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

Re (51,793) by Jono from USA Travon, Luke, Marissa, Rene, Bill, MC1989, and LC: I love your posts. You said everything that I wanted to say but far classier and level headed than I would have lol. Thank you. (Tuesday 14 April 2015; 4:29)

Shorter promotional period? (51,650) by Jono from USA With the advances in social media and how everything is so quickly accessible, and disposable, I have noticed a trend in music how the promotional period is a lot shorter. Forget the days where you could release singles from the album for a year or two (like Janet did). A rollout like The Emancipation Of Mimi had, while perfect, would not work in 2015. People don't have the patience anymore to wait for an album drop for three months. First singles are now coming out a few weeks before the album (if albums matter anymore), and in some cases completely out of the blue (Beyonce, Drake). Since this is a compilation album with a few new tracks, and those traditionally don't sell as well as studio albums, Sony and Mariah understand that they have to capitalize on the buzz as much as possible during the month before her Vegas residency. This Reveal Mariah PR is fantastic and has done more than any of her MIAM days combined. The internet is so powerful nowadays, more so than TV interviews and specials, so by taking the Twitter route they are exposing her upcoming projects to the masses. Lastly, can we talk about her incredible she looks? This outfit is revealing done perfectly, with just enough skin to keep it sexy yet classy. Excited to see what this era brings. Come on Mariah. (Sunday 12 April 2015; 21:56)

Re: LC and Ardis (51,308) by Jono from USA Thank you so much for your posts. It seems the board is just filled with so much unnecessary negativity nowadays. Of course not everything has to be rainbows and sunshine, but the ridiculous nitpicking criticism that has become a trend on this board is getting extremely immature. LC I agree with your opinion on the karaoke video - it is the most watched video from the Late Late Show with James Corden, and that's after he's had a bunch of other celebrities who are bigger news than Mariah right now. Yet the general public is clicking (and loving) the karaoke video. You can't create 5 million+ hits just from Mariah's fanbase alone. I also wanted to commend Arden for your post on her weight. Mariah to me looks great, but for Hollywood she is considered "curvy". When have we become a fanbase that fat shames and judges her on her weight? Seriously? With the caliber of Mariah's talent, you would think there would be better things to be upset about than how she looks. Some of you probably have never worn a wetsuit before, because that thing is unflattering no matter what. It is skin tight material that accentuates everything, especially when wet. And she's 45 for crying out loud, not 25. Also the dress she wore on Ellen was nowhere near as tight as the wetsuit, so of course it's going to be flattering. Not to mention she has her hair and makeup done. That's why the more natural look is going to seem "unflattering" because we're so used to the photoshopped, unrealistic Hollywood BS. (Thursday 2 April 2015; 5:30)

The power of media (51,245) by Jono from USA Whether or not Mariah and Brett are together (I highly doubt they are), I'm certain it is to slowly drum up publicity about Mariah's new projects. With social media highly accessible nowadays, celebrity gossip spreads like wildfire. Hollywood and music agents have picked up on this, and will actually set up high profile people to hang out, creating gossip. Sure it can be tacky, but people love to eat gossip up and it sells. Obviously I'm not calling Mariah and Brett attention seekers, I'm just saying this is a good move because even if this inevitably ends up on the tabloids, it's putting Mariah back in the public conscious. It's also erasing the negativity of 2014. Instead of her shaky performances and weak commercial sales, it's now about who she may or may not be with. Of course us lambs are smart enough to know that they are just friends and collaborators, but the general public doesn't know that and this will only create interest. Her stint with James Corden also created positive publicity for her, and I'm guessing right now her and her team are focused on changing the public's perception of Mariah. She's a real girl, so they're slowly shifting the tide from diva to down to earth. I don't buy any of the gossip crap, but if it's going to put more attention on her upcoming projects, I'm all for it. Just don't get crazy with the stories. (Monday 30 March 2015; 20:52)

Raphael (51,092) by Jono from USA Unfortunately I think that's fake, as brilliant as the gif set is. Mariah doesn't need to respond to that "artist", because she shouldn't even be on her radar. Talk about polar opposites in terms of vocal ability and songwriting talent. She's only big right now because pop standards have dropped dramatically. If she came out in the 90s or even early 00s, well she would be nobody. Next. (Tuesday 24 March 2015; 1:28)

1999 Interview (51,080) by Jono from USA I'm not sure if this has been posted, but this was just uploaded about a week ago and I think this is one of her best interviews. She has so much more insight than what the general public gives her credit for. (Sunday 22 March 2015; 23:06)

