Messageboard

Justin Timberlake / John Legend (41,907) by Isaac Ortiz from USA I have always wanted Mariah to collaborate with Justin. So if by any chance they so happen to, I'd be so happy. But hey, I wanted to know if anyone has seen the performance of Mariah and John Legend in 2005 for "Save the music"? I was on YouTube and came across the video. The song is called "With you I'm born again". The performance was great. And Mariah not only looked amazing but sounded amazing too. That is exactly the kind of songs that Mariah needs to record and sing. So if anyone hasn't seen it, please do whenever you have a chance. It's a nice song. So many of us are waiting for great songs like "Music box" or "Just to hold you once again", but I am grateful for "Beautiful". It's a start. It kind of excites me to know if this rumor tracklist is accurate, because songs titled "I'll still be around" and "Save the day" seem like they would be those nice power ballad love songs. If only Mariah would do away with the drinking, rest and get a vocal coach. She holds her voice back with all that. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 21:50)

YME (41,906) by enwar00 from usa I just heard the song on the radio. I can't believe they're playing it. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 18:42)

JT (41,905) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I really hope the JT rumors are true. Even though there may have been bad things that happened between them pre-TEOM, I'd be glad to know that they smoothed things over. The hype over Justin's latest album may have died down a considerable amount, but he still is very much a newsmaker mostly because of his current touring. Both he and Mimi love using vocal harmonies, he dabbles in retro-soul quite often in his songs, and I love his alternative and at times forward-thinking take on R&B and pop. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 17:51)

MC-JT (41,904) by Mimi L. from Empower Your Highlighter Oh, the whole MC-JT thing is getting me excited. It's fun that they are dropping hints. Because otherwise that whole interview upload is very random and everyone on her Vevo page is wondering why she uploaded it. And if Mariah wanted some random interview uploaded she would have used one where she was in a more glamorous ensemble. So yes, this might be a major hint that something is cooking between her and JT (unless she is pointing at Eminem or Westlife). (Saturday 1 March 2014; 16:56)

Familiarity (41,903) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I feel like Mariah's biggest fault is her tendency to resort to familiarity on pretty much everything she does. Think of it, the producers she works with, the stories she tells and retells in interviews, the other people involved in her career, etc. Relying on what's familiar is a double-edged sword, because as it may make things easier and more comfortable for her, it also sets her up to do the same thing over and over again, thus making her output boring or even worse, making her commit the same mistakes repeatedly. She must realize that whenever she steps out and tries new things, the results are pretty much always magical or at the very least, interesting - '80's sounds on the whole Glitter album, reggae on Cruise Control, '70's jazz in Underneath The Stars, Danja producing Migrate (proof that Mariah plus autotune can work without tarnishing her reputation as a big-voiced diva), and most recently, having Miguel on #Beautiful. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 16:39)

Etc (41,902) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I just realized I left out the part where I should tell something about myself. I'm someone who listens to a lot of music of possibly all genres although my preferences lean toward jazz, R&B, and pop, most of the time in that order. As much as I listen to The Beatles, Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder and other artists that are well known and revered by many, please don't hate me when I say I also love a lot of today's artists as well, in fact, some of them are constantly some shade and sometimes even bashed in here, like Lady GaGa, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande. I tend to like artists that inject a throwback vibe to their sound such as Pixie Lott and especially Amy Winehouse and Adele (who perfectly marries current and classic). I love electronica; not afraid of it. Techno, especially EDM has been given a bad reputation the past few years because of the creativity the producers fail to put into their work. I love a lot of Brit pop, ranging from Swing Out Sister to Tears For Fears to Corinne Bailey Rae to George Michael to even Sophie Ellis-Bextor. When I hear a song, it's usually always the melody that grabs me first, then the musical backdrop, then the vibe they create together. I love Mariah because she comes up with the best melodies and can make dizzying harmonies that probably only Janet Jackson can rival. At her best, she's one of the most skilled songwriters. I feel that she's best when she's being specific - she paints a scenario so vivid, it's real. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 16:20)

Hi (41,901) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Hi, everyone. I've been visiting this messageboard since last year but I have just decided to join in and take part of all the madness that happens here. First of all, I'd like to express my appreciation for all the time and effort the webmaster puts into this site. It's a paradigm of unconditional labor of love. And since this is a messageboard, there are bound to be differences in opinions and beliefs, which to me is great, because we kind of serve as a Mariah focus group (worldwide at that), or like a sample population in a Mariah related study. Just a glance at this messageboard can give anyone a good idea about how the die hard lambs, not-so-much-lambs, and lambs-to-be think and feel about her. When I read stuff online that are in line with the sentiment that "the lambs are gonna eat up anything she releases or does", I really want to refer the authors of the those articles or comments to this site to realize that while what they think is mostly true, it's actually also us fans that are the first to tear her apart when we are disappointed by anything she does, says, or releases. As bad as that may sound, it's actually a good thing. The reason why a lot of us here post our grievances is actually the same reason why we post our appreciation for her as well. Not solely for expression, but for this underlying hope we keep that Mariah will somehow stumble unto this board and get a consensus of how her fans truly feel about her, and what she could do to address that. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 15:34)

