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

Re: Interesting question (80,577) (80,591) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines 95 all the way. That really was her peak vocally, when everything fell into one impressive yet delicate balance. Even when we talk about live vocal control, the Daydream era is the benchmark. How she used her voice was also at its best - she was less eager to please and impress. Her performances at that time did not sound like she was trying her hardest to deliberately wow everyone with vocal acrobatics anymore. She sounded like she was confident that the people already knew what she was capable of, and so 1995 to me was the year where her singing shifted from impressive to expressive. (Wednesday 24 January 2018; 10:25)

Camila at #1 (80,559) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I know this is outta nowhere but she's a certified Mariah fan so congrats to Camila Cabello on having the #1 album (which is quite good by the way) and #1 song (Havana finally and deservedly hit the top spot) in the US and and in many other countries. She's just so adorable and seems really humble and grateful in all of her interviews. Turns out leaving Fifth Harmony was the best decision. She sounds a like a more urgent Selena Gomez with a little bit of Ariana and Rihanna at times. She has the potential to go really far. (Monday 22 January 2018; 22:56)

The waning creativity (80,535) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Although she was not that much of a statement artist, Mariah at her prime still had something to say. She was young, eager to prove herself and full of many ideas that were rarely original or risque, but fresh nonetheless. And then life happened and she eventually found it more challenging to find new things to write and sing about. So, like most artists do, she stuck to love and relationship themes. Nothing wrong about that - Mariah has a way of looking at relationships from angles that aren't commonly explored, or if they are common, she has a way of presenting her ideas in a way that's not as cliched as other artists would usually do. At times the results were inspired or at least interesting (It's A Wrap, Betcha Gon' Know, I Wish You Well, Faded, etc.) and sometimes they were just banal or at least let down by the production (You're Mine, More Than Just Friends, Infinity, Infamous, etc.). I think this is normal especially for legacy artists. Even Madonna, the very definition of a statement artist, has shown signs of this. Like Mariah, she hasn't really produced a creatively noteworthy album that could be considered a classic since 2005. Madonna, though, is more disciplined, and the one thing that hasn't changed about her through the years is that she's always on the lookout for the new sound, the next big thing and always wants to collaborate with producers she hasn't worked with in the past, whereas Mariah relies mostly on familiarity and the comfort it gives her, sticking to the same ole people, therefore resulting in pretty much just updated versions of songs from TEOM and MOAIA. But creativity is still innate in them, and while MIAMTEC and Rebel Heart were mostly steps in the right direction, they are still very much capable of coming up with another masterpiece. It just that these days, those are harder to come by because the music industry is so saturated, and now more than ever, it takes much more than the usual experimentation to stand out and be recognized. Janet makes me hopeful for this possibility. If she can come back strong with Unbreakable after back-to-back misses of 20 Y.O. and Discipline, (yes, Damita Jo was a great album) then Mariah can do it too. She just needs to focus and have a clear vision of what she wants, as well as work with newer, lesser known producers. (Sunday 21 January 2018; 09:29)

Re: New album title (80,485) (80,487) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Or to quote my favorite phrase from Daydream, "Cloud of Reverie". Or to describe her relationship with the Asian persuasion, "Charade". (Friday 19 January 2018; 14:08)

Re: New album title (80,472) (80,483) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Simply "Mariah" would be cool if we didn't just come off of MIAMTEC. I could see her using that in the future, and if she does then she'll be just like Whitney who has 3 studio albums with her name in the title. Anyways, of the suggestions so far, I still stand by Mirage, and I also like Long Island Girl as these are self-referential, but not obnoxiously so. She could also go for: "Still Here" / "Memento" / "Never Gone" (reminder theme) "Hourglass Turn" (reset theme and not in any way a reference to her figure) "Pages" (autobiographical theme) "Ink to Sound" (the creative process) "Masquerade" (media theme) "Labyrinth" (her mind) (Friday 19 January 2018; 10:01)

Re: New album title ideas (80,444) (80,452) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's best to go with a simple title this time, especially after TEOM, MOAIA and the still unbelievably and ridiculously obnoxious MIAMTEC, I'm not sure the public would be able to handle another verbose title. Maybe go with just "Back" or something more personal like "Ms. Carey" or "Mirage", or since Mariah loves a vocabulary lesson then maybe "Scintillate" or "Chrysalis" (doubtful, though, since Butterfly already exists). Or perhaps try a foreign phrase, such as "Jamais Vu" or "Presque Vu" (two fascinating phenomena) as "Deja Vu" has been used by more artists such as Giorgio Moroder. Just try to keep it short. And make the music great of course. (Thursday 18 January 2018; 12:17)

Re: New album (80,438) (80,440) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Truth. Most of Mariah's best critically received albums (debut, Daydream and Butterfly) consisted of 12 tracks each. But these were really tight, strong and little-to-no-filler albums. These days, we observe the increasing practice of going back to this trend of brief releases. Most 15+ track albums that we've seen since the 2000s are usually overblown albums that include a lot of tacked on filler to make the consumers think that they're getting more of their money's worth somehow, as if quantity is necessarily equal to quality, when really all this marketing tactic does is just highlight the disparity between an album's strengths and weaknesses. Mariah should go into making an album with a clear idea of what she wants it to sound and a target number of tracks. This not only ensures brevity and cohesiveness but also helps her be focused enough to cut the weaker songs, ultimately resulting in a stronger set of tracks. (Wednesday 17 January 2018; 11:32)

