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About Jono from USA: Celebrating the greatest artist to ever exist.

MC appreciation (53,610) by Jono from USA I just wanted to take time to appreciate how much MC has done for us in the past 25 years. If the most "controversial" thing Mariah can do nowadays is 1) wear skimpy outfits and 2) not sound like 1990, then we really have it good. Other singers/celebrities try so hard to stay in the limelight by generating unnecessary and tacky controversy, and in general setting a terrible example for young kids. Of course I think an artist is entitled to artistic freedom and expression, but you can tell when something is done with intent vs something done to create cheap press. We can count on MC to never randomly make out with someone, bare her ass to the world, or start twerking just because it's in. I would be embarrassed as a fan if she did those things. So here's to MC, who will always let her talent speak for itself. (Thursday 21 May 2015; 6:42)

Concerning she who must not be named (53,494) by Jono from USA What a completely disrespectful gesture from her part. The salty face at the end I initially gave her the benefit of the doubt, probably irritated that the camera immediately panned to her face in hopes of creating some sort of drama. But then a fan video leaked of her using her phone during the entire performance, and then putting it away as soon as a camera came nearby. Listen. I don't care if you dislike whomever is on stage performing. You put down your phone and show some respect and decency. It's incredibly rude. Also that not as famous half sister of the fame hungry sisters sat there looking unimpressed at the end. Honey, for someone who has no talent and is famous because of your sister being famous for having no talent, you have zero right to act that way. As someone in their early twenties, I am embarrassed for my generation and the ones following us for who we choose to praise. Our standards for talent has dropped. It's insulting to someone like Mariah who earned her status through talent and incredible hard work and to get this kind of treatment. (Monday 18 May 2015; 23:55)

Another Infinity preview (53,483) by Jono from USA I just saw a clip on YouTube where she previews another clip on Ellen. Looks like the fine Mr. Tyson Beckford is going to be in it, and there's the classic humor in a Brett Ratner/Mariah Carey video. You just know that the press is going to wildly speculate that Tyson is an obvious reference to her ex, but that's good because it will keep people talking. And that's what this week is all about, and I'm so excited for Mariah's appearances on Ellen, Jimmy, and Kelly & Michael which are big talk shows. Promotion is on point. The BBMA was a success because it wasn't Rockefeller. Of course us hardcore fans know that Mariah sounded way better in Vegas, but the general public (and news articles) have praised Mariah's performance. Also, any "news" site that takes Twitter users as serious music critics are a complete joke. The little kids are making fun of Mariah's high notes because none of their AutoTune faves can sing more than an octave or two. It was so mindblowing to them that this is how talent sings/sounds like that they simply can not process how their favorite punching bag came swinging right back. Keep in mind Mariah could have easily pretaped a perfectly pitched performance, using her Vegas show that evening as an excuse, but she showed up, sang mostly live, and ended it on a high note. Literally. (Monday 18 May 2015; 20:42)

BBMA performance (53,450) by Jono from USA I'm proud of Mariah. All eyes were on her for her first televised performance since Rockefeller last year, and she was solid. Sure there were some shaky parts, but I think the positives far outweighed them. She sang it mostly live, something Generation Z has a hard time comprehending (you mean artists who are actually performing live won't sound like their record?) and was quick to point out the small flaws. Meanwhile you had Britney and Iggy lipsyncing to a "song" that literally has half an octave and spoken words in a rhythm. Anyway. Mariah is looking great, and she sounds leaps and bounds better compared to last Christmas. I love the artistic direction her performances have been taking lately, it really emphasizes how legendary she is. Sure it may "date" her or whatever, but someone of Mariah's caliber deserves to be treated like royalty. I wouldn't pay attention to the Twitter reactions, as it was surprisingly mixed, but keep in mind the younger generation dominates Twitter and they grew up with Taylor's and Katy's while we had Mariah, Whitney, and Celine. So I would take their "criticisms" with a grain of salt. It was so refreshing to see both her and Kelly Clarkson just simply stand there and sing. After all if you have that kind of talent, your voice does the talking. You don't need spectacle. Couldn't say that for many of the pop acts. (Monday 18 May 2015; 8:22)

