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About BFF from United States:

What is your initial fan story? (102,624) by BFF from United States
For me, hearing "One Sweet Day" on the radio when my mom was picking me up from school is probably my earliest memory of being aware of Mariah's music. My maternal grandfather had recently passed away, so the song had particular resonance for my mom and our family. I was three years old when Mariah first came out but really became cognizant of her music around the "Daydream" era.
(Monday 24 April 2023; 20:00)
this is a reply to message 102,618
Legacy (102,610) by BFF from United States
I totally agree, Randy. AIWFCIY is one of the least impressive popular songs in her catalogue. I also think that "Hero" is pretty overrated, and the fact that she wrote it for someone else indicates to me that it shouldn't be considered her signature song. To me, "Vision of Love" is her signature song. It is one of the most triumphant, mature, transcendent, and confident songs in her catalogue. I think it needs to elevated above "AIWFCIY" and "Hero" - neither of those songs truly represent her artistry.

"Butterfly" is considered by most OG fans to be her best album, but, to me, "Emotions" is either a very close second or tied for first place. That era was Mariah at her most authentic. She was in full control of the creative direction of that album. Her presentation was reserved but confident, and her image was very simple. I would've pushed her tour during the "Emotions" era to silence the naysayers - "Unplugged" was great but not enough. She was not yet in the unhealthy marriage to Tommy (that relationship should have remained professional). And she was not pandering to any particular audience in the way she did post-1997.
(Saturday 22 April 2023; 15:13)
this is a reply to message 102,605
"Emotions" album appreciation (102,592) by BFF from United States
Yes to all of this. And Trey Lorenz, Patrick McMillan, and the other guys backing her up during live performances were phenomenal.
(Thursday 20 April 2023; 03:03)
this is a reply to message 102,586
Anytime You Need a Friend - Extended (102,591) by BFF from United States
What crazy person decided to leave out the extended fadeout on this song? The vocals at the end are absolutely sublime and should have been included on the final studio version. Mariah totally goes off, and I'm here for it.
(Thursday 20 April 2023; 02:39)
Female singers (102,581) by BFF from United States
I disagree that Mariah's "racial identity" was concealed during her early years by Tommy. She is on the record in one of her first TV interviews in 1990 about this.

Critics like Nelson George who made Mariah's "racial identity" into a big deal were the problem, not Tommy. No other female singer of that era (or any era, really) was called upon by critics to constantly explain her "racial" background. No one made a big deal about Whitney Houston's background, Celine Dion's background, or Toni Braxton's background. Just Mariah's. And the people who constantly asked her to self-identify so were feeding into racialist and racist thinking. This is the same BS that got applied to gay/lesbian artists who would rather focus on their musical output than constantly have to discuss their sexual orientation.

The implication of this never-ending discussion is that African-Americans somehow are inherently better singers than people of European descent or that skin color has anything to do with singing ability. And Mariah was called upon to pander to this nonsense. Listen to a Janet Jackson record alongside a Celine Dion record, and you'll know that this is absolute BS. Fans who continue to focus on this (and even Mariah herself) cheapen Mariah's artistry and accomplishments.
(Wednesday 19 April 2023; 13:38)
this is a reply to message 102,580
Female singers (102,578) by BFF from United States
Oh, I totally agree that marrying Tommy undermined her credibility in the eyes of some people. I also agree that he had a positive impact on her career prior to their separation. I think Mariah also had a lot to do with her own success, but Tommy should be given the credit he is due. He was correct to steer her away from movies.

