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About Musti from UK:

5 Questions to MC (56,757) by Musti from UK 1) During your earlier years before you branched out to do "your own thing", did you practice opera with your mom and if so were there any arias or lieder in particular you enjoyed singing? 2) What secret of Eminem are you referring to in Clown? 3) What did really go down between you and Lauryn Hill so that Crystal Ball was never recorded? 4) Will you ever release all those songs you've recorded which never made it to any of your albums? 5) Do you have a target age after which you'd like to retire from singing? (Saturday 19 September 2015; 15:32)

Re: Queen of shade (56,521) (56,523) by Musti from UK Licia I agree. To be honest I don't think Beyonce looks that bad in the photo. Perhaps Mariah only wanted to post a pic of them together that has already been in the media and not a private one. What I thought was bizarre about Mariah sharing that pic is that she is sitting on Nick's lap in it. It's slightly cropped but you can still see his face. I guess she is truly over him (Tuesday 8 September 2015; 9:44)

Vocal surgery (56,461) by Musti from UK I would highly advise against vocal surgery. It's a big risk, as a result of which one could lose their voice entirely. Back in the 90s, Julie Andrews had it so that she could restore her ailing voice but instead lost her singing voice almost completely. More recently, French soprano Natalie Dessay had some of her nodules removed so that she can sing Verdi and bel canto roles with ease. Her voice wasn't destroyed and she went on to perform the roles successfully, but the surgery didn't exactly have the desired effect on her voice. Mariah herself said it's her nodules that give her access to the whistle register. Having them removed might not only remove the whistle register but also permanently damage the rest of her voice and range. (Friday 4 September 2015; 16:32)

Christmas book (56,336) by Musti from UK I don't understand why some fans are getting worked up about this. It's just another way to milk AIWFCIY during the holidays. I prefer this to having a re-release of Merry Christmas (even though we're still getting the re-release). Whether we like it or not, ventures like this are necessary to keep the artist relevant. There is nothing to justify here. Fresh artists struggle to stay relevant in spite of their multiple ventures along with their debut albums, let alone a singer who's been releasing pop music geared towards the charts for 25 years. (Thursday 27 August 2015; 12:07)

Re: New album (56,222) (56,234) by Musti from UK I think we can definitely expect jazz influenced songs on the new album, judging by TGIFY and her performances during the tour. And I would enjoy that very much. I don't expect a complete overhaul of her sound, and nor do I think it is completely necessary since she has already built up her legacy. But she does need an urgent update. I still think electronic music would be a good influence on her. If there is anyone who can combine that genre with R&B, it's Mariah. MIAM is proof that she has matured at lot as an artist, but I think maturity can be found in all genres. I'm sure it would be amazing and I would expect nothing less from her. A little off point, but I've seen some fans discussing previously unreleased songs seeing the light of day. There was no re-release of her debut with rarities for its 25th anniversary. Nothing on #1's To Infinity we haven't already heard either. I doubt we'll be getting any unreleased songs until after she retires. Which is fine, we all need a retirement plan, so long as we get the songs in the end. (Monday 24 August 2015; 13:30)

New album (56,221) by Musti from UK I am disappointed with Why You Mad. I've let it grow on me over the last few days, but I shouldn't feel forced to like this mess simply because it's new material. It made me think she should do an entire album of rap to exhaust her hunger, so that we can hopefully see the last of songs like this and Triumphant. More importantly, why is she even remixing this song? Infinity is long dead and the remix is not a single step up from the original. For the next album, I hope Mariah starts experimenting with electronic music and finds a way to merge that with her sound. By electronic I mean acts like Disclosure, Caribou, Kadebostan, Frivolous, i.e. not the commerial dance crap of David Guetta or Calvin Harris. It can do wonders wonders to her music. (Sunday 23 August 2015; 10:01)

