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About Lambi from USA: Mc 4 life

Great news (112,924) by Lambi from USA Last October, I stopped by Gamma Headquarters in LA in search of work and was fortunate enough to make a somewhat direct link towards Mariah's team. Long story short, I've recently been brought on in a new capacity. Of course, for contractual reasons, I'm not able to share in-depth behind the scenes. What I can say is that I'll now be part of a new, real-life Mariah community, which likely means stepping away from this board, not for good but at least for a very long while. It's truly been a wonderful experience here. Dove, Giovanni, Mimi L, MusicFanJ, Terna, Lainsky, Randy, Joachim, Lara, Rashidi, and TJ, I've loved reading your stories, ideas, and reviews. I'm hopeful I'll continue to work my way closer to MC, and I'll absolutely try to relay your ideas and perspectives. Thank you to MCArchives for all the festivity and warmth during my short time here. God bless, and I'm so grateful to have shared my love for Mariah with all of you. I wish you all nothing but the very best, darlings. (Monday 5 January 2026; 05:41)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,921) by Lambi from USA It's deep-rooted for MC. Aretha clearly favored her, but it was Celine who truly showed out, and that probably felt like a hard slap in the face. And J-Lo is just fundamentally annoying. The comparisons to Beyoncé were probably so insulting too. She simply does not belong in the same lane as any of these extraordinarily talented women. It honestly felt like she was a prank the industry tried to pull on everyone. A terrible singer, a mediocre dancer, and an equally mediocre actress. Just look at her acting on her Kamala speech, definitively nobody bought those crocodile tears. (Monday 5 January 2026; 02:31) this is a reply to message 112,913

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,913) by Mimi L. from Empower Your Highlighter Haha call me a hater but JLo deserves the shade. She's incredibly fake, has no moral compass when it came to using other artists' material to get fame (so many of her songs have vocals from other singers she passed off as her own, she also stole from Usher) and basically is full of herself. Is she the only one at fault? No because Tommy facilitated it and JLo took what she could to advance in her career. But yes Céline is an angel and super sweet so I definitely disagree with Mariah's treatment of her. I don't think she should have made statements about Celine's Divas performance. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 23:52)

Last fully live television performance (112,918) by Lambi from USA Sadly the whistles were lipped in HATEU. But what comes to mind are Jimmy Fallon AIWFCIY 2013 and Play This Song 2025. True fully live rarities. (Monday 5 January 2026; 02:18) this is a reply to message 112,909

Last fully live television performance (112,909) by Bobby A from United States Was this performance of H.A.T.E.U. on the David Letterman Show MC's last fully live television performance? I think it is. Maybe somebody can prove me wrong. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 18:31)

Webmaster (112,916) by Lambi from USA Obvious typo. *shouldn't be. (Monday 5 January 2026; 02:11) this is a reply to message 112,912

Webmaster (112,912) by Lambi from USA Kindly post my rebuttal and start being more impartial. Silencing someone who's only defending themselves should be allowed. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 20:52)

Webmaster (112,912) by Lambi from USA Kindly post my rebuttal and start being more impartial. Silencing someone who's only defending themselves should be allowed. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 20:52)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,906) by Lambi from USA Honestly, yeah Celine is the one person I'll disagree with Mariah on. She could diss Christina, Nicki Minaj, or J.Lo, those were warranted. But Celine? She only outshone Mariah in Sony sales and refocused Aretha's invitation. And it's all because she simply did a great job at singing. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 14:24) this is a reply to message 112,893

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,893) by TJ from Norway I find it sad that she thinks it's ok to diss anyone at all in the public. It's kind of trashy and unnecessary. I think J.Lo is being the bigger person. And Celine? As you say. Never heard her saying anything bad about anyone. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 15:13)