Mariah and Lauryn (50,645) by Jono from USA I can't believe a duet almost happened. Lauryn at her peak with Miseducation and Mariah finally independent and doing her own R&B thing. That would have been absolutely epic. It's a shame that it didn't pan out, but hey maybe it still might? (Thursday 5 March 2015; 0:58)

The politics behind the Grammys (49,969) by Jono from USA I know I've touched on this before in terms of Mariah (as well as many other legendary artists - black artists) never getting their dues, but it's a bigger problem than just Mariah. The issue is the bias and politics behind this awards show. Yes Beyonce has 20 Grammys, but 17 of those have been for R&B. The hard truth is that when it comes to the big three categories - Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year, a R&B/Hip Hop artist pretty much won't win. Save for OutKast and Lauryn Hill, an "urban" artist has rarely won in those categories. Mariah is urban. No she's never done something like Drunk In Love, but because of her look and musical style, she will always be put in a genre. Look at WBT. Biggest hit of 2005, nominated for both SOTY and ROTY. However it only won for the R&B categories. Last night Beyonce lost AOTY to Beck, who has a solid if unremarkable album. Meanwhile Bey's album release was an absolutely significant moment in history, from the music videos to the production to the surprise drop. It was the album of the year, if we can define that title. But Beck is the safer, "more for everyone" choice. Bey went home with 3 Grammy's - two for R&B, one for sound production. See the trend? The year 21 (Adele) won, an even higher critically acclaimed album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye wasn't even nominated. It all just comes down to politics. This is how someone like Taylor Swift has an AOTY and not Mariah. Just think about it. (Monday 9 February 2015; 17:35)

Glowing (49,216) by Jono from USA Mariah has always been gorgeous, no matter what size, but how incredible does she look? This is just the right amount of sexy without it being overdone, and she's in a dress but not a ridiculous evening gown. This is one of her best looks since she was on Idol over two years ago. And she looked quite happy and ready to move on from the missteps in 2014. Here's hoping that she has much better fortunes this year, and I'm sincerely hoping I can get tickets as one of the show dates will be on my birthday. (Thursday 15 January 2015; 23:31)

Watch your step (49,156) by Jono from USA Nick has balls to go after Mariah like that. He doesn't know anything about her, apparently. Mariah can drag someone while staying classy. No doubt if she wants to, this will be excellent new writing material. Be warned, she has always called the shots. (Wednesday 14 January 2015; 3:30)

Signature song(s) (48,594) by Jono from USA Sorry for the multiple posts on this topic, but I think her most recognizable song would have to be AIWFCIY. Mostly because it has the benefit of being played every holiday season. So besides that, I actually think Always Be My Baby is one of her signatures. A lot of my friends who aren't fans (not haters, just not as invested as I am lol) know that song and love it to death. We Belong Together is also another one; the reason why it might not be seen as a "classic" is because it wasn't attached to a famous film, unlike Whitney's IWALY and Celine's MHWGO. The Bodyguard and Titanic were huge box office hits, which is why WBT might not be as ingrained in people's heads. But if you play any of the hits that us lambs adore, I would say most are recognizable, people just don't realize it's Mariah. Heck, some people still think that AIWFCIY is a cover or don't know that she wrote it. A lot of people don't realize her genius but I think as time goes on, more and more people respect her for what she has done. To finish my tangent, I remember during 2005 when TEOM was a hit, but she was still getting flack. Despite the recent Rockefeller performance, I do think the general public respects Mariah way more now than they did 10 years ago. And I think the power of the internet has certainly helped as well. Just my two cents. But yes, if I had to have a top 3 list for a non fan, it'd be: 1) All I Want For Christmas Is You 2) Always Be My Baby 3) We Belong Together (Thursday 18 December 2014; 3:02)

Never count her out (48,428) by Jono from USA Mariah Carey has always been a warrior. From her difficult childhood to her emotionally abusive marriage, she has survived. From the issues in her family to her breakdown, she has come back. She made one of the greatest comebacks in music history in 2005, after years of being written off. If anything, it fuels and inspires her. The latest debacle is negativity that isn't new to Mariah, so she will prove everyone wrong soon enough. And to all the haters across social media that rubbed their hands gleefully as they pounced after Rockefeller, well soon you will be eating your words. The silence as Mariah began to kill it during the Elusive Chanteuse Tour was deafening. Be warned. (Tuesday 9 December 2014; 22:36)