I wish she had opted not to marry him and instead only interacted with him in a professional capacity or maybe tried a bit harder post-1997 to be civil and professional. I think marrying him meant she had something to prove once they separated in 1997/98 and it resulted in her making a number of poor choices in the ensuing years just to be "anti-Tommy" rather than being "pro-Mariah". Backing out of the US leg of the "Butterfly" tour for that stupid movie with Chris Tucker (ugh), rushing the "Rainbow" album out the door, watering down the original concept for "Glitter", tacking way too many rappers onto songs on "Rainbow" and "Glitter", focusing too much on her image and not on her voice, etcetera.
(Wednesday 19 April 2023; 01:19)
this is a reply to message 102,575
Female singers (102,572) by BFF from United States
I think each case is unique, and I don't think this is necessarily an issue of industry sexism. Britney Spears and her management chose for her to have an inappropriately sexualized image from the start of her career, and I believe that is the genesis of a lot of her issues. Britney could push herself harder on the choreography front because she didn't write/produce her own material and never sang live.

I believe Mariah overworked herself due to her deep-seated insecurity around identity, the chaotic/dysfunctional nature of her childhood, and her decision to become romantically involved with her boss (Tommy). It definitely did not help when Nelson George called her a "white girl who can sing black" and when people started setting her against Whitney Houston. And let's be honest, Whitney and her fans wish that she had written and sang a song as great as "Vision of Love". Still grinds my gears that Whitney is seen as having more "credibility" when she didn't write or produce a damn word of her own material.

Marrying Tommy was a massive mistake because it meant she had zero separation between her personal and professional life, a recipe for burnout. And when it became clear that Tommy was sabotaging her during the 1998-2001 period, she had to work that much harder. But really ever since 2001, Mariah has been pretty relaxed on the career front. Long periods between studio albums, some touring but nothing as strenuous as what other artists do, detours into movies. I don't think Mariah has pushed herself particularly hard since the early 2000s.

The bottom line is that all people in the entertainment business opted into this for their career and can walk away at any time if it's too much for them. They all have the privilege of earning a living from something other people do as a hobby.
(Tuesday 18 April 2023; 16:20)
this is a reply to message 102,567
"Emotions" album appreciation (102,562) by BFF from United States
I find myself looking back on this album/era regretting that it hasn't been properly appreciated by fans and critics alike. I consider it Mariah's most "adult" album and my second favorite behind "Butterfly". Songs like "Can't Let Go", "If It's Over", Make It Happen", "So Blessed" and others sound and feel like they were recorded/written by someone much older than early 20s. Having C+C Music Factory alongside Walter Afanasieff really helped her strike a "just right" balance of soul, pop, gospel, and house.

It was also unique in the sense that she was not yet married to Tommy but had full control over the creative direction of the album. It makes me wonder what her trajectory would have been if she hadn't decided to marry Tommy. Don't get me wrong, I love "Music Box" and "Daydream", but "Emotions" really tops both of those records in terms of writing, vocals, and production. She seemed much happier in the "Emotions" period and not very happy during the 1993-1996 period. It's such a unique moment in her catalog and career.
(Sunday 16 April 2023; 02:19)
Article: Track list revealed for Mariah's new album (102,514) by BFF from United States
She should have released the album as "The Art of Letting Go" on the original release date. "Me I Am Mariah" has some good songs, but it does not work as an album. Like "Rainbow," it felt like something she released simply to fulfill contractual obligations. Collaborating with Miguel on "#Beautiful" was a smart move, but the momentum got squandered.
(Saturday 8 April 2023; 14:24)
this is a reply to message 102,512
Biggest non #1 hit after 33 years (102,395) by BFF from United States
I prefer "Ken Lee" to "Without You". It's more soulful.
(Friday 24 March 2023; 23:27)
this is a reply to message 102,391
Pick 5 favorites re-imagined by the same producer (102,242) by BFF from United States
I would love for Mariah to work with Blood Orange/Devonte Hynes again. I loved his first album as Blood Orange and love the "True" EP that he produced with Solange. I always wished that Solange had cut an entire album with him rather than just six or so songs.
(Sunday 19 February 2023; 15:28)
this is a reply to message 102,237
New picture (102,174) by BFF from United States
I think Mariah crash diets when she is preparing for a promotional blitz and then puts the weight back on once she's done with promoting her latest project and goes back to unhealthy patterns. I think it's as simple as that. Maintaining a healthy weight and fitness requires more than just temporary dieting and quick fixes - it involves adjustment of one's lifestyle. This means a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, healthy eating, abstaining from alcohol and other unhealthy substances, good sleep habits, et cetera. I think Mariah can do the exercise and healthy eating bit, but her Achilles heels always seem to be her poor sleep habits and her consumption of alcohol.
(Friday 3 February 2023; 15:50)
this is a reply to message 102,164
Beyonce lipping (102,117) by BFF from United States
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the "everybody else is doing it, so why can't we" approach to lip-syncing. The fact that a number of artists lip-synch a good portion of their shows does not make it any less dishonest.