Divas Live 1996 (112,905) by Lambi from USA 96 would have been the sweet spot for the vocal trinity, the perfect medium. If I had one wish, it would be for the three of them to share one stage. Arguably the greatest vocalists of a generation, they were neck and neck in vocal skills and impact. We will never see a tighter competition of phenomenal singers. 90's kids were truly blessed. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 14:14) this is a reply to message 112,898

Divas Live 1996 (112,898) by Rashidi Rahim Rick from Malaysia What if VH1 conceived their idea of doing a fund raising concert gathering top female singers/divas two years ealier than the 1998, maybe around November/December 1996. The line up and set list are based on the divas latest project or hit song at that time. Solo performance: 1. Toni Braxton - Breathe Again, Unbreak My Heart 2. Celine Dion - Because You Loved Me, It's All Coming Back To Me 3. Mariah Carey - Always Be My Baby, Anytime You Need A Friend (perfect song for fund raising event) 4. Whitney Houston - Exhale, I Believe In You And Me 5. Madonna - Take A Bow, You Must Love Me Group performance: 1. One Sweet Day (Mariah & Boyz II Men) this song was huge at this time so VH1 needed this to pull ratings 2. Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Madonna & Celine) Madonna was busy promoting this movie/soundtrack this time 3. You Were Loved (Whitney & Toni) they can bring Babyface too because he produced it and Whitney was busy promoting The Preacher's Wife movie and soundtrack Finale: Them 5 divas can end the show with whatever gospel song Whitney had from the soundtrack or end it with I'm Every Woman. Mariah must hit couple of whistle notes, as that a requirement by VH1. Just for laughs. Just imagine the vocal galore and vocal climax from Whitney, Mariah, Celine and Toni. Madonna needs to be included for ratings because she had major project at that time and very popular too at that time. Janet should be there too but she was not in any due for album or any project in 1996. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 05:40)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,903) by Lambi from USA Fair point. As much as it was the real her, it's definitely something that a lot of fans weren't used to. I'm so glad Mariah eventually found her niche, though. TEOM proved her instinct was correct. (Sunday 4 January 2026; 13:53) this is a reply to message 112,856

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,856) by Jamie from UK I'd say it was more because Céline stuck to her trade. Mariah post 96 lost a lot of support with the direction she took. I'm not personally saying it was a bad thing, as I like both directions she had. But she lost a lot of fans who didn't like the change. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 16:13)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,896) by Lambi from USA This laughable routine, "Lambi once insulted me, people enjoy and engage with her content, so I'll nitpick every minor omission and frame her as an unhinged conspiracy theorist to make sure no one ever takes what she says seriously" is tired and completely predictable. And frankly really boring at this point. It's so stupid, it hurts. Let's leave that nonsense behind in 2026. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 23:31) this is a reply to message 112,887

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,887) by Edward from USA But you have to admit that the stuff some people pull out of their behinds, as ridiculous as it might sound, can be entertaining in times like these. I'm having a blast. I'm waiting for the reveal that the New Year's fiasco was just Tommy hitting mute from a control room. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 01:29)

Divas Live 1998 (112,892) by Lambi from USA It truly depends on the group. I always thought the 98 batch was a mismatch. Only 3 of the 6 were power belters. Mariah did not have access to her high belts that night, which effectively made it only 2 true power belters. And sure enough, those were the only 2 that went neck to neck. It makes you wonder why no one reached for the stars and brought Whitney or another gospel singer up there. Hello, we are tributing Aretha Franklin. It would've been cool to see the vocal trinity on one stage. We'll forever have a reference on who's the best live singer. My bet is Céline. I also get being respectful, but Mariah was literally being directly invited by Aretha. Come on with me. Help me lift it. Higher. And she still willingly missed the mark. And to be completely honest, she did not really wow me in her individual numbers either. Her voice landed on the worst possible night to be singing alongside other talented, seasoned female vocalists. She definitively underperformed. That later batch with Yolanda, Christina, and J Hud was just a mess. All screaming and straining, and it turned into an absolute shit show. With Aretha and Céline, you could tell they were actually having fun. You did not sense competition. You sensed a couple of vocalists simply enjoying their talent together. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 10:19) this is a reply to message 112,885

