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Thoughts (42,131) by clueey23 from USA The Ariana Grande conversations are so last summer. Why would MC make music like Ariana? MC has "been there, done that". Ariana can sing but she is short of amazing. I wish some of you would move forward with the times. I think MC has been very complimentary towards younger singers, older singers, and her peers. But the thing with Ariana not having her own style, that weak voiced cover of "Emotions" and "AIWFCIY" had me done with her. And then she performed "Tatooed Heart" on some award show and I loved it. But the formula that they're are using is MCs old one and they're not doing that great of a job. Seriously, I think that's where MC was coming from talking about longevity and agreeing with Jay-Z's statement, "Don't compare me to anyone." Because if anyone's being shaded it's MC. How dare people call this little teeny bopper Nickoloden kid the next MC because she can do a few runs and hit a couple of whistle notes? And honestly, I don't like her high notes, they're not great. AG has a lot of growing to do. Hopefully one day she'll find her own style and voice. Now MC did shade Nicki Minaj, but for obvious reasons. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 19:05)

My two cents (42,130) by Dani from USA I've liked Mariah's recent releases, but I will admit that it's taken quite a while for them to grow on me. I'm inclined to embrace what she puts out on account that, as does every other lamb, I'm sure, I know what she's capable of. Putting aside the fact that I'm a lamb though, her recent releases have been lacking, and I think I know why. I think it's because she's stuck in a musical vacuum, where she doesn't let anything in and anything out. She's expressed the fact that she doesn't normally listen to anyone else's music. I think this is a big mistake because it puts her out of touch with the general ethos of music nowadays. She's using the same formula, and being the visionary that we know she can be, she's doing herself a big disservice. She should let others influence her. It's how you get inspiration, I think, and even motivation to create something "more groundbreaking" than others. I can only take record scratches at the beginning of her songs so much. Let's not recreate Underneath The Stars. Let's do something radically different in the vein of today's music. I know she can do it, and as always, I have hopes for the album as a whole. I really do. And on another note, Ariana and Mariah are two different artists, and yes, Ari was definitely influenced by Mariah, but she's not some sort of "usurper". She's channeling Mariah, and we should embrace it. Her album is amazing and I love her voice (it's so smooth and beautiful), and yes, I'm also a lamb. It's possible. Lol. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 15:55)

Same old (42,129) by Holly from UK I wasn't going to post on here again but I just gotta say, this always happens prior to the release of a new Mariah album. Certain "so called" fans decide to bash Mariah even though we've only heard three tracks and don't even have an official track listing yet. The criticism starts countless arguments between lambs but the minute that album drops on May 6th they'll all start gushing about how amazing it is and how proud they are blah, blah, blah. There is a word for some of you: fickle. If Mariah isn't doing it for you anymore then run away to Beyoncé Land, or Rihanna Town. Nobody is making you stay. But quit spreading your pointless negativity for the rest of us. For the record, I'm loving Mariah's new material and I'm super excited about the album (Saturday 15 March 2014; 15:51)

Subtle changes (42,128) by Musti from UK I've read some of the comments regarding the new album and the direction Mariah should take. Mariah has been making music for a very long time, she doesn't need to change her musical direction drastically at this stage. But I do think a couple of indie/alternative inspired songs might work wonders in changing people's opinions about her music. I would also like a few electro R&B songs on there. But not EDM, she's too good for that. More importantly she should to make a few subtle changes that would surprise people. Like showing the left side of her face on the album cover, something she has only done on Emotions. Also ditch the font that she has used on her CDs since forever. Maybe the colours too. Ditch brown, black or pink-yet-lavender. I do love her long hair but not when she puts in endless extensions and looks like a lioness. Oh and also anything that is ultra camp, like covering herself up in glitter in YME. I love what she stands for - an all powerful singer and business woman who is girlier than a teenage girl with pink Barbie dolls. She has never had to "man it up" like Beyonce or Rihanna to be a strong woman. But unfortunately people don't seem to get that and they continue to see her like a ditzy daisy. And of course the way she's been behaving in her interviews lately doesn't help that cause either. However even is she doesn't change anything, I am and will always be here for the music and will continue to support her even after she retires. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 15:22)