Bottom line: People are forking over hard-earned money for often exorbitantly priced tickets to see a show and to support the artists they love. If an artist advertises themselves as a "singer-songwriter", vocalist", et cetera, they need to be singing most or all of the songs live. And if they're not confident they can handle the songs live, they need to work harder at training their voices and getting fit for the tour, adjust the songs to fit their voice as it is, or they need to not go on tour.

The fact of the matter is that these artists have the privilege of earning a living from something that most people do as a hobby.
(Monday 23 January 2023; 14:59)
this is a reply to message 102,112
Memoirs is underrated (102,113) by BFF from United States
I agree. I think the "Memoirs" album is underrated and better than E=MC2, but it's too long. I really don't like "Obsessed" amongst the singles in her catalogue - the auto-tune use was a major turnoff. I probably would have picked a different song to remake other than "I Want to Know What Love Is" - it just didn't work and felt a little random since she hadn't covered anything in a while. I went to the Atlanta tour date of the "Angels Advocate" tour and remember being bummed when the remix album "Angels Advocate" was cancelled. She leaned pretty heavily into her role in "Precious" during this period, which was a little surprising considering how small her role is in the movie. Everyone was like "Oh, this is proof she can act." but I found her much more compelling in "Wisegirls" and "Tennessee". Her role in "Tennessee" was much larger and she recorded two songs for it, but she hardly did any promotion for the film or "Right to Dream", which is a great song.
(Monday 23 January 2023; 00:33)
this is a reply to message 102,111
Caution (102,097) by BFF from United States
I agree. I think Mariah needs to really train her voice up and go back to writing lyrics on her own rather than with collaborators. I think collaborating on the music makes sense, but her songs lose her unique touch when she brings in lyricists to collaborate with.

I would prefer a second "Rarities" collection this year over a half-baked "Caution"-like album of new material.
(Thursday 19 January 2023; 20:47)
this is a reply to message 102,096
Improvements to Glitter (102,087) by BFF from United States
I think Mariah could have improved the outcome of the "Glitter" era by only committing to six songs on the soundtrack rather than twelve. I remember her mentioning this during the Fox Family channel documentary about the making of the movie and soundtrack, and I think this makes total sense. She could have structured it in a similar fashion to "The Bodyguard" soundtrack where Whitney only contributed about six songs. I think this would have taken some of the pressure off and might have made her less exhausted. It might have even prevented the sabotage of "Loverboy" because she could have gotten the movie and soundtrack out before Tommy and J. Lo did her dirty. I'm pretty sure the release was initially late 2000 or early 2001. I would have limited Mariah's soundtrack contributions to the following:

1. Loverboy ("Firecracker" original)
2. Never Too Far
3. Want You (with Eric Benet)
4. All My Life
5. Lead the Way
6. Reflections
7. Twister

The rest of the songs just don't work as well. She probably could have gotten permission to use songs like "Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash, and the originals of the songs she covered. I even think that song "We Could Have Been" by Eric Benet could've worked on the soundtrack.