You're Mine (Eternal) (41,900) by B from USA You're Mine doesn't sound like We Belong Together. I loved Almost Home, #Beautiful and the Jezzy remix, and You're Mine. But with fans like these. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 14:24)

Breakfast Club (41,899) by Bump from Greece I don't find her behavior as off putting as some people on here are saying.I personally loved the Breakfast Club interview. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 13:20)

Timberlake (41,898) by Bump from Greece JT just added YME to his playlist, and MC just uploaded an old interview that touched on the Yours collab that was never released. Interesting. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 13:16)

CD:UK video (41,897) by David from Australia The good thing about that video is that it once again emphasizes her view about what happened with Eminem, which is unfortunately still one of the main reasons the general public talk about her, rather than the music she makes. Plus, it also reiterates the fact that she writes her own songs, which she is extremely adamant about making known. Not sure how many people will see this video though, apart from the fans. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 12:27)

Fantastic post Matthew (41,896) by jaker20 from US You pretty much summarized in one post what I have been trying to say for months but don't have the knowledge to articulate. I have many times over that #Beautiful is her most current song in many years, probably last 8 years, and it's worth repeating it is produced by someone she hasn't worked with. MC needs to expand as an artist, grow and learn, collab. So I don't understand how growing and expanding your style equals not being true to yourself or lacks integrity. Many MC fans are just as stuck as MC herself and if you notice they are the same who likes YME which to me is shockingly uncreative and a bore, I almost thought it's a Daydream or Music Box reject. Why does she keeps on recreating past styles, she's got dozens of albums I can come back to if I want the same style. All in all, if YME is the direction she's taking, I agree with Matthew, we should be concerned because that album will bomb. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 9:56)

Tory / Mysterious 2002 interview on Vevo (41,895) by Edward from USA Tory, I agree with you. That interview is hinting something. There's no reason for them to upload a 2002 interview out of the blue, unless they want to make a statement. I think there's something cooking with Justin Timberlake. He just released two albums last year, and he already has a new single for a new album on iTunes. If it's going to take a current singer help Mariah with airplay, I don't mind. Even though I'm still mad his record label didn't approve of it back in 2002. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 9:54)

Is it me... (41,894) by Tony from US ... or does it seem unwise to reveal a release date for an unfinished album? Isn't that where we were on multiple occasions last year? And with Memoirs? And E=MC2? I feel like I'm being set up yet again. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 8:09)

TAOLG / You're Mine Eternal (41,893) by Deedre aka MiTodoChop @HBF from Canada Personally, I never considered either song as a "lead" single for the new album. IMO TAOLG was like a personal love note to the fans who have been waiting such a long time for her to release new music. YME IMO was Mariah's way of being "festive" and tiding people over who are still waiting for the album. I can't go down the road of worrying about the "state of Mariah's career" because I don't believe things are as serious with MC as they might appear to be. Sure, some professional/management changes could be very helpful for MC, but I don't think things are as dire as some feel either. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 7:24)

Re: The state of R&B (41,892) by Daydream327 from USA Yep. that's exactly what it is, they are trying to bring the 90's/early 00's sound to 2014 and it's just not gonna work. YME is just not the "sound" of today, it's too boring. This is why I suggested Mariah work with completely new producers/writers. I'm really stuck on MC working with Ryan Tedder, his work is amazing (Beyonce's XO, Adele's Turning Tables). I think they could make an outstanding ballad/midtempo. Also an powerful uplifting ballad written with Sia would be great. I just want her to work with different talented people. A lot of the new stuff is sounding very dated. I mean it's nothing we haven't heard already. That's why I'm confused as to why MC has been saying YME sounds like a classic MC record but also sounds fresh and goes with what's going on in music today. I actually believe her when she says she only listens to her own music, and maybe that's why we keep getting WBT part 2. Lol. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 5:45)

Mariah Carey 2002? CD:UK interview (41,891) by Daydream327 from USA I noticed that as well. She looked great and I loved the casual look during that era, Very very random upload though. Lol. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 5:13)

Length of posts (41,890) by Chicago Lamb from USA I love you lambs but the last 20 or so posts have been too long to hold my attention. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 5:11)

