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About Randy from USA: MC is my favorite artist of all time and I love her songwriting skills on her introspective songs. My favorite album: Butterfly. My favorite song: Right To Dream.

Inside edition (65,800) by Randy from USA I don't know. I mean one part of me thinks "I'm glad MC isn't Jesus. Because all of us need forgiveness. Especially, our family members." The other part of me thinks "Where is the line drawn between help and enabling?" This was the lead story on Inside Edition and not everybody watches that or takes it seriously but it is out there and will be added on to this "diva carrying her own lighting not being relatable foolishness".' And I wonder if she will ever address it and how terrible it is to be estranged from both siblings. And where is Pat? (Friday 2 September 2016; 1:12)

Re: Vegas has made Mariah a better performer (65,746) (65,747) by Randy from USA She's lipped so much I never believe when she hits any full voice belt notes anymore but if I'm wrong and that was all her, I hope she is able to turn it on for American television because for some reason, when she is performing at an awards show, a late night show or whatever, a fairy butterfly seems to get stuck in her throat during verses so she struggles and yet glittery angels and wizards backstage make her sound amazing on the high ad libs on the last hooks of her songs. This is probably why her last few American television appearances have been sit downs only. Imagine. A singer who does a sit down only. (Wednesday 31 August 2016; 9:56)

This woman (65,694) by Randy from USA Have you noticed how much you can hate an MC song and then in time it grows on you? I hated Triumphant (Get Em) so much and it has grown on me and now when it comes on my "Inspire" playlist, I find myself singing along to it. Yeah, I'll be glad when she stops this Vegas crap. I'm ready for new music. And as for Allison. Everybody is right. Mariah's access to all types of things could've killed Alison by now. Which is why it's best MC stay away until Alison gets better. (Monday 29 August 2016; 4:16)

Re: Mariah singing with lady (64,770) (64,824) by Randy from USA Why does the lady sound better than MC though? (Sunday 31 July 2016; 12:17)

Re: Andrew, she's a she (64,650) (64,653) by Randy from USA Edward I have always loved and agreed with your posts and one day I'ma come to NY and party with you. Andrew I feel you are harsh at times but I actually agree with you 99.9 repeating percent of the time, I would just tone down the language. Webmaster, I agree you have an outstanding site and I come every day even if I don't post often, please keep it up. I credit this site for me staying an MC fan. For MC. I don't know exactly what you are feeling right now with your relevance waning, as it does with all artists at a certain point. Your contemporaries, Celine, Whitney, Madonna, Janet etc, are not selling records or able to remain mainstream for various reasons. This is normal. When you and your contemporaries were big in the 90s and 00s where were the hit records from Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack and Donna Summer? This is normal. Am I counting you out as a legacy artist? Hell no. You have a way of surprising us. Cher was 54 when she hit #1 with Believe. And you are 12 times the musical genius she is. The only way you could have a hit and/or make your fans happy is to return to the music and make that your focus. Strip down the vocal layering, rappers, production and singing notes you can sing in the studio on "good days" and are not able to replicate live at any moment. You are a natural beauty. You don't need the ensembles, hair extensions and all that make up. If you sang a lyrical album with just you, piano and guitar, all of your fans would die of happiness. You are the greatest of all time. There is a lot getting in the way of everyone remembering that. Remind them. I am still listening to Vanishing, Music Box, Looking In, Butterfly, My All, Close My Eyes, Outside, Petals, Through The Rain, Right To Dream and Languishing. I consider those your genius moments. You a once in a lifetime artist. Remind the masses. Remind us. (Tuesday 26 July 2016; 3:58)

Mariah's contradictions (64,092) by Randy from USA Didn't Mariah say she would never get married again after Tommy? I know for a fact that she said in the Billboard Book of #1s that she could use the whistle more but she doesn't because she doesn't want to use it as a gimmick. Didn't she also say on her VH1 videography that early in her career someone told her she had a bad side, and Honey is the first video where she shows her head in its entirety? Now she's back to having a "good" side. (Friday 8 July 2016; 20:31)