Just some thoughts I had. I think the film might have turned out better if Mariah had relinquished a bit of control over the soundtrack and allowed contributions from other artists. She would've had more time and energy to devote to the acting, writing and production on the film.
(Monday 16 January 2023; 18:48)
Butterfly (102,084) by BFF from United States
"Butterfly" is one of the best ballads she ever wrote. I wish Sony had commercially released it. I think it could have gone to #1 easily on the strength of the ballad version as well as "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)".
(Monday 16 January 2023; 15:57)
this is a reply to message 102,071
The vocal performance award (102,083) by BFF from United States
I think her lack of touring during that period contributed. She neglected to do a concert tour until 1993. And even when she did tour in the 1990s, the tours were very short. Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, though they did not write or produce their own records, both toured extensively. If you do not tour, how can anyone know that you have the chops to pull off a "vocal performance"? Mariah definitely did have the chops, but she and her management should have pushed for more extensive touring during the 1990-1997 period. Her decision to end the "Butterfly" tour early to pursue that silly movie role with Chris Tucker was a very frustrating choice.
(Monday 16 January 2023; 15:46)
this is a reply to message 102,066
Primary custody (102,082) by BFF from United States
I agree that it's great that she got Roc N Roe out of the marriage. I'm just not sure Nick Cannon was the best choice for co-parent and life partner.
(Monday 16 January 2023; 15:38)
this is a reply to message 102,067
Primary custody (102,057) by BFF from United States
Why do all of these people opt into this situation knowing that Nick has children with multiple women? Have any of them heard of birth control, contraceptives, or any type of pregnancy prevention mechanism? Nick Cannon's reputation definitely precedes him, and clearly he has no interest in condoms, vasectomy, et cetera. It's not exactly news that he likes to sleep around. My guess is that many of them want to be taken care of financially.

I love Mariah, but marrying Nick was definitely a very poor decision on her part. I get that she wanted children, but someone with her financial resources could have easily done it another way. Not sure what her chances are for primary custody, but it does seem like she is the more competent parent.
(Thursday 12 January 2023; 15:51)
this is a reply to message 102,056
Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers (102,025) by BFF from United States
These are the singers that come to mind for me.

10 Female singers:

1. Aretha Franklin
2. Linda Ronstadt
3. Donna Summer
4. Whitney Houston
5. Mariah Carey
6. Celine Dion
7. Wynonna Judd
8. Etta James
9. Bonnie Raitt
10. Carrie Underwood

10 Male singers:

1. Marvin Gaye
2. Seal
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Luther Vandross
5. Prince
6. Bill Withers
7. Stevie Wonder
8. Otis Redding
9. Steve Winwood
10. Teddy Pendergrass
(Wednesday 4 January 2023; 15:34)
this is a reply to message 102,007
RS (102,024) by BFF from United States
Donna Summer is not comparable to Beyonce and Rihanna? Beyonce lifted the hook for "Naughty Girl" from "Love to Love You Baby". She and Rihanna would not have careers without the existence of Donna Summer, and they are both mediocre singers in comparison.
(Wednesday 4 January 2023; 15:25)
this is a reply to message 102,015
Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers (102,012) by BFF from United States
100 percent agree. Celine Dion has been singing her face off for decades, and Rolling Stone snubbing someone with such technical prowess is a travesty.
(Tuesday 3 January 2023; 16:22)
this is a reply to message 102,008
Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers (102,003) by BFF from United States
I can't take this list seriously with Beyonce at #8 but Linda Ronstadt at #47 and Donna Summer at #122. Are you kidding me?
(Monday 2 January 2023; 16:04)
this is a reply to message 101,999
LadBaby? (101,919) by BFF from United States
Is your main objection to this person that they are white or simply that they are not talented? There are plenty of successful acts from all different backgrounds who are lacking in the talent department and plenty from all different backgrounds who are overlooked despite being talented.

I find Lil' Nas X to be pretty mediocre, but he continues to score hit singles and albums. On the flip side, I could never understand why Nona Hendryx never got more attention. She wrote many of the songs for Labelle, but her solo albums never sold well despite showcasing a really unique talent.

It's all very subjective.
(Tuesday 20 December 2022; 15:30)
this is a reply to message 101,915

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