Mariah Carey 2002? CD:UK interview (41,889) by Tory from Australia A video was just uploaded on Mariah's official Vevo channel. Random, it's an interview from the Charmbracelet era. The main point of the interview is her collabo with Justin Timberlake on "Yours". Is this a hint for her new album? (Saturday 1 March 2014; 4:05)

The state of R&B (41,888) by Matthew from USA It says a lot when you can have the #15 R&B song in the country, yet not be anywhere in the Top 100 songs. The fact of the matter is that R&B is not as prevalent as it once was on radio. A lot of urban artists are struggling with airplay. Mariah was on the forefront of the mid-90's R&B movement that incorporated heavy hip-hop production and guest rappers, but that type of sound is in decline. R&B is not dead though, it's just evolving into two distinct sounds. The first is a kind of futuristic R&B that has embraced the EDM movement. Think Chris Brown, Rihanna, Beyonce. The second is a retro R&B that embraces the whole "you bring your tambourine, I'll bring my guitar and we'll be jamming around the campfire" feel-good vibe. Think #Beautiful, Pharell's "Happy", Bruno Mars. The problem with YME is not that it's not a good song, it's that it isn't retro or futuristic enough. YME is straight up last decade. It's from a time when Rodney Jerkins and JD were in their prime. That is cause for some concern since those are the two principal producers behind this project. I think Mimi is versatile enough to go futuristic or vintage, and #Beautiful was a step in the right direction, so let's hope there is more of that. It's no coincidence that #Beautiful, her freshest sound yet, was produced by someone she's never worked with, Happy Perez. Hopefully her trust and control issues will allow her to work with other new talent as well. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 3:32)

Correction (41,887) by Me. I am Carly from USA I should not have said "not too pleased with the last minute stuff". I was not referring to the quality of the songs, just the choice to work on new projects, when they need to be ready and mastered by the 6th. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 2:56)

Focused finishing album (41,886) by Me. I am Carly from USA Mariah just posted that she "isn't coming back until the album is finished" because she is "focused". That is exactly what I suspected and yes, I was saying that she had very successful last minute songs, I just get the sense there is some tension when she says she hasn't played certain songs for the record company, and that she has promised it will be ready in time. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 2:53)

Last minute songs (41,885) by Edward from USA As Stacey stated, there have been many last minute songs that were great on some of Mariah's albums e.g.: "Love Takes Time", "We Belong Together", "Shake It Off" and "Don't Forget About Us". But when a last minute song turns out to be a half cooked one, it is a different story, and that's what I think most us here are referring to. Even though "The Art of Letting Go" wasn't single material, it doesn't sound like a last minute or half cooked song. It sounds as if time and care were put into it. #Beautiful, on the other hand, was a good song, but was half and promptly cooked. Had they put a little bit more time on it, it would've turned out to be a gem. YM(E) is missing something, I don't know what, but it is. The whistle notes are phenomenal, but the rest of the song is kind of bland and boring. I do love it though, but I'm being realistic. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 2:29)

Last minute songs / MC's career / Edward (41,884) by Stacey from USA Last minute songs aren't necessarily a bad sign. Love Takes Time was added so late in the game, there were copies of the album that went to press before the song was added. It became an instant #1 classic. WBT and SIO were last minute additions too, with both songs in the top 2 on Billboard at one point. At this point, I really don't care what is going on. It's obvious MC will do what she will, for good or bad. Is she that clueless? Who knows? She's survived in the business for over 20 years. I would hope she's learned a thing or two to stay relevant. Stephen is 100% correct. You need to work with people who aren't afraid to tell you no. MC is crazy talented, but she is human and prone to making mistakes. I guess at this point I will wait for May 6th and see what she puts out. Don't count out the last minute additions. Those are usually her biggest hits. Edward, I loved your tracklisting. Hillarious. Some folks just need to laugh more. My story was so cute, so positive toward MC. Yet some nerds still hit the thumbs down button, lol. (Friday 28 February 2014; 23:19)

Response to "where's Mariah" (41,883) by Me. I am Carly from USA I totally hear you, M probably has herself on a very tight schedule because she decided to add new songs. My guess is that the record company isn't too pleased with the last minute stuff, and probably has yet to hear it fully. (Maybe she thinks the leaks are coming from inside?) It is one thing to have all the negative press of the current songs but to have an album bomb is a whole other thing. It is unlikely that a few new songs will make or break her album at this point but then again remember she had last minute songs go number one on already pressed albums so maybe she is bringing in the big guns now that she knows what the singles are doing and what the word on the street is. (Friday 28 February 2014; 22:11)

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