Marissa (42,127) by Lamb_O_Chop from Australia Sweetie, Im' gonna need you to speak for yourself and not in general terms, because hunny I adore TAOLG, YM is cute, and #Beautiful was a great effort and I completely disagree with your assessment of Ariana recycled songs sounding any better, it's quite laughable if you ask me. And you all know good and well if Mariah did the same songs that child did, you all would still be complaining. She won't ever please everybody. I'm sure there are people who hated and complained about songs from her best eras, so it's nothing but another opinion, everybody has one. And since you brought it up, this woman gave us 23 years of great music and vocals, so instead of slapping her in the face you need to be appreciative. (*agrees to disagree and logs off*) (Saturday 15 March 2014; 2:37)

Ariana Grande? Who? (42,126) by Loris from Italy Mariah may no longer be the strongest female singer in the game, but certainly she was in the 90's. About those unlikely comparisons: the strength of Whitney's voice is untouchable, but Mariah's formula of excellent phrasing plus whistle register makes her simply the bes. Let's not forget the utter superiority of her amazing catalogue, Mariah has (at least) 50 amazing songs, and I don't think many musicians have achieved that. Most of her tracks are heavenly produced and incorporate splendid lyrics, and that is due to her overall music vision as well. Christina Aguilera and Beyoncè? Yes, they are the two most talented pop singers of 00's, but speaking of great relevant pop singles, I would only mention Ain't No Other Man and Crazy in Love. Mariah has (at least) Emotions, Dreamlover, Fantasy, #Beautiful. We may not want to compare Mariah's fifth studio album with Beyoncè last album. Well, there's no comparison. Why would one prefer the trite Drunk In Love over the enchanting Long Ago?Through her first 5 albums, Mariah has achieved way more than Beyoncè in terms of vocal performances and recordings, despite the latter is a fabolous performer. Ariana leaves me feeling indifferent. Let's come back to what matters the most, which is Mariah upcoming record and her legacy. By the way, this version of I Don't Wanna Cry is stunningly rearranged and sung. I'm not a fan of her denying I Don't Wanna Cry as a precious gem and that's all. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 1:25)

It is what it is (42,125) by Marissa from USA Lamb_O_Chop, I think it's a huge slap in the face to the fans that the songs we're getting are forgettable and it seems like her musical standards have gone down. I also think it's a slap in the face that we've gone from having lyrics like "Treated me kind, sweet destiny carried me through desperation to the one that was waiting for me," to "I'm making a statement of my own opinion." If Mariah was operating on the level she was in 05 or 08 I wouldn't even bring Ariana up. Recycled or not, the songs sound way better than what Mariah has put out recently. MC recent songs aren't songs that would make people say, "Wow, I want to be a lamb" or "This woman is a musical genius." On another note the YME music video was a downgrade. I think concept videos like Obsessed, WBT, Honey, etc. are the way to go. YME was basically just her touching herself (don't take that out of context) and mouthing the words. Beautiful location, but basic. Like someone said not too long ago, if IDJ's budget is too small then she may want to start funding some of her videos because I really don't want to see her go out like this. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 0:58)

Ariana who? (42,124) by Brad Catoe from United States I don't comment that much but no Mariah should be making music like Ariana? I have been listening to Mariah for years so when I heard there was this new artist that sounds like Mariah, I was intrigued until I heard her song and then I promptly changed the channel. I don't think she's anything to write home about. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 0:45)