Bieber and Detail (55,584) by Musti from UK My feelings are a bit mixed. Artistically they seem like odd choices. I'm not a fan of Bieber on AIWFCIY (or of him in general), but the song did peak at #86 on Billboard. Detail's biggest song Drunk In Love, in my opinion, is one of the dullest songs in B's entire repertoire, but it peaked at #2. Considering Justin's large fanbase, this song might be a good way of reintroducing her to the younger generation. I don't like that she's working with an all-male crew yet again, but I'll take any new material I get. (Saturday 1 August 2015; 10:32)

Tevin / tracks (55,320) by Musti from UK Some more songs that were either unreleased, bonus tracks, or songs appearing on other artists' albums (in addition to Bill's list): Endless Love Do You Know Where You're Going To We Are The World Misty Moon What More Can I Give U Make Me Wanna (with Jadakiss) There Goes My Heart Got a Thing 4 U Lil Love (with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony & Bow Wow) I Feel It It's Only Make Believe (with Sam Moore & Vince Gill) Just Stand Up My Love (with The Dream) Everybody Hurts Bring It On Home (Saturday 18 July 2015; 9:51)

Heartbreaker / Mimi L and Matty (55,149) by Musti from UK I love the remix with Missy and Da Brat. That loop of Ain't No Fun is absolutely timeless. She sings it like a ballad. Her hottest song in my opinion. I like the Oprah performance as well. It's cute. (Thursday 9 July 2015; 1:22)

Janet / Mimi L / Ardis (54,807) by Musti from UK I completely agree, I would love for this to happen. I got into her music about 2 years ago. She is a great artist and has a very distinctive style. I remember in 2002 there were rumours of a duet for a remix of Janet's single Come On Get Up but it never materialized. Then when Janet was dating JD there were talks of a duet but once again it didn't happen. And I'm presuming they haven't spoken much since Janet and JD broke up. Nevertheless I think a duet would be amazing. Mariah has always said Control is one of her favourite albums. Janet works with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It's a no brainer. (Tuesday 23 June 2015; 9:09)

Billy / fans (54,523) by Musti from UK You put that very nicely Billy. Let's face it, we all have a thing or two that we don't like about Mariah. At the moment mine are her megadiva personality, the lack of female collaborators throughout her career and that musically she hasn't really been thinking outside the box since TEOM. But I don't come here ranting like it's the end of the world or start name calling. It's important to have a healthy balance on this message board because, as the lambily, we can't turn into Mariah's "yes men". I like to think her camp comes on here to check how we receive current events so it's important to have that reality check for them. But this board isn't meant for painting Mariah in a nasty picture or calling her names. Criticism can be styled in so many different ways. Why go for the nastiest? Especially if you call yourself a lamb and visit this page regularly. I'm not referring to Andrew in particular. There have been many posts bashing Mariah over the years (including mine). None of us should be crucified for expressing our opinions, but there should be a limit to the things we say. (Thursday 11 June 2015; 9:49)

Janet Jackson (54,070) by Musti from UK She is coming back. Has anyone listened to her "I'm coming back" message? That's the sound Mariah needs if she wants to streamline R&B again. MIAM was a great album but nothing revolutionary. The 2000s also saw Janet's comeback but she couldn't go too far because of one of the most sexist blacklists in music history (the Superbowl incident) when Justin Timberlake got a clean slate. So don't underestimate her. Her music was very influential in the 90s when R&B was just becoming popular. Mariah needs to update her sound if she wants to be popular again. And also drop the ultra-diva personality. (Tuesday 2 June 2015; 20:27)

Kate from UK (54,060) / MC3U / Janet (54,066) by Musti from UK I agree. Infinity might be R&B/Pop, but it's too much for the radio. I mean, honestly, has there been any radio song in the last 10+ years that goes into an acapella high note before it wraps up? So dramatic. Not to mention the violins. But it makes sense on stage. I do believe the video could've been much more engaging. But it doesn't make the song any less fitting for Vegas and for an album that's promoting the residency. It's a poor move in terms of a successful single, but she's doing Vegas now and clearly not the charts. I'm also disappointed about the MC re-release in December. Perhaps it will contain different takes or unreleased songs or her show from the Beacon Theatre. Otherwise I won't be buying it. As for a new album, I don't think this is a good year as Janet is coming back from retirement later in 2015. She is no Mariah, but she is a legend and does have a very large fanbase. You can't have two legends coming back at the same time. (Tuesday 2 June 2015; 19:13)