Mariah gets snubbed... again (48,299) by Jono from USA Well as I predicted, no surprises there. In fact I would have been shocked if Mariah had been recognized. We're talking about someone who couldn't even win awards in her heyday, and wasn't even handed an award on live TV during the 2006 ceremonies where she had the biggest year of anyone. I will take consolation in the fact that they think people like Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry are Grammy worthy "vocal" performances, and not someone like Mariah. This shows their standards. I also wouldn't be surprised if the Grammys are more and more about the business... as in whatever record company is willing to shovel out enough money to promote their artist for these awards. We all know the debacle that was the promotion for MIAM, so I doubt that Mariah had enough support to even appear on the Grammy radar. It's a shame because they choose to nominate and award the same artists over and over. They certainly have their favorites, and Mariah has never been that (remember when she got screwed out of the opening slot because Madonna threw a little hissy fit, despite not having done anything in 2005?). No need to pay attention to a ceremony whose legacy is no longer artistic achievement, but commercial achievement. Mariah earned her Grammys (very few for someone her caliber) when it actually mattered. (Friday 5 December 2014; 23:48)

Fantasy Remix vs YDKWTD (48,244) by Jono from USA Hey lambs. So stepping aside from the negativity, I'm currently listening to the Fantasy Remix feat. ODB and I suddenly realized how similar YDKWTD sounds to it. From the opening vocal runs by Mariah with the guest rapper speaking over it, to the groovy dance beat, to the rapping style, it just reminded me so much of this classic remix. I wonder if Mariah drew major inspiration from it. (Thursday 4 December 2014; 23:46)

Rockefeller performance (48,188) by Jono from USA I have to be honest, the Mariah that showed up was the one from the opening night of her Elusive Chanteuse performance, not the one that gathered steam in the end. The difficult thing about AIWFCIY is that it's predominantly chest voice, which we can all admit sounded way better in 1994 than 2014. It's been a long time since she's performed live, so it's nice to see her doing something that's not pre-taped and have people slam her for lip syncing. That being said, she has to get used to performing live again, and tonight was a sign of nerves. That being said, AIWFCIY is a difficult song to sing for anyone so at least she did her best. She's just going to be inevitably compared to her old self. I hope this doesn't hurt her confidence because I believe she's still got it. (Thursday 4 December 2014; 2:16)

In honor of AIWFCIY and Mariah's quips (48,134) by Jono from USA This throwback gem is still one of my favorites by our Queen. American Idol contestant: "All I Want For Christmas is the best modern-day Christmas song." Nicki Minaj: "It sure was, wasn't it?" Mariah: "Still is, dahling. No. 1 last year. Seventeen years later, it's still No.1" Make that 20. (Tuesday 2 December 2014; 4:01)

Mariah's magic (48,027) by Jono from USA Hey lambily. I'm not sure why I'm writing this here, but I've always felt safe around fellow fans which is why I'm sharing this. Unfortunately right now I'm going through a bit of a heartbreak. I've been listening to a lot of Mariah, more so than usual, and it's helping so much. This is why I fell in love with Mariah, because she just knows how to write songs that everyone can connect to. Regardless of our differing opinions, we all love Mariah dearly because there was a point in our lives where we heard that one song that just spoke to us, and made us feel like her writing could heal us. This is why she'll always have that true intimate connection with fans, because the lyrics are from her. I just wanted to share. I love you all. (Sunday 23 November 2014; 22:17)

Re: Randy (47,859) by Jono from USA I completely agree about Oh Santa. I admit I was one of the skeptics when MC announced she was releasing a second Christmas album. Why try to replicate the perfection of the first? Turns out I was foolish to doubt the queen of Yuletide lol. I think Oh Santa could have easily become a hit, but it's hard to touch the masterpiece that is AIWFCIY. Walter in a Billboard interview stated how difficult it is to make a Christmas classic, and what they created was an incredibly rare moment of magic. Mariah was just in the right place at the right time with the right music, voice, and collaborators to create a holiday staple. It really is the last classic to be added to the Christmas cannon. When it comes to Christmas, MC will forever be defined by that song (even though I think her rendition of O Holy Night is severely underrated and under appreciated by the general public) so it's hard for her to top that. (Saturday 8 November 2014; 22:15)

