to like everybody. I'm sure she has her valid reasons for not caring for certain individuals. Just as I'm sure you have your reasons for now caring for certain people. (Thursday 19 June 2014; 1:04)

Thirsty (44,885) by B from USA Outside the VIP eyeing me you got/get what you see. You can't get the ring back. (Thursday 19 June 2014; 0:30)

Just wanna share (44,884) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Eclectic Kiwi singer Kimbra (yes, Gotye's duet partner) held a live chat session on Facebook sometime last week where she answered a lot of fan questions about her upcoming sophomore album. Apparently, she's a 90s baby (like me) who is now paying homage to the music of that decade with her lead single, "90s Music". Now the song is the definition of acquired taste - seriously one of the weirdest, most polarizing, least commercial-sounding records you'll ever hear and doesn't really sound so 90s except for the inclusion of sonic effects that were considered futuristic at that time (bleeps, clinks, sped-up/distorted vocals). However, if you listen closely you'll be able to hear Mariah's influence on her on some of her vocal harmonizing/layering, which also happens to be present on several of her other songs. So it wasn't a surprise for me when she said that her favorite Mariah song was "Fantasy", one of Mimi's first songs to feature her complex harmonizing style. Plus, Kimbra added the song on the 90s-themed Spotify playlist she created as well. It's always a great thing to see how Mimi's creativity also influences other artists. If you haven't checked out some her stuff yet other than "Somebody That I Used To Know", I recommend you to. She's one of those few artists nowadays who actually have legit talent (creative vision and formidable pipes) - she's like this generation's Bjork. (Thursday 19 June 2014; 0:18)

Mariah vs JLo (44,883) by ADAM from USA I think if there was another female on AI, JLo would still come across likable and behave normally. I agree AI jumped the shark by hiring another female on her season of the show, but if you watch clips of AI throughout the season, in every single instance before the full on fight, Mariah instigated Nicki with a catty comment or quip about her resume. Doesn't matter what pedigree someone has, if you act like a bully, then ultimately someone will break and you will get what's coming to you. What's interesting to note is, in every interview JLo has always been complementary towards Mariah, always praising her. No shade. Simple, why can't Mariah do the same? Perhaps she doesn't like that JLo is her constant point of comparison - age, career, twins, money etc. Except even with all the promotion JLo has gotten for this new album its predicted to sell less than MCs, however JLo is still way more likable and people like talking about her and wanting to know more about her. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 22:45)

Cry (44,882) by TR from USA I really love this song - the melody and the vocals more than anything. It's truly one of my favorites on the album. I just find it so difficult to understand lyrically though. Is it just me? I get that she's in a state of regret, she gave up on a relationship too soon before realizing she had a good thing. I keep trying to imagine who she's singing to (it always ends up Luis Miguel) to try to put it into context, but even then, why would you want to hold each other until you're both crying? Are you crying that you can't get that back anymore? And secondly, this entire album has got to be a blow to Nick's self-esteem. It's a love letter to every other man in her life but him, unless MILG was for him since he's a "bad boy"? And Money seems to address his insecurities, if it's about him. Besides that, she said this album is a snapshot of her life from where she last left off with Memoirs to now, so yeah, I'm super suspicious about her love life hahaha. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 22:40)

Dembabies (44,881) by TR from USA I never thought I'd say this, but I really have hope that Nick Cannon is keeping Roc and Roe grounded. Remember during the BW interview after they were born and NC and MC kinda went back and forth when he said he wanted them to go through school and be doctors or teachers or something and MC was like "they're gonna be in music..." or something to that effect. Here it is, three years later, and every time I hear Mariah refer to Monroe as a diva, I cringe. I'm sorry, but any child (let alone a toddler) being called a diva at whatever age, I equate that with being a brat. They're the parents, and my opinion means nothing, but I sincerely hope they're not letting these kids think they're super privileged, because we've all seen where that expressway leads, and it's not cute. Check just about any child star from the 90s/00s. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 21:58)

Mariah vs J.Lo (44,880) by Lamb_O_Chop from Australia Sure J.Lo is more "like-able" to the public, because she's fake and all about the money. Trust and believe she's probably a bigger "diva" behind the scenes than Mariah is. Notice AI never tried that "putting another female on the panel" stunt with her like they did with Mariah and poor Paula. Mariah just gets a bad rap imo and people think they can just do my girl any kind of way, and she's supposed to just smile, be fake, and ignore it. Hell no, if you don't appreciate something MC speak on it girl. I'm so over people not liking her or getting the wrong impression, I believe she's worked her ass off and have every right to be her unapologetic self. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 21:29)

Beverage / Thirsty (44,878) by Ty from USA So yay, I just ran across an article citing a multi-million dollar advertisement for the new beverage with a commercial using "Thirsty". This is quite an ingenious move by MC. That's my girl. Lol. Whether Thirsty is an official single or not, this campaign may be the boost (in fame, on the charts, etc) Mariah has been due for awhile now. Favorite MC songs ever: TGTBAW, CLG, AYNAF, WBT, FTR and FLAB. Much love. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 20:30)