Mariah and James (64,041) by Randy from USA I do wonder at this. What makes people get married a third time? I would think after two divorces you would be fine with a common law sort of thing, without the celebration, dress and drama. Especially after you've done it twice. I've never been married so someone please explain to me how people are ok with getting married a third time. In addition, because of the way MC grew up, I assumed she would not trust someone a third time after what she's been through with Tommy and Nick. I gave MC and Nick 7 years because I knew it happened too fast. She was looking for a fun dude and didn't realize that sometimes fun comes with immaturity and indiscretion. I like Nick though, he just wasn't right for her. So she went totally in a different direction and I do believe MC is impulsive so she probably will marry James. I only give this one, two years. I think she's looking for someone the opposite of Nick because of the disappointment. He's not her type, he's just stable and predictable and that's what she thinks she should have now. (Tuesday 5 July 2016; 18:05)

Ty, B, Andrew and My All (63,771) by Randy from USA Ty I respectfully disagree with you. My All original version is killer and just look at her face when she sings the last chorus on Rosie O'Donnell and SNL in 97/98. I live for when Walt cuts the music out before the last chorus and Ty furthermore, she cloned the song twice afterwards on Rainbow its clone is After Tonight and on Charmbracelet its clone is I Only Wanted. B. I also disagree respectfully with you. I think Heartbreaker is her last big hit before WBT. In fact, they played Heartbreaker more on American radio than My All. And finally Andrew please come to the A so we can play Carpool Mariah Carey-oke. Do you know I actually had a Glitter party for her in 2001, where we played Mariah Carey-oke? I sang Outside. But of course this board thinks I hate her because I hold her accountable for her live performances. (Friday 24 June 2016; 21:52)

Re: My All (63,745) (63,754) by Randy from USA I think that the collection is probably her best work. The classic club mix is my second favorite club mix. I'm sorry but that Through The Rain 12 minute mix is sensational. The My All/Stay Awhile mix is my favorite hip hop mix of hers. But I don't think either hold a candle to the original. I don't know if you guys realize this but My All is probably her best number 1 if you consider the lyric, the emotion and drama in the last chorus and the video. None of her other #1s to me come close as far as everything including video and remix being pure art. What saddens me is the song is up there with Whitney's I Will Always Love You, and edges out Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart and is infinitely better than the safe "Because You Loved Me" and yet My All spent less weeks at number one and is less celebrated than those singles by the GP. P.S. I'm not gonna touch on lip syncing because I just feel like ignoring it doesn't mean it's right. I'm just gonna keep belting out My All/Stay Awhile with the windows down in my two seater driving down MLK in Atlanta, and dare the thug boys to say anything when I sing the line "Put your lovin arms around me boy and hold me like I was a cuddly toy". (Friday 24 June 2016; 16:49)