Mimi L (53,356) by Jono from USA It's been a couple of years, but Mariah does not forget about these things. Once you cross her, you might as well be dead in her book. I'm just annoyed that, if the seating chart is true, the producers clearly just want the ratings to see if the tension boils over. Once again, the respect of Mariah having her 25th year in the industry is nowhere to be found. And by now I'm no longer surprised that the fame-thirsty sisters are invited to every awards show. Society feeds them. The more fans they have, the more exposure anything they touch gets. Clearly they are there for the ratings. So long as Mariah is front row, because I swear if they put those talentless hacks in front of Mariah they better be forced to go on stage and perform. (Friday 15 May 2015; 23:08)

BBMA - Mariah's seat (53,346) by Jono from USA Really? (Friday 15 May 2015; 17:03)

The media (53,334) by Jono from USA How surprising, the media was fairly silent when it came to Mariah's successful opening night and subsequent performances, but now it's rampant again about how she cancelled her show. Could her team have handled the cancellation better? Sure. But isn't it convenient that the news is now spinning the story that Mariah's show had been "struggling". Haters stay mad lol. Unfortunately these brainwashed puppets who are so used to subpar vocal skills and singing from current artists they don't realize the vocal olympics that is Mariah's set list. Hell, even Mariah's opening rift in VOL would send many acts today running to the backing track. This is the media guys, sensationalism sells and gets you clicks. It is extremely irritating though, it's like our girl can't catch a break. That being said, I'm wishing Mariah a speedy recovery. It's a little troubling to hear about her having bronchitis again, especially since that was a problem in Asia last year. I don't know her schedule (and would never attempt it), but she needs rest. My roommate was a trained opera singer and she was absolutely strict about resting her voice and getting enough sleep. We know how hard Mariah works and how staying up until the early hours of the morning is normal, but it's not good for someone who has such a delicate voice. But this is just a minor setback, and I know she will bounce back. I'm excited for this weekend, big things are coming up. (Friday 15 May 2015; 6:39)

Mimi L (53,308) by Jono from USA Hold on, you are probably on to something. I totally thought she was talking about JLo and how she continues to try and follow whatever Mariah does. But you pointed out what Beyonce did and that makes sense. As much as I love that woman, she isn't known for being the most original and often "borrows" from other artists. So that's a pretty shady move. It makes sense now how Mariah says it would be a huge scandal. To the media, Beyonce is the exalted queen second coming of Christ and can do absolutely no wrong, whereas Mariah is their favorite punching bag. If she had named Beyonce, the media would have a firestorm and it would be clear which side they would take. Now I'm really curious as to what Mariah's original plans for MIAM were, including all the visuals we could have had. (Thursday 14 May 2015; 18:43)

LA Times interview (53,295) by Jono from USA Here is another fantastic interview that Mariah did. She touches a bit on what happened with her and her former label, and her plans moving forward. Now I'm curious as to who "stole" her concept lol. (Thursday 14 May 2015; 16:50)

Dear Nigel (53,223) by Jono from USA With all due respect: fuck you. American Idol was already a shitfest for a number of seasons before you hired Mariah and Nicki in an attempt to boost ratings. Maybe if the show didn't allow tweens to block vote and turn the competition in to a beauty contest and sending truly talented singers home, maybe Idol would still be around. There's a reason why people like Kelly and Carrie are big, because they were rightfully good. I stopped watching the show because the same old boring cute white guy with a guitar kept winning, even when they weren't clearly the best. Remember Kris Allen? Adam Lambert actually lost to him in Season 8. Guess who we hear about still. True talent speaks for itself, and Idol was way off the mark because it allowed people with no musical talent to vote for their winner. What was the point of having judges if their input didn't matter in the end? And let's be real. Mariah didn't need this show, she is way above it. You needed Mariah. And you could have had an excellent season if you had only hired her, and not the other. "I didn't know she sang I thought she rapped or... whatever." For a show that was about vocals, you really shot yourself in the face by hiring someone with no vocal talents alongside a goddess like Mariah. So please don't blame your epic failure on Mariah who actually had the talent and credibility to bring to the show. You were your own iceberg that sank the ship. Good riddance. (Tuesday 12 May 2015; 18:33)

