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About this_is_qhm from the Philippines: I love the intricate vocal harmonies only Mariah can make.

Re: Vocal texture (89,444) (89,451) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines The great thing about judging how spectacular a Mariah performance is is that they can only be compared to her previous ones and not other artists'. Peak Mariah is the bar for many others, but most especially herself. And even if her performances from here on out are less impressive, less consistent and less impactful, they only are such compared to what she did over a decade or two ago, and they still hold their own against younger singers such as Bey, Ariana, Kelly, Christina, etc. who may riff out and hit higher notes with such ease, but their efforts still end up lacking the gravitas that Mariah's voice still holds. It's that unique, golden tone, weathered and leathery as it is today, that still holds much more conviction that most out there. Now that Whitney isn't around, any of these other artists hitting a C5 in full chest voice still feels less resonant and less glorious than when Mariah hits them. The advantage of Mariah's diminished capability to deliver runs like it were the Olympics is that she is forced to use them sparingly, so that when she does try and hit them and nails them, they leave much more of an impact than when other female singers deliver run after run after run. Even today, the other singers can compete, but cannot compare. Mariah may have lost a significant deal of the ease, fluidity, and the range, but has lost none of the character, emotiveness and heft of her voice. (Sunday 5 May 2019; 09:52)

Re: BBMA (89,438) (89,439) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I actually liked the performance, as imperfect and shaky as it was. She could easily have lipped the entire thing, but she didn't. And no, I'm not just appreciating the fact that she opted to perform 95% live just because I know she could have mimed, but because the cracks and struggles she had throughout the performance humanized her and inadvertently played really well into the narrative of her speech. For the first time in a long time, a Mariah TV appearance has been almost universally liked and even loved. Social media and various entertainment sites really lit up with praises of how much she deserves it. The general public didn't mind that it wasn't her best performance. They were just overwhelmingly positive about her appearance overall, and that, along with her best awards acceptance speech since 1999, made the moment even more special and moving, seeing how everybody was reacting. It's the most Mariah love I have witnessed in a while (worldwide) and I am just so touched that we were so lucky to experience such warm acceptance again, even if it were just for that moment. (Friday 3 May 2019; 11:53)

Madonna & Maluma - Medellín (89,223) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Madonna is known for putting out first singles that are designed to effect maximum impact. This new one, though, is her least flashy lead single since Frozen. It's like a weaker, modern cousin of La Isla Bonita. If she was hoping to ride the Latin wave, she may have arrived a little late to the party. However, she chose the best partner to do it with. Maluma sounds great. The extra autotune in Madge's vocals was unnecessary. Medellín is not the banger everyone is hoping for from Madonna, but she has missed the mark in her last 2 albums so badly that this weirdly comes across as a return to form. At least she's doing something that, while may not be entirely new to her, still at least stands out of today's very drab music scene thanks to its hopeful summer vibe. (Thursday 18 April 2019; 18:28)

The Mariah-Billboard Music Awards relationship (89,213) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's all about the 9s. 20 years ago, Mariah delivered her most epic acceptance speech (and quite possibly the best acceptance speech ever) when she received the Artist of the Decade award in 1999. That same year, One Sweet Day was recognized as Song of the Decade, the same award We Belong together got 10 years later in 2009. Fast forward to today, Mariah is finally being honored for being the icon that she already has been since the 90s. This award was really meant for her to receive this year. It's full circle for her. She could have gotten it earlier but this truly feels like the best time for it. Congrats, Mariah. Finally. Congrats to Billboard as well for knowing how to properly end each decade with the best. (Wednesday 17 April 2019; 09:33)

No Drug Like Me and The Distance (88,989) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Those who love The Distance out there will likely also enjoy this new offering from Carly Rae Jepsen released last February. Both songs start ethereally, and by the time the beat kicks in, it hits you almost as hard as how the rubbery and elastic beat of The Distance does every time. Both songs share a similar progression as well. If her 2015 album E-mo-tion is to go by, Carly knows and understands pure pop just as well as, maybe even better than Taylor Swift does. (Thursday 4 April 2019; 12:54)