Lip syncing (63,729) by Randy from USA I'm trying to hold my tongue and be positive because my criticism of MC has caused many on this board to think I don't like her or I have outgrown her. I can't on this topic though. Lip syncing is fraud. Yes I know everyone does it. A couple of years ago I was watching Chris Brown perform on the BET awards and I was pissed that it was clear that he was singing to his own voice. To me that is still fraud. And a couple of you are saying well they're still singing to their own voice. But a voice in the studio is manipulated. Anyone can sound good in the studio so again, it doesn't prove you can actually sing. Do you know how many singers out there who can actually sing and can't get a break because they're fat and unattractive or they don't know the right people? So to me this is taking your fans money and the one thing they ask of you is to sing well and you can't do it without help. Then what are we paying you for? Patti never lip sync'd unless the venue required it. Neither did Aretha. Nor does Fantasia or J Hud or Ledisi. Whitney sounded horrible in years leading up to her death and she went out like a soldier. MC is someone who many consider the best voice of all time. Remember MTV named her #1 vocalist of the past 22 years in 2003, and she said I don't feel that way about myself, which I felt was very telling. I'll say this. She has been sounding really good lately in Vegas and I'm hoping that translates onto American television during her next promotional push, where she usually falls apart. It's also telling she has been promoting Vegas and ain't sang a note on Kimmel or on Kelly and Michael. But again you all will say she's saving her voice. I know Janet lip syncs, so does Beyonce at times, Britney Spears, J Lo, Usher, Justin Bieber and Madonna. I am disgusted with them too. But MC is a singer by profession. Not singing means you're not doing your job. How many of you can collect pay and not do your job? I saw Charmbracelet in 2003 and I wanted my money back because she lip syncd constantly. I could hear the differences in the mic whenever a high full voice chest belt was to come. Forget Stella, the ensembles, James Packer and the splashes. I don't care about that stuff. None of us pay to see MC act a certain way. We pay to hear her sing. This is the topic that irritates me most. Yeah other artist do it, but that doesn't make it right. If your voice isn't what it used to be, lower the keys of your song and change the arrangement. (Thursday 23 June 2016; 14:12)

June 17 Vision Of Love and My All (63,602) by Randy from USA Vision of Love, the best I've seen her sound since the Jimmy Fallon impromptu. She does way too much growling and I still don't think it's impressive enough for the best singer of all time according to some. But there's no lip syncing. She appears to be getting some of her higher full voice belts back. I hope she's not overstraining doing more damage to her voice. But I definitely felt at one point thought she was done vocally and now watching a lot of these videos, there's hope. I wish she would stop singing the Classic Club Remix ending to My All and just do the damn album version but whatever. I'm proud of her for singing live and putting in the work to improve her full belting voice and not just rely on whistles to prove she's still got it. Here is My All in case you haven't seen it. (Sunday 19 June 2016; 18:39)

Yeah it sucks (63,342) by Randy from USA That you all think I don't like MC. I've just been critical of her live performances. I want her to sound like her records without lip syncing. I don't think that's much to ask. My last point Billy and then I am going to shut up on this topic. On My All, where did the background singers come from on her live performances of the song? There's no backgrounds on the record. Same is true with Through The Rain. But what I've really just decided is that it's foolish to try to find answers here. This is a fan board and many, like I once did, think MC was exceptional live in 98-now until others showed me what exceptionality looks like live. I don't dislike MC. I dislike fraudulence. Something traumatic happened between Daydream Tokyo in 1996 and Oprah 1997 and she ain't been quite right vocally since. And she's used backing tracks on stage and studio tricks in the studio to seem like she can still belt. It's never been addressed. But to come here and keep making the same point to whereas people think I don't like her is insanity. So I'll come here for positivity. I think MC is the greatest artist of all time and I don't want her to be known as a studio singer. I don't think any of you have any idea how the general public views her as a singer. But maybe Mimi L is right. I should stop defending her and stop trying to figure out the need for the wizard behind the curtain. Just enjoy what's been and let her legacy end up whatever it is. (Monday 13 June 2016; 22:40)

Re: Billy, B, Giovanni and One Sweet Day (63,304) (63,310) by Randy from USA Giovanni we're gonna have to agree to disagree. Kelly Price sings back. I may not like her personality, after R&B Divas, but she sings back. All I Want For Christmas, O Holy Night and Fantasy (album version), the backgrounds are all Kelly Price. I definitely don't agree with you on Fantasia and J-Hud as to me they are the torch carriers from Aretha and Patti. And the list of performances you pulled. She lip synced on AMA 2008 and on almost every WBT ever. She either used the album or a raspy backing track when she performed the last hook until her microphone cut back on at the end. The others were good for her but not good when held up against others. Finally, The Essence Awards. Whitney got a standing ovation for coming out and singing a few notes, while I felt MC struggled through that performance, look at her face, and nobody stood for her. See this. But at this point I realize I'm just beating a dead horse to death lol. Pray for Orlando. (Monday 13 June 2016; 11:10)