Divas Live 1998 (112,885) by Terna from Nigeria There is a tendency for female singers to try and outdo or outsing each other once they're sharing a stage. Mariah is well aware of this fact and wanted no parts of any such setup. It always ends up as a screaming match and then the song gets butchered. Check the Aretha Franklin tribute by Yolanda, Martina, Christina etc. I'm glad Mariah, even though Aretha approached her to lift, did not engage. That was wisdom because you don't control what the other singers are going to do and then suddenly it's a screaming match, nothing musical, then the train gets derailed and all the divas fall off. Haha. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 00:00)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,891) by Lambi from USA He's a great choice. I honestly love the video. Mariah most likely pitched the Titanic elements, and they meshed perfectly in B&W. I'd imagine it would have been corny in color, but in black and white it added a sophisticated surrealism. It's dreamlike but yet very ethereal. It is definitely a video that did the song justice. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 09:52) this is a reply to message 112,890

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,890) by Lighty from China The My All video was directed by Herb Ritts who was known for "black and white photography and portraits, often in the style of classical Greek sculpture, which emphasized the human shape". Mariah didn't involve in the directing part so I think he was the main reason for My All's dark and minimalist video style, though it might've been Mariah who chose Herb to direct the video. Mariah did co-direct the Butterfly, Breakdown and The Roof videos. A proof she was at her artistic peak both musically and visually at the time. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 03:49)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,886) by Lambi from USA No one is saying Mariah mocked Céline or made a parody video. The point is about extreme contrast, not shade. At the time, Sony was pushing huge, cinematic ballads like MHWGO. Very much Tommy-coded. Schmaltzy and corny. Same for the video. Meanwhile Mariah was openly fighting for creative control. Choosing a dark, intimate, minimalist video for My All released right after MHWGO and using similar oceanic and tragic imagery, can reasonably be read as her saying, "This is actually how I want to do it." That's interpretation based on timing and industry context, not a conspiracy. It isn't completely far-fetched. It's ridiculous to willingly miss the broader point. Will Mariah ever confirm this? Hell no. The same way she wouldn't confirm Eminem was the guy she dressed up as in Obsessed. The same way she would never confirm that the Honey video symbolizes how she was a hostage in Sing Sing. Mariah does subtext. If you refuse to read between the lines, that is your limitation. (Saturday 3 January 2026; 00:57) this is a reply to message 112,883

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,883) by jaker20 from US This is the first time I'm reading this sort connection between My All video and MHWGO, it's just so ridiculous to think Mariah had a part in conceiving a clap back video, let alone to make fun of MHWGO. For me, after Daydream, Mariah wanted to do something in the film industry because back then artists think movies is the next step. Whitney was doing what she saw herself doing next, that is, soundtracks for films she would star in. Whitney was just coming off Waiting to Exhale, and The Preacher's Wife, and by the time Butterfly was released, she was producing Cinderella, and probably thought she could do the same. I can see Mariah being jealous of what Whitney was doing because as she wanted more control over the materials she's singing. Does she want to be part of successful soundtracks she didn't write? Sure. But that's like saying, she was jealous of Alanis Morrisette for dominating the cross-over pop-rock scene at the same time Mariah was creatively and commercially peaking. (Friday 2 January 2026; 20:04)