Bye Bye (88,970) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines If we are being completely honest, about 90% of the hate on this song comes from the fact that it was released by the label (apparently against Mariah's wishes) as an attempt to duplicate the It's Like That - We Belong Together upbeat then ballad one-two punch strategy that has so successfully worked for TEOM, forgetting that Touch My Body wasn't an upbeat but a mid-tempo hit, so following it up with another mid-tempo finger-snapping, watered and dumbed-down version of One Sweet Day was not ideal at all. 2008-2009 was a time when the popularity of similarly styled R&B-lite songs such as Chris Brown's With You and Rihanna's Take A Bow were dying to make way for the electropop reign of Gaga and Ke$ha. Bye Bye did have potential, but not as a second single, especially when Migrate and Cruise Control were around and begging for a release. Back to the point - Bye Bye was hated mostly for "killing" E=MC2's momentum and is more often than not unfairly judge based on that rather than its own merits as a song. It's actually a cute track about loss for the younger 2008 audience, lyrically genuinely affecting at some parts and cringe-worthy in others. Bye Bye did not kill Mariah's chances of a 19th #1 - the label did, as did Mariah's romance with Nick at the time to some degree, which we really can't hate because that eventually gave us Roc & Roe almost 3 years later. (Wednesday 3 April 2019; 13:44)

Re: The setlist (88,226) (88,235) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I guess it's safe to say that this has been the best setlist she has had in forever. There are still some songs we could swap out for better ones, but overall this is a pretty great list. Glitter is finally getting some love, Caution is mostly on display, with some fan favorites here and there thrown in for good measure - this is shaping up to be a nice album tour with some real direction, not just some random greatest hits concert that could have been held at any point within the last 15 years. Nice one, Mariah. Now it's time to keep the voice, the body and the ensembles in check as well. (Friday 1 March 2019; 12:40)

A No No (remix?) (88,120) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Aside from the date of release, has anything been else about A No No been really confirmed yet? Is it even a remix that's gonna be dropped? And if it is, is Cardi really on it? There's been a lot of speculation and some denying as well so it's all confusing. If it isn't the remix, then we all know how that's gonna go. It's also gonna end similarly if it's not with Cardi or some current hot rapper. But if it indeed is Cardi, and the rumored video shot last January should have been done by February and it would have made for the perfect post-Grammy's release to capitalize on the hype Cardi got for her win. But then Please Me was released instead. Since Please Me is a nice enough song that could gain traction in the next few weeks, would it still be a wise decision to release another Cardi collaboration with Mariah, a legend no Gen-Z teenage fangirl is really checking for? I mean sure, it's a different track and people still can't get enough of Cardi, but won't it be overshadowed by Please Me and end up like that dreadful J.Lo-Cardi team-up Dinero that fell off the face of the earth despite a high-profile performance? (Wednesday 20 February 2019; 12:07)

Re: J.Lo (88,037) (88,040) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines What do these harsh comparisons accomplish, though? The woman is still successful regardless of chart status. Pitting two women against each other is so 2016. One would think #MeToo would have changed most minds about that. And yes, she is a plagiarist, a bad singer, a pawn for Tommy's evil plans with zero artistic originality, but she can still perform and dance circles around most artists half her age and she truly is hardworking - with a laser focus that Mariah has lacked for a decade now. Both women are inspirations and successful in their own right despite their weaknesses. Both have different things they excel at. Some Mariah fans just tend to be bitter for bitter sake and defend their actions as "just being honest", and that is just petty and sad. Well there's fine line between being honest and being a jerk. It makes the entire Lambily look like insecure babies. I mean granted, other fandoms are probably pretty much doing the same, but why can't we be the ones who take the high road? Let us be objective and call things for what they really are, even on a fan board where it's childishly expected to hate your fave's rivals or enemies "just because". (Thursday 14 February 2019; 13:53)