YME on Sirius/XM Channel 48 (42,123) by Brad from USA Hi all. I hope everyone is well and being good to others. This morning, as I pulled into the parking garage at work, they played YME on "Heart and Soul" Channel 48 Sirius/XM radio. I was so surprised and excited to hear it on the radio that I nearly cried, but that would have made me late for work. Anyhow, it made me happy to hear it on the radio. I wanted to share that elation with you all. Be well. (Saturday 15 March 2014; 0:31)

Strike three (42,122) by Lamb_O_Chop from Australia *logs back in for a moment* Hey why not just compare Mariah to herself instead of an artist that doesn't hold a candle to her? Marissa, hunny it's an insult to say Mariah should makes songs of the caliber of Ariana. Reason being the songs you mentioned sounds like poorly recycled Mariah songs from the 90s anyway. It's a huge slap in the face to Mariah to make such a suggestion. Lee: We all know that Ariana's voice is in better condition than Mariah's now; and yes it better be since she's been singing for all of 25 mins and counting. By that token who's voice isn't in better condition than Mimi's right now? I mean we are all aware that the women has experienced her share of vocal trauma, doesn't mean any of these girls are better singers or artist than Mimi though. Oh and I'm sure you would enjoy Beyonce and Ariana on stage holding hands singing Vanishing live and flawless. My only question to you would be: would it have the same affect it did when Mariah sang it on SNL? Personally, I'll take Mariah over both any day musically and worn vocally. Side note: Why Is it that people always forget her impromptu performances when mentioning her current live vocals? (Friday 14 March 2014; 23:41)

You're Mine (42,121) by Gilbert from USA I don't know if it's just me but I ended up loving all versions. However, I'm just curious as to why all these remixes are not available for purchase. I actually like the JD remixes and Jump Smokers Mix, yet no sign of them to buy. You think who ever is managing would have this out on the market to boost sales. I'm sure like any fan found a away to make those audio files but it's just a shame they aren't available to purchase. I would still purchase 2 of the remixes just to show support because I do believe they are great remixes. I still don't know what the status is of the #Beautiful dance mix she let us hear when she called the lamb line. That sounded like a good mix as well. (Friday 14 March 2014; 23:18)

You're Mine remixes (42,120) by Jay from USA I just heard the dance remixes on her YouTube channel. I was kinda hoping for more vocals and lyrics but they are not bad. My favorite overall is still "Jermaine Dupri x Kurd Maverick Germany to Southside Remix". I still miss her working with David Morales. One of the things that I love about Mariah is that no matter what kind of feelings you are in or what mood you are in, she always has something for everyone. I'm in a dance mood, let me pop and lock it with a dance remix. If I'm in the mood for some "hoodriah", she got somehting else for you. Or in a lovey dovey mood, hold up, let me switch tracks. There's something for everyeone. And through it all, she never stops being MC, no matter what. It never seems like it doesn't fit her. David Cole said it best: "It's never 'why is she doing that?' it comes across, like 'this belongs to her'." Still I can't wait for the album to come out. I'm very excited. (Friday 14 March 2014; 23:02)

You're Mine on urban radio, a little less is a hell of a lot more (42,119) by Geronimo from USA I just heard the remix of You're Mine for the first time on KMOJ in Minneapolis. Hearing it in an urban context (where it belongs) reminds me that since Daydream and Butterfly MC's uniqueness is has been her ability create super-smooth, mid-tempo tracks with a sweet melody, great production and a laid back hip-hop feel. When she first came out she used her voice in the most melodramatic and gymnastic way possible because it was easy for her to do, it sounded immediately impressive and "emotional" for soft rock and pop fans and because Sony knew that super-big melismatic singing could easily make corny pop songs written in one hour sound deep. Now that I'm older I love songs like Long Ago, The Roof, Lullaby, Close My Eyes, Slipping Away, Breakdown, Underneath the Stars and (almost) all of Memoirs, and Daydream Interlude. On the other hand, songs like And You Don't Remember, Just to Hold You Once Again, When I Saw You, All I've Ever Wanted and Forever remind me of junior high love letter and make me laugh now. All that is just to say that an understated song like You're Mine on urban radio is a confident and chilled out breath of fresh air in which a little less is a hell of a lot more. (Friday 14 March 2014; 21:58)