Christina Aguilera (112,878) by Lambi from USA Christina was out of line, for sure. Mary J Blige said the same thing, "She stuck her hand out for me to kiss it," she tried to be slick. I did look into it though because I'm curious why she is this way. Apparently Christina's father was physically and verbally abusive toward her mother. The girls, she has a younger sister, were always rendered powerless in the household. She was also bullied as a kid. Because she was undeniably beyond local level, Christina was targeted by other kids at school. Some competitors in talent shows reacted with envy and even vandalism, like slashing her mom's car tires. So yeah, I think just years of verbal abuse, instability, and torment that inevitably shaped her arrogance. It became her defense mechanism. I also think The All-New Mickey Mouse Club heightened it. On a show filled with teenagers that sold talent, they all subconsciously wanted to be the most talented, in front of national television. She basically just had the worst formative years as a performer. It's similar to Mariah's but at least MC got to laser focus on developing her talents as a teenager privately, without the immense pressure of being on TV. That would mess anyone up. I'll give her some grace, but I still don't know that she really possesses that golden voice standard. Even today, it irks me when she does interviews and says, "You know, as a powerhouse vocalist," like why would you self-proclaim that. LMAO. (Friday 2 January 2026; 13:50) this is a reply to message 112,875

Christina Aguilera (112,875) by Dove from United States I don't see her as a competitor. (Céline, yes.) I used to kind of like Christina when I was younger, but now every time I try to listen to her, it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. The audacity she had to run her mouth about Mariah when she (Christina) was first starting out is unbelievable. She was super rude to contestants as a judge on The Voice too. I think she's even said negative things about Britney. Her mean-girl attitude is the final nail in the coffin for me. Her ego outweighs her talent. I know people say that about Mariah now that her voice is not what it used to be but I don't see it the same. At one point Mariah's voice was magic and otherworldly. Legendary, even. Also, I feel like Mariah only shades people who come for her first, and even then it's mild. She doesn't go after people just to be cruel. (Friday 2 January 2026; 12:18)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,876) by Lambi from USA Sorry, but I just had a family member that was obnoxious. I'd say yeah, I took out the chicken and started thawing it around 3pm. And she would be like, "Nu-uh, you took it out when I got home at 2:45," when it's already 8pm and the chicken is ready to cook no matter what anyway. LMAO. I am very short-fused with this. Fair point about My All. It could very much be because Titanic was so massive and everywhere at the time. Mariah was genuinely inspired by it and just liked the aesthetic of the over turned boat submerging in the ocean. I don't know though. Part of me also believes she's genuinely irked with Céline because she got all the special treatment from Sony. To me, it was like Tommy saying to Mariah, "This is what you could've had if you just listened," and after reading Tommy's memoir, it confirmed it even more for me. Walters' account also somewhat confirmed it. He said, "Singers like Mariah, Celine, Whitney, Barbra, they're all very insecure creatures. If you start working on a song with another singer, the jealousy comes out. They're very, very jealous people." He is so messy, but I believe it. I grew up in the performing arts and the best talents always trashed each other behind the scenes. But yeah, at least Céline was actually a formidable competition vocally. Post-Sony, them drumming up the narrative that JLo was her rival was so insulting. They caricatured the heck out of Mariah. "This is your equivalent now. You're rendered to a talentless bimbo." (Friday 2 January 2026; 13:03) this is a reply to message 112,873

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,873) by Lighty from China I only corrected those "insignificant technicalities" because those were the only things that were, well, technically wrong. Maybe I should've studied law and become a lawyer as Bobby A said. Just kidding. I said I mostly agree with you on this topic and I truly meant it, expect for, maybe the My All video part. Everyone can have their own interpretation of a music video and that's fine. Well back to this topic, I always had this feeling that Mariah treat other female singers in distinctively different attitudes: respect the senior divas (Aretha, Patti, Whitney, etc.); friendly to the industry recognized divas (Janet, Mary J, Beyonce, etc.); indifferent or somewhat bitter towards some of the vocal powerhouses (Celine, Christina Aguilera, etc.); acknowledging some younger generations depending on whether she "knows" them or not (Rihanna, Ariana, Taylor, etc.); and somewhat hostile towards certain ones (Madonna, JLo, etc.). The difference between Celine and JLo is that Celine had the voice, the hits, the sales that might've threatened Mariah during a certain period, so I think Mariah more or less treated her as a competitor more than just a label mate. Meanwhile JLo, quote Mariah, "Her thing is something different". She was like Tommy's weapon to take Mariah down with the Firecracker sample and Ja Rule feature incidents. It is natural that Mariah treated her as the "thief" for stealing her most cherished thing, which is music and songwriting. At the end of the day, Mariah never really spoke ill of Celine except for maybe that Divas Live thing. But for JLo, Mariah will never know her. (Friday 2 January 2026; 11:44)