Concerning Taylor Swift (53,127) by Jono from USA Listen, I can't hate someone who writes their own material. It's not easy to do. Yes, I definitely prefer Mariah's more sophisticated writing; it's crazy how much more mature Mariah sounded at her age (or even Adele for that matter). That being said, Taylor sold out. Are her new songs catchy? Sure. But she has gotten rid of her country roots to "experiment" with pop, which is more or less doing commercial songs. So yes she's the "it" girl at the moment, but like I said before I am glad Mariah hasn't sold out to try and gain more fans. Her work speaks for itself. I shudder thinking if Mariah teamed up with a Dr. Luke or what not to create some generic trash. I agree with others though that the Infinity video needs to have something special that will grab people's attention. Her and Brett have created some of her most memorable videos, and I have no doubt they could do it again. An excellent video that gets shared on YouTube a lot will draw attention to the song, since pop radio has a stick up its ass when it comes to playing any Mariah Carey song. Lastly, I just want to say how proud I am of our girl. She was torn apart in 2014, they were kicking her while she was down. And now she's risen from the ashes and getting so much positive press, even from longtime haters. The haters are getting desperate, as they realize Mariah has come back with a vengeance. She needed to nail opening night, and that she did. Here's hoping for an absolutely stellar Vegas run. (Friday 8 May 2015; 23:44)

Mariah and Missy (53,082) by Jono from USA I was just listening to the Heartbreaker (remix), it's so fire. It's been forever since Missy Elliott has had a new album out, and now that she's healthy again, I think it would be amazing if her and Mariah worked together again. They teamed up 15 years ago, and dominated 2005 together. A new record together would be hot. Queen of R&B and hip hop. (Friday 8 May 2015; 7:02)

TGIFY rework and voice (53,012) by Jono from USA This turned out to be the surprise of the night. TGIFY is actually my least favorite of the #1s, but the smoky stripped version she did was gorgeous. As famed as Mariah is for her power ballads, I think if she went in the low key direction it would be good for not only maintaining her voice but also her performances. She sounded great last night, better than she has in a while, but it's obvious to everyone that she won't replicate her 90s voice. And I've accepted that. She can't keep up with the ultimate standards she set, so there's no point in chasing that and straining. It's time that we all, Mariah included, accept that those 90s recordings were a moment in time. She has countless performances to preserve that legacy. Those bombastic high notes are signature Mariah and always will be, no one can take that away. Moving forwards, instead of looking back at the prime vocal years, she can work with what she has to her advantage, because then she won't suffer from the constant comparisons. She still has a solid voice with the right song and arrangement. As proven by the TGIFY remake, her current voice can still sound like liquid gold. (Thursday 7 May 2015; 20:00)

Re: Baby (52,960) by Jono from USA I completely agree. It's the same reason why Mariah does not get the same respect as a Paul McCartney does. The fact that she's a woman of color, some people just can't accept the unbelievable influence she's had in pop and r&b. I mean people don't even know that the guest rapper was first done by Mariah, as it's been a consistent trend the past two decades. Also don't even get me started on everything that the public did wrong when it came to the Janet/Justin scandal. It gets me so worked up just thinking about it. But on to happier things. I am blown away by how Mariah sounds in rehearsals. What I really respect about Mariah is that she always lets her music do the talking. No need to do ridiculous stunts for attention, unlike her peers. Concerning the divorce, she answered it in MIAM and Infinity. Concerning her voice, she's answering it with this Vegas show. It seems that the world has not learned from 2005. Never count a talent like Mariah out. (Wednesday 6 May 2015; 23:56)

Favorite album (52,885) by Jono from USA That's a tough one, but I think it comes down to a tie between Butterfly and The Emancipation Of Mimi. In my opinion the two career defining works of Mariah. (Tuesday 5 May 2015; 22:11)