J.Lo (88,027) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines In any messageboard, it's popular to rag on people who have done your fave wrong. And I have had my share of that and will continue to every now and then when it is necessary. However, I also believe in fairness and giving credit where it is due, instead of just dismissing someone entirely just because they are not of Mariah's caliber talent-wise or did her wrong in one way or another. Sometimes the rants are valid, but half the time they're mostly just pile-ons that only serve to reveal just how insecure we could be as fans. Let's get this straight first - while J.Lo did deserve to be in the opening monologue of the Grammys, there is no way in hell that she was ever appropriate to do a Motown tribute - not today, never on any day. However, it really speaks to her management's savvy that she is consistently able to book these high-profile gigs. And for someone who can't sing, she has done remarkably well in music, having her own catalog of hits (albeit some were notoriously stolen), but one cannot deny that her first 4-5 albums had some great material despite being surrounded by tons of obvious and often awful filler. Sure, one could definitely argue that she is being promoted and marketed as if she were still a newbie, that she still fails to make much of an impact considering that she's practically everywhere, or that she's doing it because she hasn't reached the legendary status Mariah has achieved, etc. All points are valid, but the fact remains that the woman works her ass of. She's even more of a determined perfectionist than Mariah is. She always looks great, she's hella disciplined, and she makes sure all of her bases are covered. Try as much as you want to minimize her contributions to her own success, you'll only end up failing because the proof is in the work - she knows this game really well, she's smart enough to surround herself with some of the best people in the entertainment industry, and constantly plays to her strengths. And while she has made her way to the top with several questionable career choices and moves, she's doing one hell of a job to maintain the level of success she has reached. Promotion and marketing can only go so far. Mariah, on the other hand, is more of a free spirit and as gone way too far with the "eternally 12" excuse, winging performances left and right and poorly lipping in occasions that really matter. She lacks the discipline to avoid the things that further damage her voice and even struggles to keep her figure on top form. True, she has somehow gotten her crap together over last year and it was glorious to watch her finally back to acting like a legend should, but she also tends to rest on her laurels a lot and is likely to feel entitled. Well, she has earned it, but it does come across as her not caring enough, which is unfair when her fans care too much. Like someone here previously said, there's something admirable about someone capable of wearing many hats. It shows a hunger for growth and a desire to learn no matter what age you are. I hate to use social media following as a gauge of popularity and impact, but in 2019, that does mean something. It means you're more likeable and relatable, regardless if it translates to actual commercial or critical success or not. It shows that people care, regardless of what age demographic they belong to. I am happy for both Mariah and J.Lo because they prove that women, especially middle-aged women can run the world when they know what they're good at and keep hustling. Mariah released her best album since 2005 and redeemed herself from what we thought was an irreparable career and public image. J.Lo shows no signs of stopping anytime soon and has been juggling multiple ventures whilst putting most 20 and 30 somethings to shame looks-wise. Let us not unnecessarily drag people down just to put one up. J.Lo is a better business woman, a great dancer and a better actress than Mariah. Mariah is a living legend who can still sing most people under the table on a good day and is still one of the best and most underrated songwriters and creative people around. No point of comparison in the first place. (Wednesday 13 February 2019; 12:32)

Re: Jennifer Lopez's management / Grammys (87,992) (87,993) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines In fairness to J.Lo, she has quite the impact on the Latin community. She was the first one to really reach the level of superstardom that she has and is still arguably the most powerful celebrity of Latin descent in the world. She is revered by many despite her "jack of all trades but master of none" image. Especially at a time where immigrant rights are still a hot button topic, her success story is representative of that and is one to aspire towards. She has had better management than Mariah for a decade now, but she does deserve to be in that monologue just as much as everyone on that stage. (Monday 11 February 2019; 11:11)