Kenny / coffee and cookies (44,877) by Edward from USA Kenny, my statement wasn't meant to be visualized, sorry if it ruined your coffee, it wasn't my intention. See, now I'm craving coffee. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 20:27)

Billboard is officially a joke (44,875) by Jono from USA Giving MIAM, one of her best albums, a measly 77 while JLo somehow scores a 78 on an album that is barely listenable. Billboard is a joke. There are definitely politics behind it. How can someone who doesn't even write or produce her own music, let alone sing like Mariah, score higher? I just can't with idiotic critics sometime. In the end it won't matter though, because every vocalist has cited Mariah as an influence and inspiration. No one says they want to be like the other one. So critics, keep kissing talentless artists' ass and supporting the autotune/dance craze that is killing music. We'll see how memorable they are in a few years. Also wanted to add that critics who are complaining that MIAM doesn't have enough of a hook or recognizable chorus, that's because their ears have been dumbed down the last 5-6 years to listen to the repetitive, sh-t that pop music has now put out with its regurgitated lyrics, cliche beats, and unnecessary repeating of words to create a "hook". Mariah refuses to sell out, releasing a true R&B record even though she knows that genre doesn't sell. She will never stoop down to the EDM level just to have a hit. She has never followed a trend and never will. She sets the trend. Welcome to real music, critics. That's how they did it 10-20 years ago, you know back when pop music was good. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 20:17)

JLo / beverage (44,874) by Elena from The Netherlands About JLo, she is a smart business woman, takes good care of herself and just like Mariah, carried and raises twins. She doesn't need he entourage around her all the time and is overall very like-able. Her acting is very questionable and her music sounds terrible, but her videos are stunning, she dresses properly, does her promotion work and gives "normal" interviews. Image wise MC could take note from her and her team. But JLo is in for the money, music is just one of her income sources and I don't think she bothers too much about it. She is still relevant. Now the beverage; I still can't put my head around it. If Katy Perry would do such a thing, her fans (the kids) would buy it and that would be a great move and make sense. But MC's fans are mostly adults; kids hardly know her. No one in his or her 30's or 40's is going to buy it. It's such an odd move. But businesswise she invests little to it and gain a lot of profit from each bottle that she sells. I think it's going to flop big time for her. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 18:37)

Performance in France (44,873) by Billy from England, UK Does anyone know if there is any more videos of this night? (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 18:16)

She's rarely sounded as comfortable (44,872) by Loris from Italy Here's the Pitchfork review. They gave the album a score of 7.7, which is quite outstanding since Mariah is always snubbed in the indie music magazines. The review is the most reasonable I've read since the release. Clearly MIAM is a critical success and that is because the album includes magnificent songs. Even Money, which I wasn't very fond of at first, is a grower; when she says "and I dream the impossible dream", it's such a priceless tender moment. The album is staggering, because her other records are a bit less organic, but it's with stupendous tracks like Faded, Supernatural, Camouflage and Cry that her music has come to a full circle. I'm very satisfied now and I'm happy that she managed to release the perfect record after some lost opportunities like TEOM and Butterfly, which incorporate some of her classics, signature songs, uplifting vocals and ridiculously mesmerizing lyrics but are sporadically weak. The album flaws without too many frills, as opposed to albums like Charmbracelet. Ultimately, Faded has the potential to become my new favourite Mariah Carey song, after Slipping Away recently captivated me endlessly. I believe the emotions Mariah conveys through her music are real, and that her soulful, enticing, melismatic style is not for everybody. It's so uncool to listen to Mariah that I love it. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 18:14)

Edward (44,871) by Kenny from Canada "Opinions are like the anus, everybody has one." I spat out my coffee when I read this. I'm giving you a standing ovation in front of my computer. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 17:52)

Comparisons (44,870) by G.G. from USA There is no way to accurately compare Mariah to that other woman. Mariah is a juicy, nutritious and delicious apple. That other chick is an unedible, rancid orange with no nutritional value. That other chick has always been Madonna's and Janet Jackson's lesser. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 17:49)

Thoughts (44,869) by S from I was just thinking of the fact that people keep saying that once you're in your 40s you are done. Well to that I'll say look at someone like Idina Menzel, she's 43 and at the peak of her career, more famous than ever, with an Oscar winning worldwide top 10 hit song (Let It Go from Frozen), a commercially succesful Tony nominated Broadway musical with the highest charting cast album for a stage musical in 18 years, a sold out concert at Radio City Music Hall (probably the first out of many), an upcoming Christmas album that will probably be a hit too and her fan base ranges from tweens to seniors so she's got that going for her too. Mariah is of course way more famous and they are two very different artists and I'm not saying Idina was ever at Mariah's level but they are both known for their big voices, yet despite the fact that Idina's only a year younger than Mariah and has been singing for just as long she isn't having the same problems with her voice (yes I know Mariah has nodules but I don't think that's the only reason her voice isn't as good as it once was). And to sum it all up, I can't help but think that Mariah could have been having a similar type of success right now at this point in her career if she had been willing to make some changes and not be so stubborn, it's frustrating to see because I feel that with her talent she has so much more to offer than what we've seen from her lately, and she's being reduced to a joke or a has-been by so many people. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 17:42)