Nah (112,874) by Lambi from USA Mariah was deeply embarrassed. Aretha hand-picked her for that moment, but it was Céline who ultimately gave Aretha that moment. The entire world saw it. Mariah's reaction was hilarious when Céline finally accepted the challenge in Testimony. Mariah plays it off like she did it out of respect, but we could also argue that it's disrespectful to decline the clear invitation from Aretha. Now imagine if Whitney had been there, or Gladys Knight, or Chaka Khan. They would have done the same thing because that's what church-bred gospel singers do. They ascend together and revel in each other's talent when they're anointed. There's obviously no hint of disrespect in that exchange. There's another layer to consider. That night, Carole King was Céline's personal guest. During Natural Woman, she was supposed to open the song, but Aretha sang over her and took her part. It wouldn't surprise me if Céline was a little irritated by that, because she spent the rest of the night going toe-to-toe with Aretha and held nothing back. (Friday 2 January 2026; 12:12) this is a reply to message 112,870

Nah (112,870) by Bill from the UK It's weird because I also watched DL on its original air date (and recorded to video the undubbed original version - where Aretha's performance of A Rose Is Still A Rose is not cut and Carole's mic isn't muted during Natural Woman). I remember feeling there was something "off" with Mariah's voice, I put it down to tiredness at the time, but it was more raspy and gritty than ever. The touched up DVD/CD version sounds a lot better but the actual vocals on the night seemed like every note was a struggle and effort, which was never the case previously. And as for the finale with Celine. All I remember is being annoyed that Aretha walked over to Mariah, put her arm around her, brought her to the stage, and *invited Mariah to sing with her* and Mariah said "Jesus" three times then stepped back. Obviously Mariah knew she couldn't compete and after a night of singing in a relatively bad form, probably couldn't handle it. I don't buy this whole "I was respecting the queen" line she spews out every time it's mentioned. I also think Celine was gracious in her behaviour, as Aretha was clearly asking the singers to "help her lift it" and none of them did. Céline saw Aretha originally picked Mariah, who shrank back, and only after seeing Mariah not do anything did she step in to not leave Aretha hanging. She was the only one capable that night, vocally speaking, of matching Aretha's energy and power. We need to be real and face facts. This whole "Celine was disrespectful" narrative has got to end. She was doing what she was paid to do that night and what Aretha was asking one of the singers to do. (Friday 2 January 2026; 10:42)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,869) by Lambi from USA I was speaking metaphorically. Mariah took the Titanic-esque elements in her My All music video, with the overturned boat, isolated and alone in the vast ocean, very much like Rose in the movie. She did it in a more refined aesthetic way. It's kind of her way of showing Céline how it's done because the MHWGO music video came across as cringe. I also agree about Divas Live. Aretha clearly just wanted to sing with Mariah, which made Mariah feel very special, but when it came time to help Aretha lift it at the end, only Céline rose to the challenge and completely owned it. She did absolutely nothing wrong. She hit the same notes she hits in every live performance, and this time Aretha happened to be there. Mariah didn't have access to those high belts and reacted bitterly. (Friday 2 January 2026; 10:41) this is a reply to message 112,857