Kelly Price (63,279) by Randy from USA I know this may sound petty but I have to call it like I see it. Kelly Price said last night in a documentary about her life: Mariah was a learning experience. She is masterful with what she can do in a studio. Kelly never said anything about MCs voice or her being a great singer. I never want MC to be known as a studio singer. To me a studio singer is someone who sounds awful live and great on wax. To me studio singers are Madonna, Kelly Rowland, Ciara, Mary J Blige and Britney Spears. I will say that Mariah sounded her best, not when she came out, but during that Daydream tour, especially in Tokyo. I console myself with those performances and every chance I get show the new generation, or critics those performances. To me, that's the one time she sounded better live than on her records. (Sunday 12 June 2016; 17:29)

Billy, B, Giovanni and One Sweet Day (63,227) by Randy from USA I want to thank Billy and B for disagreeing with me respectfully. Respectful disagreements without belittling and banishing are hard to come by. Billy I am MC's biggest fan. In my circle, we all have divas. We all are part of Facebook groups. When fans of other divas start pulling YouTube clips, and we compare, it is over for MC and considering her career being from 1990-2016 so far, I find myself only being able to chose clips from 1990-1997, the Glitter era and Jimmy Fallon's impromptu that are not fraudulent. What comes across as me being disrespectful and critical, is sheer frustration at not having many receipts of her vocal ability outside of the studio. I also get angry with her for lipping because she never addressed why she can't sing her songs as she records them, or she hasn't toned down her belting to what she can do in the current stage of her voice live. As a school teacher, I will not be able to one day say, I have 27 years in the game and was good back in the day so I have nothing to prove and therefore I teach when I want to, not retire, and I'm still worth $500 million. Where is that fair? Which is why B, I think Patti's the best who has ever done it. She started recording in 1960. Watch her sing You Are My Friend at the Essence awards in 2000, 40 years into her career and it is mind boggling how artists such as MC, Christina Aguilera, Pink and Alicia Keys started having vocal problems a few albums into their careers. I do want MC to succeed but it's gonna take work, not excuses for her to retain her legacy as one of the best voices ever. I shut the [censored] up when she did that impromptu for the fans because it was amazing. So why was that an anomaly? While many on this board criticize her style of dress, her love life, eternally 12 and her interviews, I could care less. If she showed up to the White House correspondence dinner in a thong and pasties, I would not care as long as she burned the stage down without lipping. What matters to me is the voice and the quality of music. And let me address One Sweet Day and the newer generation. I teach 11th grade English and when I am about to say goodbye to the students each semester I play four videos. They don't know One Sweet Day, Bye Bye or Bone Thugs and Harmony's The Crossroads. But they know every single word to It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday. Who knows why some songs are classics. And Giovanni I love your list. In my opinion, the best voices of all time during their peak are: 1. Patti Labelle 1960-2004 2. Whitney Houston 1985-2000 3. Mariah Carey 1990-1997 4. Christina Aguilera 1998-2002 5. Jennifer Hudson (still sickening) 6. Aretha Franklin 1960-1998 7. Celine Dion (still sickening but now ridiculously safe) 8. Deborah Cox (still sickening but doesn't have a job) 9. Fantasia 2004-2010 10. Beyonce (still sickening but ridiculously safe) (Saturday 11 June 2016; 0:56)

Webmaster (63,191) by Randy from USA I hate to be a pain. That link didn't work when posted here's one that does work, this was on a lot of sites after James Cordon talked with Howard Stern. [Webmaster: I already had this story on my website on Monday.] (Friday 10 June 2016; 2:12)