Re clueey23 (44,868) by Gloria from Hong Kong Clueey23, I doubt that you can read my mind. I enjoy the music and I don't think her image or the lack of promotion lowers the quality of her music. But yes, the sales may be a bit disappointing. The new album definitely has the potential of being a commercial success (or better performance than the last album MOAIA). Anyway I take the negativity of some lambs as a series of demanding requests. We just can't make people do whatever we want, and it's impossible to move MC even we lambs are tirelessly bombarding her and her manager on FB and twitter. Sometimes I just can't stand the lambs' wrath. Peace. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 17:07)

Just in case we needed some reminding... (44,867) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines We tend to be too critical of Mariah's voice and how she ruined it through the years, even comparing it to some of her peers like Celine. I think such comparisons aren't that valid due to a big factor: personal differences. Not every singer sings with the same amount of ease. There are some who simply take less effort to produce and carry a tune, and there are those who, by nature, have to put in more work. (Differences may be slight, but the effects may be more obvious in the long run.) She seems to be one of the latter; though sure, she could've slowed down in the 90s-early 00s, adapted healthier singing/breathing techniques, rested her vocals more, taken far less "splashes", etc. Add that to aging and the nodules and we have a recipe for hastened decline. She'll never sound as flawless live as she did back then, but she still has it. She is a perfectionist in the studio which is a double-edged sword, but she works hard and makes the most of what she has (shorter yet craftier runs, staccato form of composition and delivery; belts only when needed, tries more vocal textures). Gone is the young, full, supple, buttery tone she had then; now we have a drier, harder, yet grittier, more soulful and versatile tone that comes from a woman who can't belt as much anymore but can still scale through octaves like no other and can back up whatever she sings with more confidence and conviction than ever - a result of having weathered storms that would've rendered any other artist done. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 16:22)

Top 5 songs (44,866) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines 5) Supernatural - If they weren't dedicated to her children, I'd consider the lyrics (along with You're Mine) as some of the most banal in the album. However, Dembabies are cute, and the belted vocals are probably the best on the album. That climax? Chills. 4) You Don't Know What To Do - Hands down the album's smartest and ultimate earworm moment. Minus Wale's highly questionable feature and the wonderful intro, every part of the song is a hook. Best bet for a hit. 3) Faded - Slightly overproduced, but it's Mariah's best attempt at recreating We Belong Together without sounding so much like it. Only ballad on the album that's fit for release in today's sonic landscape. 2) Dedicated - Best hip-hop collaboration Mimi has done since the Thank God I Found You remix thanks to the earnest, laid back vibe. Perfect soundtrack for get-togethers/gatherings. 1) Make It Look Good - The album's sexiest song. While it's hardly original and is sorely missing a verse from Stevie, it's the best retro-themed/sounding track she has ever made. Time magazine definitely got it right. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 15:16)

Thoughts (44,865) by clueey23 from USA I feel like I'm the only one who couldn't care less now for a radio smash hit and a video. Who watches music videos? I just don't have the time. I buy music but rarely listen to the radio anyways. I will say I hope that she tours to support the project. I also like the surprise element and "Maybach" moments MC has given us in these past few months. I'm not the type of fan who buys MC's perfumes, clothes, shoes, water. I am strictly a fan of the music. I think we should switch the word "negative" to the phrase, "care too much". (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 14:29)

J. Lo's new album / One More Try (44,864) by ZachSingsMariah from USA Not to perpetuate the comparisons/conflict between MC and Jenny, but "A. K. A" is virtually unlistenable. A fellow commenter here brought up the track "Emotions". It is so laughably abysmal I struggled to contain myself. Not to mention JLo also snuck Nas onto her album (seems a bit suspicious to me given the much earlier timing of Mariah recording the marvelous "Dedicated"). For all of you paranoid about Mariah potentially becoming irrelevant in the industry now in her mid-40s, I urge you to listen to "A. K. A. " and realize just how much worse it could be. Also, just wanted to say how much my opinion has changed on "One More Try" since first hearing it. I kind of hated the naive, nasal sound of her voice at first, but I actually think her fragile tone gives really nice contrast to the immense gravity of the lyrics. Also, the run at "ain't no joy-yeeee" around the 5-minute mark is just pure revelation. I've never heard MC have this many vocal textures in one song, it's truly remarkable. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 14:22)

Re: JLo observation (44,863) by jaker20 from US Comparing MC's sales to JLo is setting the bar for MC way way too low. I hope MC's career hasn't sunk to the level that JLo has become a valid comparison. If we're going to compare MC's sales to someone it should be Madonna. Madonna can't touch MC's sales for 20 years. But the last 6 years she's been doing much much better than MC on all fronts. And she's 12 years older than MC. (Wednesday 18 June 2014; 13:11)

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