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,857) by TJ from Norway You say: "In my honest opinion, Mariah was simply bitter about Celine being positioned to carry on her torch as the best Sony selling artist. So she chose to make fun of how corny the MHWGO music video was by responding with a much stronger, more refined aesthetic built around the same theme. It was a silent clap back." I really can't remember Mariah being bitter about that song (or Celine), or making fun of it back in the 90's. But I might have forgotten it. Do you think the video for My All is less corny than MHWGO? I'm not sure. Another thing is that Whitney was not a part of Sony Music back in 1993 and therefore wasn't their biggest selling female artist that year. About the Divas Live concert. I have always been thinking that Mariah said what she said about respecting the queen of soul and not trying to outshine her as a result of the fact that her voice was in a bad shape on that concert. She wasn't able to try to go where Celine did that day. The voice you hear on the CD/DVD is dubbed in some parts and not what they aired on VH1. It was very notable on the duet with Aretha. On the other hand I don't think Celine did anything wrong that night. Why on earth isn't it OK to show the world what you are made of? (Thursday 1 January 2026; 16:57)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,868) by Lambi from USA Yeah, it's your default to only correct the most insignificant technicalities. It's fair to bring up and I appreciate being corrected too, but at the very least acknowledge the broader points, otherwise you're inevitably going to come across as obnoxious. TJ did a great job by raising something he felt was slightly inaccurate while also adding depth and genuinely enriching the topic. (Friday 2 January 2026; 10:26) this is a reply to message 112,867

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,867) by Lighty from China And by the way I think you're mixing up MHWGO and The Power of the Dream. MHWGO was written by James Horner and Will Jennings and the soundtrack version was produced by Horner and Simon Franglen while the album version was produced by Walter, if that's the situation you were talking about. Meanwhile, The Power of the Dream was written and produced by David Foster, Linda Thompson and Babyface. There was only one version of this song, no difference between the version Celine sang at the Olympics and album version. David Foster was even playing the piano behind her at the Olympics Games ceremony. I don't mean to be nitpicking, it's just some clarification of facts. If that annoys you, I should rest my case now. (Friday 2 January 2026; 05:41)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,861) by Lambi from USA I used a reconstructed list based on Sony-family artists. 1992 is a crossover year. Whitney can be argued due to The Bodyguard’s late-year impact. Different metrics, same label. And even if I wrote Mariah for 92, that only makes my point stronger about the frustration of her post-95 decline. So what exactly are these none-debunkings supposed to do? (Friday 2 January 2026; 02:12) this is a reply to message 112,855

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,855) by Lighty from China Whitney was on Arista/BMG in 1992, and the merge between Sony and BMG didn't start until 2004. Sorry for getting technical again. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 15:32)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,860) by Lambi from USA You're mixing up songwriting credits with production credits and versions. The Power of the Dream was originally written by James Horner and Will Jennings for the 96 Atlanta Olympics, that's the composition Céline performed and the collaboration people refer to. David Foster, Linda Thompson, and Babyface were involved later on the commercial recording/album version, mainly in production and adaptation, which is why their names appear in liner notes. So yes, they contributed, but that doesn't erase Horner and Jennings as the original writers, or the fact that Horner and Céline had already worked together before Titanic. And how that was such a determining factor as to why Céline was the first and only choice for MHWGO. I'm really sorry but you are objectively being annoying now, Lighty. Please refrain from the tiniest most insignificant and debunkable technicalities. Is that honestly all you have to add? (Friday 2 January 2026; 01:54) this is a reply to message 112,854