Think about this (42,118) by Marissa from USA To touch on J's point, yes us lambs do our part regardless of whether we are in love with the music or not. I often see in the comments on her recent videos on YouTube people saying "Come on lambs. Is this the best we can do?" or "Where are all the so-called lambs?" The thing is that Mariah used to make music that was so good that the lambs didn't need to bear all of the weight of trying to push her songs to the top, the general public helped us because they thought the songs were hot. Now I feel like we're on our own. The music she's making now isn't hot/strong enough to convert people into the lambily anymore. I honestly can't tell you the last time I met or chatted with a new lamb. On the other hand, it seems like every 10 minutes someone is converting to the Beyhive or tweeting "surfboard" on my TL. Don't you guys remember when Obsessed came out and everyone used that song as an excuse to ask the question, "Why are you so obsessed with me?" I need that kind of stuff to come back. Let me ask you guys this: If you weren't already a lamb and heard TAOLG or YME would you really become a die-hard fan of hers based on those two songs? Be honest. My answer is no. I think asking questions like that force us to look at her stuff more objectively and forces us out of our lamb bias to see how the general public views her work. A lot of us are lambs based on her previous work, and we're really just enduring this era, praying that the outcome pleasantly surprises us. (Friday 14 March 2014; 21:32)

Vocal potential (42,117) by Marissa from USA I respect lambs like RadChad who can at least wish the younger generation like Ariana luck. I agree Mariah will never be duplicated, which is why I think people need to relax and let Ariana do her thing because we know Mimi's success will always be unmatched. We should strive to be mature fans that don't feel the need to oppress someone else's talent. On another note, I actually do have faith in Mimi's voice because of the amazing vocals she gave in 2010 for Merry Christmas II You. Yes it was recorded almost 4 years ago but I have faith because she was anticipating being pregnant (she had in vitro, right?)/pregnant during that time so she couldn't drink, which is why I think her vocals were so amazing. I wanted to know exactly what damage alcohol does to your voice so I looked it up and it causes the muscles of the throat to constrict and can dry out your vocal cords. I don't think Mimi's an alcoholic or anything, but I definitely think she drinks more nowadays then she used to. I also highly doubt that she still sleeps for hours with the humidifiers, does the vocal rest thing, etc. anymore. If she makes a few tweaks, I think her voice will be in great shape again. Will Mimi actually make these changes? That's a whole other question. (Friday 14 March 2014; 21:04)

Originality, Ariana and opinions (42,116) by Marissa from USA I totally agree with Tiina and J. Mariah has done a lot of original things, but not every single thing she's done has been original. She has sampled and covered plenty of songs and has been inspired by Minnie Ripperton. Does that make her a copycat? Yes, The Way and Almost is Never Enough are the caliber of songs we should be getting from Mariah. Whether you think Ariana is a copycat or not those songs are way stronger than the songs Mimi's been putting out from 2012-2014. Half of you guys that keep saying Ariana isn't original haven't even heard her entire album. I think that they are different artists that don't sound alike. If Ariana didn't use her whistle, I wouldn't even think of Mariah while listening to her. Ariana is a child of the 90s. Naturally MC is her inspiration. Is she supposed to distort her voice just so she doesn't get backlash from the lambs for "copying" MC? The music biz never lets anyone be an individual. They'll always compare a current artist to a previous artist, deserved or not. That's how it is. I disagree that unless you're a music executive you should keep your opinion to yourself. I'm not going to go along with everything she does because I'm not a producer, vocal coach, etc. You don't have to be an expert to give effective feedback. Cutting down on the "splashes" in public, taking more musical risks, changing up her look, and toning down the excessive diva behavior, could and will benefit her career. I don't have to be JD or Benny Medina to know that. (Friday 14 March 2014; 20:40)