Re: Butterfly (87,958) (87,973) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Sure, we really don't know what Mariah's true life story is - we probably never will. Unless she really spills everything out in her upcoming memoirs (which I fear won't be the case and will instead be a contrived and sanitized affair) we can only put together a picture combining what we've heard of her on various media and what leaks out in her music, but there has always been a consistent narrative we can derive from it all. Although she has rarely corroborated such especially for the extremely personal parts, this story still makes sense somehow and mostly explains why she is how she is today. Side Effects and other rare controversial interviews aside, Mariah doesn't really paint Tommy as the devil because she acknowledges and appreciates the good he has done for her career. Her first 6 years was the best start she could have ever been given and at least half of that is thanks to Tommy. Who knows what could have happened if she decided to stay with him - Butterfly and Rainbow would have been completely different albums and there may not have been a Glitter. But recalling the direction the music industry was heading towards post mid-90s, the same winning formula would not have worked as well. Whitney and Celine stuck to their schtick and struggled to remain relevant through the 2000s and that says something about their role in steering their own careers. Mariah, on the other hand, had a better vision of her career trajectory and saw the signs as early as the late 90s - she knew pop was going urban and even Latin, and she gave us a respectable taste of those without sacrificing much of her signature sound. She was more resilient, and she could owe some of that to Tommy. You're right as well - it's truly a miracle that Mariah, despite not having full creative control of her sound and lyrical themes during those early years, was able to ensure that her final output was of high quality even if she didn't necessarily like some of the material or the people she worked with. Listening to her entire discography in the order of their release truly reveals how she has slowly but surely gained control and confidence in her sound. It's really a beautiful thing to witness such artistic evolution, which was more than enough to make up for her waning vocal abilities. I guess this also proves that no Mariah album is a throwaway. Everything that happened was meant to be and was chronicled excellently by each essential release, and each phase beautifully led to the next part of her musical journey. We are so lucky to have an autobiographical artist like her who, even in her most impersonal material, is still way more revealing than most artists' best attempts at self-expression. We're even luckier that she has a better head on her shoulders than most stars especially of her caliber, and that despite her crazy tendencies and missteps and the world's countless attempts to turn her into the next Hollywood tragedy, she's still standing and was able to make something as special as Caution when most of her colleagues would have been jaded churning out one similar bland album after the next. (Saturday 9 February 2019; 01:10)

Re: Butterfly (87,963) (87,966) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Exactly. It was something I forgot to address in my response to him. It also seemed to be one of the main points of his post, which is even more disappointing. I get that a diverse, non-gender specific fanbase such as MJ's and Marvin Gaye's is the ideal for any artist aiming for longevity, but there's absolutely nothing wrong in not being able to keep a significant straight male fanbase in favor of a predominantly female or gay one. That was completely beyond Mariah's control. Similarly, Mariah was not entirely responsible for "abandoning" her more conservative fans. She blossomed out of self-expression. It's not like she deliberately pushed them away by becoming a sex symbol in her efforts to appeal to males like that was a main priority. This fan gender profiling thing is completely unnecessary and sexist, but if we were to really go there, then let's at least get things closer to what's really going on. Not to perpetuate any stereotypes, but realistically, if anything, it's the females and especially the gay fans who will typically remain extremely loyal and grow old with her. I mean Cher and Madonna are not the untouchable powerhouses they once were but they still are very much around and still make headlines, especially in a sexist and ageist industry. They mostly owe that to their gay icon status. But regardless of gender, we are all blessed to have stuck as long as we have. Here's to us. (Friday 8 February 2019; 11:28)