James Corden (63,188) by Randy from USA Just named the most difficult carpool karaoke person as MC. I wish she would just sing and not make thousands of excuses. So many times on talk shows she's done an impromptu note. I know some of you are going to say how insecure she is knowing that she's judged on every note that comes out of her mouth. If you've been singing for 27 years professionally, you should be able to sing at any time. Oh wait she didn't get enough sleep, the air conditioning was on, she was going through a divorce, she hadn't been on vocal rest, she didn't sleep with the humidifier, one of her background singers was singing her part, she was overcome with emotion at seeing a casket, she hadn't been to the vocal doctor, she had food poisoning, her songs are too difficult to sing, no one retains their voice for 25 years, her earpiece wasn't working. Did I get every last excuse? I do not enjoy being hard on MC but it's like come on. Do you wanna go down as the greatest vocalist of all time? No wait. That's Patti Labelle. Do you wanna go down as The Voice. No wait. that's Whitney Houston. Oh I get it. You are the greatest recording artist in history. The interview can be seen here. (Friday 10 June 2016; 1:44)

Re: Nick Cannon responds to TMZ (63,049) (63,073) by Randy from USA There has never been official paperwork. Divorces are a matter of public record, therefore since no one has reported that they are finally divorced, they aren't. TMZ may be off to the reasons why there's a holdup, but trust and believe there is a holdup that neither have publically admitted to. (Monday 6 June 2016; 18:43)

WWHL (62,358) by Randy from USA I lived for MC on WWHL. I thought she was articulate while drinking and as a borderline alcoholic, I know that's hard to do. She mentioned beauty school and lighting and bad sides but she didn't linger and she answered each of his questions and she looked complete perfection. I am happy with it, and if any of you have an issue with it, you are completely nitpicking. (Wednesday 18 May 2016; 23:32)

Re: I find it funny (62,133) (62,140) by Randy from USA I tried to keep my mouth shut since this original topic was in reference to something I said, that I have receipts for, about MC's voice being shot in 99/00 during the Rainbow promotional tour. Whitney's voice had changed by 95 but she was still burning down stages. Check Arista's 25th Anniversary in 2000. Check 99's Divas Live and see the response to Whitney and compare it to MCs mediocrity at Divas a year earlier where the queen of soul and Celine burned the stage down. And you all are killing me with this artist lose their voice over time excuse. How is it that Patti LaBelle recorded "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in 1960 and was able to burn down the stage with it in the 1980s (check the YouTube video with the red dress or her PBS special in 1998). That's 38 years. Or check out Patti singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" 25 years after she recorded it at Divas 2004. But MC recorded "Vision of Love" in 1990 and was only able to sing it until 96. Then she embarrassed herself on The View with it in 98, embarrassed herself again at her MTV special in 2001. Strained through it in 05 on BET and whistled through it at the Pepsi special in 2006. I agree MC songs are hard to sing. No one can do what she can do in the studio. But she is a studio singer. The biggest proof comes with "Through The Rain". As a real fan you know that record has not one background singer on it. But everytime she performed it live during the promotional tour in 2002-03 there was a wall of background singers with her. And she was lipping that last chorus until she started throwing her gimmick whistle in there. Why are we recording songs we can't sing live? To me "Vision of Love" is hard to sing too but before the irreparable damage to her voice in 97, she was singing it acapella all over the place and sounding good. So why the fraud in 02-03? I love MC to death. In the studio. You can not compare Whitney's vocal decline with MC when Whitney started singing in the basement on her records and performed all the way live and yet during MCs vocal decline she sings just as high but lip syncs on stage. (Saturday 14 May 2016; 14:53)