Vocal quality (42,114) by Lee from UK I don't think anyone is saying Mariah should copy Ariana's style. What I am saying is Ariana is a good singer and Mariah hasn't sounded half as good or consistent in her live performances lately in that same way as Ariana has. I don't care if Mariah has been singing for 20 years and Ariana has been singing for 20 minutes so don't start with the age related vocal deterioration crap. I enjoy listening to live singers without having to cringe and make excuses for their vocals before they have even walked on stage to sing. For me it is all about quality of live vocals. Although nothing will ever beat Mariah's SNL version of Vanishing, if Mariah walked on stage tomorrow and sang it live in one take with her current vocals and then Ariana sang it immediately after, I'm pretty sure I would enjoy Ariana's version more. I could replace Ariana for Beyonce and my feelings would be the same. Beyonce constantly gives flawless live performances. I only say this because Mariah's vocal inconsistencies leave me feeling disappointed. (Friday 14 March 2014; 19:52)

Speaking of Grande / Thirsty (42,113) by Tiina from Finland Did anyone think her song Baby I remind you of Mariah's song Secret Love? The "oh baby, oh baby" part. Mariah is definitely hinting something with that song Thirsty. I could be wrong but it sounds like a club banger, which would be fantastic. Like a lot of people here, I want a hot up-tempo song from Mariah, like It's Like That, which is one of my favourites and of course Migrate, that is such an awesome song. We don't need another ballad or a mid-tempo song, we need something spicy and hot for a change. (Friday 14 March 2014; 19:33)

The Emancipation of Mimi - throwback (42,112) by Jono from USA Hey fans, I've been listening to TEOM a lot recently and I am still amazed at how fresh and unique this sounds. It doesn't sound dated, in fact I think Mariah may have been ahead of her time with this sound. It's Like That and Shake It Off would be fire on the radio even nowadays, because it sounds so different. Here's hoping that Mariah has another "emancipation inspiration" for her upcoming album. (Friday 14 March 2014; 19:27)

Tiina (42,111) by Mimi L. from Empower Your Highlighter Yes definitely MC probably took some inspiration or just for the sake of arguement let's say she totally copied the styles of the singers you mentioned, but look at your post, she perhaps "totally copied" Aaliyah for Babydoll, Alicia Meyers for MIH and all, but that's "one" song in like one album, whereas almost "every" song in Ariana's album is a rip off of Mariah's work, especially Daydream. So please, don't just say you don't see a difference between her and MC. I will agree with you if you say that MC sometimes behaves erratically or snobbish in some interviews, I'll agree if you say that some of her recent songs don't have the depth of her previous ones (although that doesn't necessarily mean I don't like them) and I'll agree with you that MC needs to work on her live performances, but no way in hell will it be fair to say that MC has been ripping off other singers in the same fashion that Ariana is doing. There's a difference between taking inspiration (or heck ripping off ideas) from singers in "one" song every now and then, and ripping of one artist's songs in "every" song in one album to the point that it seems like its Daydream 2.0 (without the maturity) and then having the audacity to say that her style is different from Mariah's. Atleast Mariah acknowledged her influences. (Friday 14 March 2014; 17:57)

Tiina (42,110) by RadChad from United States The difference between Mariah and Ariana is, Mariah has always displayed actual artistry, writes her own music, and has created her own sound. Of course everyone is inspired, but with inspiration you're supposed to create something unique, different, that's your own without completely ripping some else's style off. Nothing's wrong with sampling, borrowing, or remaking songs, there just need to be authenticity to it or your artistry has to transcend. I think Ariana's label did her a great disservice when they admittedly ripped the early Mariah sound with her, because now people won't know who she is as an artist and what she has to offer besides emulating her idol. This wasn't the case with Mariah's debut; people compared her to Whitney then once her album came out the talent and artistry transcended everything. Like I said I actually like Ariana and wish her the best, but the general public got bored with the mini Mariah lite campaign really fast. She needs to break free and find her own lane. Spread her wings and come into her own as an artist before she can be taken seriously as a contender. (Friday 14 March 2014; 17:15)