Vegas attendance (53,968) by Musti from UK Has anyone been keeping track of which singers and artists have gone to see Mariah in Vegas? I always find it amusing when celebrities openly like or support each other. At the moment I can only think of the very talented Deborah Cox, as I've seen their photo on Facebook. Also Rita Ora. It would be cool if someone here can post a list. (Sunday 31 May 2015; 20:41)

QuizUp (53,944) by Musti from UK Does anyone here have the phone app QuizUp? Mariah related questions come up quite regularly in the 1990s music category. It's funny (and sometimes embarrassing) how some people seem to recall Without You being a Celine or Whitney song. Same with VOL, LTT, Someday and IDWC. What surprised me the most was a question in 2000s music, which went something like this: "Which diva had a hit in 2001 with Loverboy"? I was like, for real? A hit? Still, it's nice to see the song get some recognition somewhere. (Sunday 31 May 2015; 13:10)

Mariah not taking it seriously (53,942) by Musti from UK It's clear Mariah hasn't been taking her career as seriously since she met/married Nick. Not to bring up Migrate again, but even if that was released at the time I doubt she would've done enough to promote it. She did kind of try with Obsessed but quickly lost interest presumably after she realised it won't go no No. 1. Same with Beautiful (plus the injury). I see MIAM as her divorce album. Although we all love Thirsty (including Mariah), I personally believe she didn't want that as a single at the time as she probably believed there might be room to save her marriage. Thirsty might be about Damizza but it can also easily be applied to Nick, and no doubt the public would've treated it as a reference to Nick. Now that the whole debacle is over, she tore him apart with Infinity. We can all agree that Infinity is not a show stopper, but it's a great show closer. I'm not too bothered with how Infinity does (though I wish they would release the video this instant). It's a Vegas stage song, and a way to get back at Nick. It will never go to No. 1. LA was absolutely right in his earlier comments. When the time is right, and if they all want to make it happen, she will come back with a chart topper. (Sunday 31 May 2015; 11:46)

MimiLamb from Germany (53,813) by Musti from UK I think the issue with Dre is his strong relationship with Eminem, though that didn't stop Mariah and Damizza from working together. But then again, Damizza was still hungry for recognition when he first started working with her. I think it's safe to say Dre is very popular and doesn't feel like he needs Mariah's name to be even bigger. RJJ12 indeed please do elaborate. I haven't read Damizza's memoirs. It would be good to know exactly why. (Thursday 28 May 2015; 10:07)

Bubble (53,774) by Musti from UK I must say I don't find Damizza's words unbelievable (minus the love affair). Particularly the bubble issue is only natural for a global megastar like Mariah. Even then, Mariah has always maintained a true connection to her fans. Perhaps it's this real love and appreciation for her coming from real people that keeps her grounded. After all, pretty much everyone else far below her status which she has befriended over the years (e.g. Damizza, Nick, Kelly Price) has tried to backstab her. How is she supposed to have a "real conversation" with anyone? The only other people who were worthy of her trust are huge celebrities going through similar hardships as her (e.g. Whitney, MJ, Mary J). All things considered, Mariah has done extremely well over the years despite her bubble. She is an excellent songwriter, a very intelligent business woman and has a very engaging sense of humour. You can hardly be any of those if you're completely detached from reality. I pity Damizza for the way he has chosen to reconnect with Mariah, if that's truly what he was trying to do. Now the only connection he will ever have to her is his unrequited love for her. (Tuesday 26 May 2015; 12:18)