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,854) by Lighty from China If we still get technical, The Power of the Dream was written and produced by David Foster, Linda Thompson and Babyface. None of them had anything to do with MHWGO. But I get your point, Celine had sung too many theme songs by that point of her career. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 15:25)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,858) by Lambi from USA Yeah, plenty of people have said that to me as well. I used to think it made sense at first glance, mainly because Mariah did have a career image change. But that argument start to fall apart when you look at the timeline. She quite literally did When You Believe the year after MHWGO's release. Mariah was definitively still doing ballads and was very much still in the Adult Contemporary arena. She even released Butterfly the song that same year, which is unmistakably Adult Contemporary. Realistically, if she had been offered MHWGO, she likely would have tried to protect her integrity by asking about the movie and proposing a new song. Probably something less schmaltzy. She offers an alternative, it gets rejected because James Cameron is fully locked into his vision. At that point, Mariah understands that the film world operates differently and decides this is the most expensive movie ever made, so she just does what they asked of her, to just sing and that's the end of it. And no, by 97 she may have started with Lead The Way, but the songs she was writing at that time were fully intended for the Butterfly album. Mariah herself has revealed that the songs that ended up on Rainbow were initially meant for Glitter. Because she was eager to get out and complete the number of albums she still owed Sony, she went ahead and released another album anyway. That is exactly why Rainbow was done in three months. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 18:59) this is a reply to message 112,835

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,835) by BFF from United States That is an interesting point. Mariah has mentioned that Tommy and her management kept her in the dark about movie offers and opportunities early on in her career, and I have always wondered what those opportunities were. And you're right, they did kind of trick Mariah into doing "When You Believe". I still think Mariah would have turned down MHWGO; it just doesn't fit with the direction she took post-1996 - less adult contemporary, more creative control. Plus Mariah had bigger, better ballads planned for "Glitter" and probably felt that stuff she wrote was just as good or better than MHWGO. (Wednesday 31 December 2025; 14:06)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,852) by Lambi from USA Well no, Mariah never intended My All to ever be a theme song. Her being involved in movies was a clear no no. If you read her book, the song was organically inspired by Derek Jeter, not by any film concept or soundtrack opportunity. Sony would have never pitched any of her songs to be theme songs to begin with. If she were ever involved in that space, it would mean exposure to movie theme song scorers, movie directors, and writers. Mariah would have connections. Soundtracks are often used as stepping stones into acting, which is a very common path, and that would naturally lead to deeper film involvement. That kind of access and independence is exactly what Tommy heavily avoided for her at the time. In my honest opinion, Mariah was simply bitter about Celine being positioned to carry on her torch as the best Sony selling artist. So she chose to make fun of how corny the MHWGO music video was by responding with a much stronger, more refined aesthetic built around the same theme. It was a silent clap back. Here's the list of Sony's best selling artist in the 90s, just so you can see the picture clearer and understand how tight the competition truly was: 1990: Mariah 1991: Mariah 1992: Whitney 1993: Mariah 1994: Mariah 1995: Mariah 1996: Celine 1997: Celine 1998: Celine 1999: Celine Post 95, Celine absolutely dominated Mariah. It's easy to see why Mariah felt some type of way. It hit even harder because she worked twice, if not three times, as hard, writing basically every song on her records while carrying the pressure of being Sony's standard-bearer. Her competitor only sang, and the contrast was impossible to ignore. This is exactly what I mean when I say Mariah inevitably developed a misplaced disdain towards Céline. Sony backed her rival with songwriters and resources, creating a level of support that was clearly imbalanced and frustrating for anyone in her position, who wrote every freaking song. By Divas Live, her frustration towards Céline was on full display. None of the other girls said a word about Celine's brief battle with Aretha, it was only Mariah who let it show. And it most likely stemmed from a deep-rooted issue of feeling heavily undervalued by Sony, for years. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 13:58) this is a reply to message 112,847

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,847) by Rashidi Rahim Rick from Malaysia If Sony and Mariah didn't have friction, then Sony must have proposed for My All to be the theme song. Even the video having Mariah lying down in an upside down wooden boat in the middle of the ocean (studio set of course). The lyrics even said "and I won't pull through without you by my side" that is 100% interpretation of what Rose said "I won't let go" to Jack in the climax scene of them lying on the wreckage. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 07:16)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,846) by Lambi from USA If you want to get technical. Celine had just worked with MHWGO songwriter a year before, for the theme song of the Olympics, Power of the Dream. They all boil down to the same point: she was sick of theme songs. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 04:12) this is a reply to message 112,845