RadChad and Tina (42,109) by Musti from UK I completely agree with both of you. I think there's a tendency with lambs to compare and bring on the hate on every singer that can get anywhere near the high C. Mariah can pop that out of her back pocket anytime and then some. More than anything Mariah is her own artist and above all a songwriter, almost completely true to her own sound and vocals right from the start. Yes we have all seen Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Leona Lewis and now Ariana being hailed as the new Mariah. Eveyone knows there can be no other (new, old or intermediate) Mariah than Mariah herself. Out of all the mini Mariahs we have witnessed I think Ariana is the only one so far who sounds like Mariah yet sounds like herself at the same time. I do feel her songs. So I think everyone needs to cut her some slack. And yes I think we should all be proud that even after 25 years of being in this business Mariah still has the power to influence new artists, so much that they would release an album full of Mariah-like songs. (Friday 14 March 2014; 17:05)

Re: Carla (42,108) by G.G. from USA You can love and support someone and not like everything they do. I hated Triumphant and I did not buy it. I am not spending my money on a song I feel is garbage. I also am an expert, an expert in what I like. I listen to all types of music. I don't need a degree in music theory in order to know whether or not I like a song. Constructive criticism is what makes people better, some people are just not good at taking the constructive criticism. I'm afraid that MC has surrounded herself with people who only say yes to her. That's not good. This is, after all, the music business. If you can't sell records you will get dropped from your label and that would be humiliating. (Friday 14 March 2014; 15:58)

RadChad (42,107) by Tiina from Finland I don't really see a big difference. Every singer and musician is influenced by someone before them and they all borrow things. Ariana is doing the same thing and she has her own poppier sound in which she's applying the kind of things she likes. Yes, it's intentional. Artists always go for some specific sound depending on what inspires them. You know, Mariah herself has intentionally gone for a specific sound when she borrowed from the likes of Emotions and Alicia Meyers' song I Want To Thank You Heavenly Father for Make It Happen, which she was sued for. Mariah also intentionally went for a similar vibe to Aaliyah's sound on the Butterfly album for Babydoll. Listen to Aaliyah's One In A Million and it's pretty clear where the "inspiration" came from. Mariah even seeked for Missy to create a similar feel for her song. So what is the difference there? And what's so wrong? Nothing. Just artists being inspired by each other or "copying" each other, however you wanna put it. Ariana has her own flavour to it while yes, she is intentionally going for a specific sound and that's not a crime. Unless you use specific arrangements and parts from other people's work, like Mariah and David actually did and went to court for. Just saying. And lastly, I want to make sure you know I respect your opinion and I'm not going to figh about this like so many here fight all day long, it's childish. We're just exchanging opinions. (Friday 14 March 2014; 15:52)

(42,106) by J from USA Oh please, stop it. I support Mariah but I'm not like a lot of you that always have to call anyone who criticizes Mariah a hater. That's one of the reasons why she's in the position she is in right now. A bunch of yes people around her that don't sit her down and let her know the truth, and if they do maybe she's just in denial. I don't like You're Mine but did I buy it? Yes I did. I always do my part. Another thing, stop blaming everyone around MC when it comes the underperformance of her singles. What is her management team supposed to do? Go out and perform the song for her? This era has been so disorganized. She releases a single but doesn't promote it in favor of finishing the album, which has been in the final stages for like 4 months now. Why even bother releasing a single then. You're Mine is rising on radio but let's be real, the song won't survive on airplay alone. Digital downloads play a big part in a songs success nowadays and sadly the song has disappeared on iTunes. We as fans do out part even though we have our different opinions. Blame the general public, who obviously were not interested in the song. (Friday 14 March 2014; 15:45)

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