Re: Butterfly (87,940) (87,949) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Look, it's nice that you have your own beliefs and stay true to them, but you seem to have a weird understanding of what artistry is. For one, artistry should not come at the expense of personal freedom. Pretty much any lamb who has been a supporter since the 90s who is not just a fan of Mariah the singer but is also a fan of Mariah the human being shared the relief Mariah felt when she finally divorced Tommy. Like someone pointed out, it's actually the opposite. Pre-Butterfly Mariah was very much affected by literally everything - she had to dress a certain way, she had to act all demure and virginal, she had to perform ballads in a conservative dress with her hair up, she had to appeal to all demographics, she had to sound like a viable rival to other big-voiced divas, she faced the pressure of keeping up the momentum she had, she could not go out and hang out with other people outside Tommy's circle when she wants to,etc. - she basically had to be somebody else. That control spilled over to her music, which was her only creative outlet at the time. While most of Tommy's control was to ensure that their biggest earner remained bankable and that did serve Mariah well career and success-wise, it stifled her personal life. And to a young ingenue who saw music as her life and wanted a career with longevity, being herself was worth sacrificing to get what she wanted. Songs as deep as Looking In and don't write themselves. They were based on genuine experience and emotion. That was her trying to vent what was pent up over last 5 years. The fact that that was her first and only true introspective song during their union says a lot. Heck, the woman even struggled to get something as brilliant as Fantasy on Daydream, and they had to make Dreamlover much poppier years prior just to be acceptable to the label. That the introspective and crazy personal songs kept pouring out in pretty much every album since Daydream is proof that even the lyrical content and themes of her songs prior to it were restricted. Slipping Away is highly believed to have been demoted to a b-side because it was too R&B and alluded too much to Mariah and Tommy's relationship at the time. To imply that Mariah has been this inauthentic persona who has faked it since 1997 just to play the Hollywood game when it's clear how much she was being held back early on in her career is just unfair not only to her as a person and human being but to every other person whose life she has touched with her post-1997 output. To imply that Mariah and Walter's compositions, while magical, are the only worthy additions to Butterfly is only a matter of personal taste. The Mariah-Walter sound was what people expected from any diva in the 90s. Which is why what excited critics and fans alike were songs that deviated from that such as The Roof, Honey, Breakdown and Babydoll, because they showed artistic growth that was not forced at all, but was instead the sound of a woman who has broken free from the voice and sound that people forced upon her and tried to cage her in. Mariah may have over-indulged her love for hip-hop post-1997, but mind you - she never sounded desperate or like she was trying too hard. It always sounded natural to her. It didn't sound like someone who was forcing herself to adapt to trends (she did set the trend after all) or someone who decided to try something new on a whim. She sounded like she was finally at home and comfortable with her voice and sound. What I agree with, though, is that Mariah really did lose her "innocence", if you will, by 1997. But if she started really playing the Hollywood game by then, that was only because she already learned how to (Tommy taught her well and she acknowledges that to this day), and she was already out of the hands of the man who both put her on a pedestal and tried to tie her to it. But like you said, you do see things differently, and you're entitled to that. It just happens to go against what many fans believe the story is. (Thursday 7 February 2019; 10:59)

Re: Andrew (87,919) (87,923) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines While it is quite unrealistic at this point to compare With You's success to the sleeper monster hit that is Havana, the latter actually was around longer than two months before it hit #1. I remember it being released as a promotional single along with another Camila song sometime in early August of 2017 and I kinda knew there was something special about the track from the first time I heard it, especially compared to the other one it came out with (forgot its title) - it was the one with hit potential. It was around for like a month before it was officially released in September, but early on it fared better internationally than in the US. It's one of those rare hit songs that the US caught up to as it's usually them who set the trend on what's considered hot. So it took four months to reach the summit. I agree, though, that With You or any other single from the Caution, despite possible success, will not buoy the album back up the charts significantly, if any. I've accepted that and am just thankful for the sweeping critical acclaim it has received. (Wednesday 6 February 2019; 05:41)

Re: Maroon 5's half-time show (87,877) (87,879) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines That was the worst halftime show, period. It's so bad, it's earned 90K dislikes within the first hour it was on YouTube so the NFL had to take down the video and re-post it. The re-post has 76K dislikes as of this writing (20K of which seem to have been added within the last 30 minutes, so that's the rate we're working with). They've even gone as far as deleting harsh (albeit truthful) comments as well as not acknowledging dislikes. In response to this, there's been an active movement in the online community to make it the most disliked video ever. Somewhere in a stately manor hall Justin Timberlake is smirking, relieved that his terrible performance last year has been exonerated. Even Adam seems to have given up towards the end, taking off his tank top and barely singing Moves Like Jagger. There goes his career as a coach on The Voice. None of it was sung or even rapped well. And no sane person on earth likes Sicko Mode, not even ironically. Horrible. (Monday 4 February 2019; 11:37)

From Daydream to Butterfly (87,842) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines When many fans and critics always revere Butterfly as Mariah's transitional album where she "changed" her sound, it's no wonder why most can be misled to think that there's this huge difference between pre and post Butterfly eras. We all know that Mariah's musical transition from adult contemporary pop soul to hip-hop and then later urban to the current sound she has with Caution has been the most natural and authentic one in popular music. What differentiates the two eras, though, is that the calculation and the restrictions that were still in effect on Daydream were thrown out the window with Butterfly. One could feel like she sounded less eager to please and appeal to everybody, and the music definitely showed it with less radio-friendly songs in favor of more slow-burn tracks. Butterfly's relation to its predecessor is akin to Janet's The Velvet Rope to janet - pretty much within the same realm sound-wise, but are set apart by the the level of artistry and self-expression. (Friday 1 February 2019; 12:00)