Mariah's voice (47,664) by Jono from USA She really is getting better as the tour goes on. She was just rusty her first couple of stops and now is hitting the ground running. And even though you can't expect an early 90s voice anymore (your voice changes as you get older no matter who you are), I'm still amazed that she can do more with her voice than what most pop artists can ever do. To me, Mariah is the last of the traditional big voiced diva from the US. She is a national treasure. (Thursday 30 October 2014; 3:31)

All I Want For Christmas (47,576) by Jono from USA I know there's still two months until Christmas, in fact Halloween hasn't even happened, but is anyone else excited that the holiday season is coming up? There's just something about the spirit and mood, despite the cold, that really excites me. It also has to do with Mariah being synonymous with the festivity, since she has given us two incredible albums. And this year will mark the 20th anniversary of All I Want For Christmas Is You, which I think is incredible that it has truly become a holiday classic and will be for generations to come. And so long as winter holidays keep existing, future generations will get to know Mariah's work. She has created something that many of her contemporaries never could. (Friday 24 October 2014; 17:07)

The Art of Letting Go (47,551) by Jono from USA "You're delusional, you're delusional." One only has to click on my post history (and I had been posting far longer on a different account back in the day) to know that I am not being paid to somehow sabotage Mariah's career (using reverse psychology, apparently) but uh interesting conspiracy theory I suppose. Reading that dig was quite upsetting actually, because I am such a huge supporter of Mariah. She was the first concert that I ever went to. I've introduced my friends to MC's catalog and they have a new found appreciation. The only reason why my last two posts were more aggressive was because I feel super protective of Mariah. This was a woman who saved my life with her music back in junior high, back when I was being bullied to the point where I was terrified everyday of going to school. I also connected with her on the whole racial identity issue; she is a huge role model. So I feel this unwavering devotion to her, because I see her like a guardian angel. So whenever I see unnecessary negative comments, especially from people who are supposedly fans, I get defensive because it just seems ungrateful to me. Am I always satisfied by her performances? Absolutely not. But I'm also thankful that she is still doing this for her fans, when she has more than enough reason and money to just retire. I suppose I could use a lesson or two on "The Art of Letting Go" when it comes to dealing with negativity. As Lambily we may disagree and fight, but it is all love in the end. (Wednesday 22 October 2014; 23:17)

Haters where you at? (47,530) by Jono from USA Hmm the board has been significantly quieter in terms of negativity since MC released that video a few days ago. Some "fans" were getting cocky, feeling themselves as experts on her voice and appointing themselves life coaches; thinking they know every thing under the sun. Not as brave anymore, huh? Stay seated. (Tuesday 21 October 2014; 22:26)

The queen of shade (47,508) by Jono from USA Mariah just killed about fifty birds with one stone with this 30 second video. Voice critics? Check. "Real fans"? Check. Divorce rumors? Check. All the haters, she's looking right at you. I love her. (Monday 20 October 2014; 3:32)

Vocal surgery (47,202) by Jono from USA I can see why Mariah would be hesitant about getting an operation. It's directly on her greatest gift and can be unpredictable. Obviously everyone knows what happened to Julie Andrews, but she was operated in 1997 back when technology wasn't as advanced. The most recent case I can think of is Adele, who actually sounds so much better post surgery. Her surgeon said that the voice being affected is actually really rare. Who knows, I just want Mariah to be healthy and would hate to see her voice abandon her by the time she's 50. (Monday 6 October 2014; 19:01)

Grammy nominations (47,004) by Jono from USA I will be very surprised if Mariah Carey gets any nominations. We all know she deserves way more love than she's gotten in her career, but the Grammy board is made up of prickly voters who try to take themselves seriously, yet want to seem hip and in the now. I mean compare the nominations from the last decade, compared to the previous one. The talent level has dropped significantly when it comes to who gets nominated. I mean, if "My Humps" can win a Grammy, than anyone can. Also, I can't help but feel that the Grammys have never been big on diversity, at least when it comes to the main categories. Sure, rappers and R&B artists will do well in their respective categories, but don't expect there to be huge love for them in the main categories. I mean they certainly play their favorites. I mean, does U2 really deserve that many wins (still bitter about MC's album, song, and record of the year loss in 2006)? And although he is absolutely arrogant, Kanye West was obviously snubbed by not even getting an Album of the Year nomination for the masterpiece that was "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". Yet you get the likes of Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry getting nominations and wins left and right as if they have actually contributed anything significant in the music industry. The Grammys struggled with losing their utter pretentiousness and tried to "right" their reputation by going more mainstream, and it still doesn't work. Mariah doesn't need the silly award show. (Monday 29 September 2014; 6:28)

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