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,845) by Lighty from China Beauty and the Beast was released in 1991 so Celine hadn't "just done" that song. The one before MHWGO was Because You Loved Me (for Up Close & Personal, 1996), the first single of her massive Falling Into You album. (Thursday 1 January 2026; 03:17)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,840) by Lambi from USA Titanic-themed doesn't mean a shot-for-shot remake. The overturned boat in the middle of the vast ocean, that she's singing on, is the clearest Titanic reference, it's the aftermath of the sinking. Funny you said all that but completely missed the most obvious visual cue. (Wednesday 31 December 2025; 19:39) this is a reply to message 112,838

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,838) by MusicfanJ from Germany The Titanic-themed My All video? Where is it Titanic themed? Serious question. There is a shell, a lighthouse, a male model and Mariah who's also looking like a top model. (Wednesday 31 December 2025; 14:55)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,834) by Lambi from USA I see what you mean. Whitney's voice was indeed nuanced but somehow she made IWALY work. Her falsettos are crystal clear and she places them throughout the song, tastefully, just enough for it to still be palatable to the masses. I think with soundtracks, it largely depends on the arrangement and instrumentation as well as the melody of the song itself. Céline and Whitney were incredibly lucky to be at the pinnacle of successful soundtracks. To me, Open Arms Mariah would have absolutely crushed a sappy, tear-jerking movie ballad. I really wish she had gotten the chance. (Wednesday 31 December 2025; 12:46) this is a reply to message 112,825

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,825) by Bill from the UK Mariah's voice is a bit too nuanced to deliver a movie song in my view. Celine's voice is perfect for theme tunes because it remains in the same vocal tone constantly but crescendos when it needs to. Same for Whitney to a degree. Mariah's voice has so many facets and intricacies and layers to it that I don't think it would work. The closest she came to that style was probably Hero. (Tuesday 30 December 2025; 23:41)

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,833) by Lambi from USA Your point was that Tommy didn't write it, therefore he couldn't offer it. You hyper-focused on the word "offer" when the point was simply that Mariah should have at least been considered. The writers already had Celine in mind since they had worked together on Power of the Dream just a year earlier, but that ultimately meant nothing because Celine went on to reject MHWGO anyway. She was sick of doing soundtracks. It took serious convincing from both Tommy and Renee to get her to record it. It was not smooth or automatic. My broader point is that Tommy is in the room. Walter is in the room. Celine actively did not want to do it. The other obvious elephant in the Sony room is Mariah. Realistically though, because it was 1997, that option probably would never have prevailed, but that does not mean it should not have existed. Ultimately, Celine was the plan, and once they got her to do the demo and James Cameron heard it, the plan was finalized and realized. My even broader point is that this fits a long-running pattern of Mariah resenting Tommy for not making her aware of movie offers. That 98 Barbra interview makes that crystal clear. Mariah explicitly says she was not told about roles, that she found out through trade magazines, and that she would have said yes. She even acknowledges that some of those roles made other people stars. With both Celine and Mariah being Sony artists, and with MHWGO going on to become an insanely colossal success, it is hard to believe Mariah did not feel some type of way about it. The Titanic-themed My All video reads like a quiet clap back. "Fine, Celine can have the biggest gigs and be the top selling artist now but I will have the better music video", which is pretty hilarious. LMAO. But to be completely fair, the MHWGO music video was corny as hell. (Wednesday 31 December 2025; 12:07) this is a reply to message 112,807

Was Celine the original JLo? (112,807) by Edward from USA The song wasn't presented to Tommy for Celine, I never said that Tommy at some point wasn't involved, that's different. Mariah was Tommy's personal project while the dynamic with Celine was different, she already had very experienced team around her. So, just like "Hero" was written with Gloria Stephan [sic] in mind, so was "MHWGO". (Tuesday 30 December 2025; 13:30)

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