Radio ageism (52,838) by Jono from USA Infinity isn't the most current song, in the sense that it doesn't follow any pop trends, but it certainly belongs on the radio. What will prevent it from getting played is the same thing that's happening to Madonna - ageism. The idea of playing a song by a 40+ woman is unfathomable to some stations. This might be an unpopular opinion on this board, but I actually respect what Madonna has done, and her most recent song is actually pretty good. But that has not been getting any radio play, and I fear the same fate for Infinity. Instead, the new Britney and Iggy Azalea song will be, because it follows a trend (even though it is quite possibly the worst song I have ever heard, and that's coming from a Britney supporter). I am ok with Mariah not getting radio support if she continues to do what she feels is true to her and her sound. But it goes to show that Mariah may never be able to connect to the current generation unless it's for a throwback reason, and I wouldn't want her to reinvent her sound for the sake of appealing to the younger crowd. Because what I hear on radio nowadays is horrendous, and like the egotistical but brilliant Kanye West said, it's not a place I want to be right now. Artistic integrity over commercial success. (Monday 4 May 2015; 22:26)

When you try to be Mariah (52,834) by Jono from USA I saw this hilarious short video on Facebook the other day. I wonder if Arron is a fellow poster on here. (Monday 4 May 2015; 22:06)

The public vs lambs (52,732) by Jono from USA I think the reason why the public seems to love Infinity more than lambs (which I don't think has ever happened in this history of ever) is because most of them are unaware of the brilliant but overlooked works that Mariah has put out. To them, it has been Touch My Body, Obsessed, Beautiful, and now Infinity. Of the four, I would say Infinity is the "showiest" so obviously a lot of people are going to say it's a return to form. The general public, unlike us lambs, didn't hear MIAM so it's understandable that some of us may not be as behind Infinity as the rest of the world is. Tbh, I was surprised to see the amount of positive press for the single, considering it's not even her best work in the last 7-8 years. However, I will reiterate what Mariah has said, this song was written specifically to 1) promote the Vegas residency and 2) provide the closing number to her setlist. If Mariah wanted a true radio hit, she would have done it. Infinity has that show closing feel. I'm not concerned with how Infinity does on the charts. I'm more concerned about how Mariah will do on opening night. Considering how the promo has gone for this era, they are making sure that everything is on point. And I am expecting Mariah to be on her A game opening night when the whole world is watching. No excuses. Sending positive vibes for the big day on Wednesday. (Saturday 2 May 2015; 18:48)

Re: Skip (52,569) by Jono from USA What the heck. Your edit is incredible. I think you managed to pinpoint what felt off about the song, which is it was hard to follow where Mariah was going with the different inflections and it just was too much. Your version streamlines it. When I first heard the original where she goes. Also your outro is life. It's perfect. (Wednesday 29 April 2015; 20:42)

Re: Lee TS (52,497) by Jono from USA Thank you so much for posting that interview. Mariah looks absolutely stunning and she was giving me TEOM vibes, but as an elegant and mature 45 year old. It seems that whatever has been bothering her the last year has settled down, and we're seeing the "fun diva" again as opposed to just diva. Mariah has always let her music do the talking when it comes to personal issues, so I think Infinity really helped her move forward with the next stage of her career. It's about having to love yourself first and foremost, so I see this song as her emerging from 2014 and telling people, once again, to never count her out. I know a lot of fans including myself were disappointed at first with the song, but sometimes we need to let Mariah do her. Infinity is perfect for her at the moment. She's given us 25 years of music and will give us another 25. Like she said, it's a clean slate and new chapter. Very happy for her. (Tuesday 28 April 2015; 20:50)

Infinity - second review (52,456) by Jono from USA So I will say, my disappointment has faded and the song has definitely grown on me. No it's not my favorite of hers, but that doesn't mean it's bad because we're talking about a legendary discography. I unfortunately didn't get to watch the live stream because I was at work, but I did get to catch a clip where Mariah said she wrote Infinity as an encore for the show, because she said starting with Vision Of Love and ending on Touch My Body just wouldn't feel right. And I completely agree. For her objective, she completely nailed it, and made me appreciate the song even more. It is totally a show closing number, and works amazingly in that context. I'm sure if Mariah was aiming for a massive radio hit, she would have done something different. Like some posters have said, when Mariah does her next record, she will definitely do material that will be a bit more mainstream. But for now, she is truly about connecting with her fans and creating music that celebrates our relationship with her. Records can be broken, but legacies are infinite. (Tuesday 28 April 2015; 7:20)