Top 3 #1's (53,643) by Musti from UK 1) Heartbreaker - I don't care much for the original version. The DJ Clue Remix however is her hottest uptempo song ever, in my opinion. I love Da Brat and Missy's parts as well. The whole song has a fun element yet it's heartbreaking at the same time. It's also slightly higher than the original version. Love the whistle. 2) Honey - This song is pure awakening. I don't see it just as an "I feel sexy" number, though it truly does scream sexy. It's very empowering. Funny enough, this song helped keep me positive at the end of a long term relationship. I love how the colour of her voice shifts from determined to yearning and wraps up happy. 3) We Belong Together - Besides the fact that it's an absolutely gorgeous song, we were able to witness Mariah becoming popular again because of it. Since CTTA in 2000, times had become very tough not just for Mariah but also for the lambily. Just as we were about to lose all hope for commercial success, this song arrived and changed the game. We were all so damn proud. (Thursday 21 May 2015; 23:01)

Infinity video (53,583) by Musti from UK I'm getting a little frustrated too with the video release. But perhaps this is a good tactic to give the song its best build-up before they hit the market with the video. All these public appearances have clearly helped push the sales of both the album and the song. The more exposure they get, the more likely that the video will be picked up by viewers when it is finally released. By the looks of it, it will be her best video since Obsessed. In my opinion it was the video (more than anything) that helped make Obsessed popular. I'm trying my best not to be critical of Epic's moves as I do believe they genuinely want to make Mariah popular again. As a few of you have already mentioned, even LA's remarks can be seen as downplaying Mariah's diva behaviour and making her likeable again. I have good hopes from this video. I can't wait to see how it all plays out. (Wednesday 20 May 2015; 15:10)

LA / Alex from the UK (53,569) by Musti from UK My sentiments exactly. I just have a few more things to add. When she first came out Mariah had fans from all age groups. It's no secret she's lost a lot of fans from the higher age groups, either because of her R&B sound or because they think she's lost her voice. She can't sell like she used to unless she finds her sweet spot again with all her fans and age groups. A standards album would help bring back those fans. A duets album would spark an interest from people who no longer care about her. Mariah lives for R&B, not even LA can change that. But she's released commercial or concept R&B albums more than half her career. She's too versatile and talented to stick to the same formula. There's simply no artist out there whose career parallels hers. Everything she does is a first for someone of her caliber. I'm very happy to see the new album rising up, especially in the UK. People are finally taking notice again. If she really wants to blow up the charts, I'm sure she still knows how to. (Wednesday 20 May 2015; 9:07)

Correction (53,516) by Musti from UK I take back what I said about Jennifer Lopez yesterday. She is still deceitful and pointless as ever. I'm not sure why she's in a room full of singers and artists. She's never been either. (Tuesday 19 May 2015; 8:13)

Mimi L. / BBMAs (53,464) by Musti from UK I agree, as usual lol I enjoy reading your posts. We seem to think along the same lines. Without denying the obvious limitations in Mariah's voice, I think her biggest impediment nowadays is her confidence. Having been ripped to pieces after the AIWFCIY performance, it's no surprise she is hesitant. But I do believe she will get there eventually, slowly but surely. She seems to be in a very good place emotionally. I was surprised too that there were people in the audience singing along. I was also surprised by Jennifer Lopez, who seemed respectful and almost nostalgic to see Mariah up there. I'm still not very fond of her, but I'm beginning to respect her for the way she's handling her "relationship" with Mariah. (Monday 18 May 2015; 14:34)

Eternal from Italy (53,181) by Musti from UK I agree. I never really liked either song, though LTT did grow on me lately. IDWC has always been too soppy for my taste. But what she did with it in Vegas is amazing. I don't think even Mariah knew how to interpret the song or where it could go, until now. I also can't get over that whistle on DFAU. It's like she added a completely different paragraph/storyline to the song. The inherent yearning in the arrangement of the notes simply shows how much of a musical genius she is. I love this era. This is the comeback we have all been waiting for. I hope I get to see her in July. (Monday 11 May 2015; 12:41)

Sense of humour (53,154) by Musti from UK I'm absolutely loving Mariah's sense of humour lately. The Mail Online interview, the Fritos pie segment, even the caption for her Chippendales photo. She's back full throttle. I couldn't be happier for her. Seeing her smiling and joking around and just being her positive self really makes me happy. Keep it up Mariah. (Saturday 9 May 2015; 14:58)

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