Re: Okay hooold up now (87,786) (87,787) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Regardless of what she's doing it for or when she chooses to do it, the main reason of outrage for this on this board seems to be the Saudi of it all. That she gets paid for it, while disappointing, seems to be secondary. Too much focus is placed on the country that only shows how little we know of other troubled countries as well. It is, as mentioned earlier, virtual heroism - selective at that, and tends to come across as disingenuous. (Wednesday 30 January 2019; 00:57)

Okay hooold up now (87,772) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines While performing in Saudi really is a bad look for Mariah and would imply that she's so strapped for cash that she would still perform there despite all that it would stand for and the backlash that would follow, have you tried seeing it from another angle? Like maybe the fact that Mariah has fans in that country? Are we just supposed to expect them to shrug and say, "oh well, that's what we get for living in a country with disagreeable beliefs and practices" and call it a day? I come from a country that has been under fire since 2016 for our president's support of extrajudicial killings in his mission to eradicate the deep-rooted drug problem that has always plagued our nation. We weather over 20 typhoons annually and there are always several in each year that are highly disastrous. We also have political unrest, even war in one of the major island groups of the Philippines. And yet it wasn't deemed inappropriate for Mariah and dozens of other artists to hold concerts in our country throughout those times. They weren't dinged for insensitivity. No one was up in a tizzy warning them not to go to visit us because times were hard or bashing them because they really went through with it. And we did not take offense to that. To us it's about understanding that whatever turmoil our nation goes through, the world still turns and we cannot let those affect how we deal with people from other countries. And I get that each country's situation is different but have we really become too politically correct? And while most news is normally skewed towards the negative, should the headline always read, "Mariah performs for a human-rights abusing country". Can't it be "Mariah performs for Saudi Arabian fans" or something? But maybe it's too naive for anyone to wish for that. Although we can't defend Mariah's actions and intentions for such decisions, is it fair to really go as far as suggesting (even sarcastically just to make a point) that she might as well visit other troubled countries too? Mariah's awareness or lack thereof has been a subject of criticism for years now, that that she continues to be seemingly oblivious to many world issues has no excuse. What appears to be a lack of sensitivity is one thing, and nothing can absolve her from that. But when we give people such a hard time for the decisions they make out of our disappointment, does that really make us any different from them? If we have the balls to criticize, then the least we could be is consistent and do the same for every single similar situation going around the world, even those that we cannot keep track of. Only then will it be fair. (Tuesday 29 January 2019; 13:37)

Re: Rainbow (87,734) (87,741) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's funny because while I do listen to the entire album every once in a while, it's those very same tracks you have mentioned that are the only ones I would bother to listen to on repeat. How Much and X-Girlfriend would be okay if they didn't sound so inferior to the best execution of urban digitized pop in 1999, which is anything on TLC's FanMail. After Tonight is fine but a much weaker sequel to My All. Vulnerability could be off the tracklisting and most would barely notice. Against All Odds is a respectable version, but feels so out of place in the context of the album and just screams "obligatory cover". Did I Do That? is still polarizing and jarring even after almost 2 decades but has more haters than fans for sure. And most of y'all will hate me for this but songwriting and sentimental value aside, Petals is honestly quite a bore, and it being sequenced back-to-back with DIDT is like a blackhole the album almost never recovers from if not thanks to the final two tracks. Mariah has several uneven albums, but Rainbow stands out because the tonal shifts in it are almost disorienting. Thankfully, that goes with the rollercoaster theme of the album. And it's to Mariah's credit that she was able to even come up with a respectable body of work that features some of Mariah's essential tracks despite the circumstances during its conception. To me, it's aptly-named as it, by that point, was Mariah's most colorful collection of songs so far. I also appreciate the fact that it's her first album that ends on a positive note. (Monday 28 January 2019; 07:06)