Infinity (52,378) by Jono from USA I have to be completely honest here, it's not my favorite. To be clear, this would sound great on a new album, but certainly not as a single next to her #1s. I love that Mariah has such amazing musicality, it's not easy to write the melodies that she does. However this song was just too much, and I think if they stripped it back it would have made it better. There is just so much going on in this song. What it has going on right now are the lyrical disses, but they're fresh so of course it's exciting. What makes a song last is how good it is musically, and to me the production doesn't have the same impact. It's disappointing to be honest. I like to think I have a good sense of what will be a hit on the charts, and this song hasn't given me that feeling even on the 10th listen. Migrate and YDKWTD most definitely did, and were big opportunities missed. This doesn't fit on to radio because it's way too complicated. Of course who knows, Mariah could drop some killer remixes to Infinity and I'll be eating my words lol. (Monday 27 April 2015; 17:34)

Re: Jon (52,101) by Jono from USA I love the topic. I personally identify with Mariah in a more racial aspect. I am an Asian American, so while I was born and raised in the US, I am still seen as an "outsider" because I don't "look" American. Mariah's struggle to find an identity as a multi-racial kid growing up I completely identify with, because I also feel that "neither here, nor there" at times. I also think Mariah doesn't always get the credit she deserves in the media. Yes she's referred to as one of the greatest voices ever, which is totally deserved, but what she has been able to accomplish - as a multiracial woman - is incredible. She was a writer and producer from the very get go, and certainly had to fight for her place in a male dominated industry. If Mariah were a man, she would have earned that respect from the beginning. Instead, people still like to call her a "diva" because she is her own boss. The fact that she has been in the game for 25 years is incredible, in an industry that is notorious for a 5 year shelf life. She has outlasted many of her peers. No it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but in terms of celebrity problems she could be way worse. Lastly, Mariah has always been all about her fans. Even before it became a marketing gimmick, as all the artists now have their own special names for their fan base. And I think this nurturing instinct comes from both her songwriting capabilities and her difficult upbringing. At the end of the day, I am eternally grateful for her. (Tuesday 21 April 2015; 20:34)

Re: MC1989 (51,878) by Jono from USA I don't think the record will be broken. "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth just dethroned Uptown Funk thanks to the Fast & Furious 7 success and its dedication to the late Paul Walker. Billboard doesn't predict Uptown Funk being able to come back and challenge Mariah's record, so for now it joins six other songs that got stuck at 14 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I think Bruno is unbelievably talented and certainly worthy, but I like that our Mariah gets to keep her record. (Wednesday 15 April 2015; 19:09)

Infinity sound (51,851) by Jono from USA I'm dying to know what kind of sound Infinity will be. Mariah is the queen of ballads, but it would be nice to hear something more uptempo. I mean she knows how to do bangers as well (Migrate, YDKWTD). Unfortunately those two songs never got the attention they deserved. Speaking of YDKWTD, don't underestimate Mariah's knack of being ahead of the curve. Someone who has been producing for 25 years and is pretty much an expert. When #Beautiful was released, she was already using old school Motown vibes. Guess which song similar in that sound is a huge hit right now (Uptown Funk). In fact many artists are now doing the old school funk sound - the cute "Somebody" song that samples Whitney, Jason's "Want to Want Me", etc. Mariah knew this already back in 2013, and had it not been for personal matters she would have been leading the throwback movement. Heck, Glitter in retrospect has been acknowledged as being ahead of its time. A YDKWTD kind of energy is the summer song that can crossover and make it a universal hit. Something that doesn't sacrifice her vocals, and although a dance beat, doesn't sound like a rehash of a generic Calvin Harris / David Guetta / Stargate beat. If Mariah is confident enough to include only one song, and have it be listed at #19 on an album specifically titled #1s To Infinity, I'm confident. She knows what's up. Add in Brett Ratner as the director and this could be huge. Onwards. (Tuesday 14 April 2015; 22:14)

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