Memoirs, Rainbow and MIAMTEC (62,080) by Randy from USA I disagree with so much said about these three albums. I love Memoirs because it was such drama. Becha Gon Know is completely different from how she has ever opened an album. She also gave us interludes which so many fans were complaining that she didn't. I love the cheesy metaphors on More Than Just Friends, Up Out My Face, Candy Bling. I love Obsessed and its video (classic MC) and Languishing to me is a return to deep introspective lyrics like Petals, Looking In, Outside and Close My Eyes. Rainbow is only a disappointment because it comes after Butterfly. I can listen to everything on it. The only issue is her voice was in such bad shape in 99/00 she did a whole bunch of lip syncing during its promotional tour. I do not like MIAMTEC and if you read all the critical reviews for it that were so great, they're all backhanded compliments. I feel that album was too "neo earthy soul" and her vocals on it are awful with notes she'd never be able to duplicate live. I disagree with whoever said she doesn't experiment outside of R&B. You do not know her catalogue. She's done country, look up Help Me Make It Through The Night. She's done rock, look up Bringin On The Heartbreak and even EDM with Meteorite. While she loves Hip Hop/R&B she will always give us a taste of something else. (Friday 13 May 2016; 3:15)

A view from the top (61,759) by Randy from USA The fact that he said her career was over since 2001s Glitter is already a false statement so that nullified the rest of the article. I do believe, along with Andrew, she does need a couple of image changes though. She cannot continue to do hip hop music with current, trending artists. She is 46. She cannot continue to be eternally 12 now that she's walking down the aisle for the third time and has two kids. She cannot continue to produce singles with vocals that she cannot replicate live without a backing track. Other than that, she's sounded and looked more comfortable than she has in years and I hope she gives us an album soon, that is mature and focuses more on music. (Sunday 1 May 2016; 3:09)

Mimi L / Next Chapter / Andrew (61,517) by Randy from USA You just made my day. That color shot is so much better. I think (just for arguments sake) that would be one of her best album covers and I love the title Next Chapter. Andrew I can never tell when you are being serious or sarcastic but I will say this: I wish that the general public could hear MCs introspective songs like Vanishing, The Wind, Looking In, Close My Eyes, Outside, Petals, Twister, Right To Dream, Languishing. The image and the lyrics of those songs are such a disconnect. I know I sound like a broken record, but, the woman is a lyrical genius. She is up there with Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Jewel, Bonnie Raitt, Sarah MC and Lauryn Hill and in my opinion gets less respect as a singer/songwriter than Alicia Keys and Diane Warren and she's way better than them. And I feel like the image is in the way. What I realize now though, is MC is multidimensional. Her silliness is as much a part of her as her seriousness. I am falling in love with her all over again. I am one of the minority that didn't like MIAMTEC but loved Memoirs. I want new music because I am still not satisfied since 2009. (Saturday 23 April 2016; 0:52)

There is a photo (61,508) by Randy from USA That looks like an album cover and if this was the cover and title. I would die (of happiness). (Friday 22 April 2016; 20:54)

New album reply (60,628) by Randy from USA I don't think I'm stuck in the 90s Giovanni. Adele's album is the fastest selling album in history and for the most part it's raw introspective ballads. I'm not saying MC should do this to sell records or follow a trend, it's just that MC writes and sings raw introspective ballads better than anyone so why not tune everything else down and do an album of Right To Dreams and Help Me Make It Through The Nights? And by the way those were recorded in 2008. And if Hello can be number one for 10 weeks then MC can get a #1 on a ballad. I wish MC could learn to play the guitar or piano. How many of you would drool with her on stage playing and singing by herself? And Nikki while I do believe MC is a better singer, songwriter than Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell, she does not get the respect from the industry they get. And #1s and album sales has nothing to do with it. It has to do with the industry thinking of her as a singing over the top diva and not a creative genius introspective songbird who can pen lyrics about things other than love. I want her to write and sing by herself because I am tired of other men and women basking in her sunlight. Tommy M, Jermaine Dupri, LA Reid, DJ Clue, Puff, Babyface, Walter A, Diane Warren, Ben M, Damizza. I truly believe she needs no one to compose an album and I live for the day I see: Written, Arranged and Produced by MC. Executive Producer MC. I totally know she could do it. (Sunday 20 March 2016; 0:12)

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