Re: Why doesn't Mariah get tributes like Janet? (87,548) (87,554) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's much easier to pay tribute to a visual artist. Janet's career is filled with such impeccable and memorable choreography and has a videography that is just as remarkable as Madonna's without feeling too forced. So even if Janet's hits are far less remembered and replayed than Mariah's, in an increasingly visual generation, it makes more sense for shows to be swayed towards doing tributes that rely on spectacle over vocals alone. But we should really take it as a compliment as well. It just means that it's much easier to find current dancers who can dance like or even better than Janet at any point in her career than find current singers who are even half as good as Mariah was during her prime. Hell, even singers who can pretty much sing present Mariah under the table in terms of ease, range and fluidity are easily knocked down several pegs due to Mariah's unique tone alone. (Monday 14 January 2019; 19:14)

Re: SWHOF (87,545) (87,549) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Well, you know how legitimately legendary artists are treated in this world. It doesn't matter how big of a name you have or how essential your contribution is to music as a whole, you still will be denied of the accolades you deserve in favor of lesser acts. The whole "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" concept is most applicable to music than in any other field ever. I you're lucky, the best you'd probably get is "you don't know what you've got 'til it's late and no one cares anymore". The music industry, out of all facets in entertainment, is the most notorious and brutal for breaking its own stars. It's also the least forgiving. It's actually a miracle that Mariah is still doing her thing. The fact that she's quite possibly the only legend alive who is still capable of the success she's having three decades into her career is just a huge bonus. (Monday 14 January 2019; 12:23)

Revisiting I Don't (87,528) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines A few weeks ago I remember someone here who posted something about adding I Don't to the playlist after Caution plays. Before the album's release, I actually posted about hoping it wasn't the bonus track to Caution, if only for sentimental reasons as the song was very much associated with Stella's reign. I was later relieved to know that Runway was that bonus song. However, out of curiosity, I decided to revisit I Don't by playing it on shuffle along with all the Caution tracks and was reminded that it was not a bad song - it's actually a competent song that unfortunately had an awful travesty of a video. The track fit right into the vibe so smoothly, it might as well be a part of the album. I'd even go as far as saying that while the song could have had a better guest artist, the experimentation that went into it with the sample, the trap beat and Mariah's varied delivery could very well be an early taste of the creativity that was on full display on Caution. (Friday 11 January 2019; 10:13)

Re: With You (87,442) (87,506) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Adele's music is more mature, but they can all sound same-y, way more than Mariah's material can. Mariah can go overboard with the eternally 12 shtick at times, but I take that as her still willing to have fun and include less mature songs in an album to keep things more interesting. Don't get me wrong - interesting is not equivalent to childish or shallow, but Mariah is a much more versatile artist who is more willing to experiment. Adele is great, but she has yet to put out an album that actually showcases her creativity. Yes, her formula still works, but she can only make another version of 21 before people start to get tired. 21 and 25 are great, but 19 still makes for a better listen overall because of the variety of music styles present in it. Mariah has done most of timeless stuff in the past. She's still capable of making that type of record today. Of course we wish she'd make more of that than the tracks that pander to the younger generation, but at least she has managed to find a healthy balance between the two types when most artists have trouble experimenting without sounding too desperate or losing their artistic identity in the process. That's why critics aren't complaining about Mariah's output anymore. (Tuesday 8 January 2019; 04:51)

Re: Mariah's opinion (87,399) (87,414) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Mariah has never really talked in depth about her voice outside of the following facts: it's sensitivity, the variability of the results when it is uses, and her ability to sing through her nodules. In all her interviews where the subject is touched upon, it's always the same quirks and intricacies that she mentions. When asked about any changes it has undergone through the years, she'd usually imply that it's still the same and then quickly follows it up with the factors that affect its sensitivity. There's one thing that's consistently implied whenever she talks about her voice, though - it's obvious that she's referring to her experience singing in the studio. She almost never talks about the physical act of performing live. All of her lipsynching shows that she still wants people to think she is capable of replicating her vocal acrobatics live. I feel like Mariah chooses to speak less about her voice as possible because she feels that discussing her struggles would be like a star athlete revealing her weaknesses, like a warrior laying down her weapon. We don't know for sure how the world's gonna react if she does. I mean, we all know more than she gives us credit for, and that it coming out of her mouth would just be official confirmation, but perhaps she fears that doing so would only give her detractors the validation they need and even more ammunition to destroy her. The fact that she only records in the presence of her sound engineer tells us that she will probably never open up about her vocal issues. (Friday 4 January 2019; 14:41)

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