Re: The ring (80,418) (80,431) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Exactly. It's just incomprehensible to me how to believe that the Mariah who does her best to pretend that Glitter (again, not her worst album) never happened and the Mariah who tackily chooses to keep a ring from an ex-fiance are one and the same person. (Tuesday 16 January 2018; 09:30)

So long, Dolores (80,426) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Such a unique voice. Gone too soon. Thank you for being one of the defining sounds of the 90s. May you rest in peace. (Monday 15 January 2018; 23:45)

Re: Will we ever see a new album? (80,407) (80,414) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Noted, first off, I realized I have been rather harsh in my last post on this subject. It wasn't in any way to belittle or downplay Mariah's legacy. I am aware that she is a trendsetter and that her contributions are still ubiquitous in today's music. So if anyone was offended, then I apologize - that wasn't my intention at all. However, I also disagree with your remark on Madonna's musical impact, especially for a woman who's widely considered the biggest and most influential female artist in music history. As much as I value Mariah's contributions to music, it was Madonna who paved the way for what today's female singers are able to get away with today yet take for granted. Even Mariah acknowledged it in a past interview. Pretty much every female in music that has come after Madonna (even the latter material of those that have come before her), owes something from her. Her contributions to pop culture go further than the visual aspect, her penchant for shock tactics or her philanthropy and activism. Sure, she did not have a signature sound. She leaped from genre to genre. But she brought something different to the conventions of those genres. She made out of them viable, indelible pop classics (gospel - Like A Prayer, R&B - Take A Bow, electronica - Frozen, disco - Hung Up, Latin - La Isla Bonita, etc.). Before her, women were usually tied to one particular sound. It's as if they weren't allowed to genre-hop. They weren't supposed to sing about femininity and sexuality. They were punished for writing music that sounds sexy or suggestive, let alone talk about their sexual desires. When she came on the scene and broke those rules, she was hated for it. She was seen as a rebel; a bad influence, when she was just being a revolutionary, especially when it came to musical content. With her, music wasn't just sound playing in the background - it became a movement. All the sex, religious references and female empowerment talk in women's music these days is thanks to Madonna taking all the heat for doing so in the past. Pop has become a much bigger genre thanks to Madonna's experimentation, whereas 30 years ago, there were very strict labeling/categorizing rules as to sound and that dictated what kind of artist you were. A lot of creative and artistic freedom enjoyed by female artists in music these days is largely due to her boss mentality, her refusal to repeatedly work with the same people or sound and her personal involvement in the production of her material. Just like Mariah, Madonna innovated on what already existed without it sounding derivative. There's a reason why she's still is the bestselling female artist on the planet, the most successful female solo touring artist in around the world, as well as the most discussed, studied, documented, and published one in terms of influence. You'd be hard pressed to find a current female singer whose work is reviewed without reference to Madonna. Let us give credit where it's due. I misspoke initially - Mariah sure has her merits that will continue to keep her name in history books, but it would be the biggest lie in the music world to claim that today's musical landscape would be the same without Madonna, visuals aside. For a woman whose vocal limitations have been mocked time and time again, that's an even bigger achievement. I can say both Mimi and Madge are queens in their own right: Mariah for changing the game in terms of vocal performance, making melisma the standard and blurring the lines between pop, hip-hop and R&B, and Madonna for making music multi-dimensional media: listening pleasure + catalyst for change + cultural transcendence. (Sunday 14 January 2018; 09:07)

Re: Will we ever see a new album? (80,402) (80,404) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I agree for the most part. But Mariah's music has rarely been revolutionary. Dreamlover (sampling trend) Fantasy (hip-hop + R&B/pop to mainstream trend) and Glitter (80's throwback trend) aside, she has always been on trend rather than leading the pack. She's not like Janet or Madonna who marry shockingly creative and iconic visuals with innovative, boundary-pushing sounds and themes. But you know what? It's okay. Mariah's the type of artist who never has to do something groundbreaking to be successful. She's not that type of artist by nature/heart. Of course it's fun and interesting when she gets creative and mixes things up a bit by deviating from the sounds and styles she usually makes, but she doesn't have to be willfully eclectic or experimental to make an impact, as proven by her albums that have been critical and commercial hits because she takes what's current and elevates it with her sheer musicianship. Even her lesser albums MOAIA and Rainbow still somehow sound a cut above the rest of similarly sounding material at the time of their release because that's what Mariah is great at - she takes what's happening now and does her thing with it. Many of the albums released in 1990, 1995, 1997 and 2005 reflected the sound of Mariah Carey, Daydream, Butterfly and TEOM, respectively, but Mariah's efforts still stand out and are revered to this day because they are among the best executions of that particular trendy sound at the time. That is Mariah's magic in all its distinctive, octave leaping glory. (Friday 12 January 2018; 23:15)

Re: Tea shirts (80,380) (80,395) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's been established for quite some time now that Mariah has zero idea of what the fans actually want. This month she is apparently in Mimi the meme-generator mode. I'll try to pass this off as an exercise of her self-deprecating sense of humor, buying into the joke. Now if only she could also make fun of the fact that some bashers are saying she lip-synced her lines when she was presenting at the Globes, then that would be interesting. (Friday 12 January 2018; 08:28)

Re: New Mariah (80,378) (80,379) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Special K has got a severe case of the Asian persuasion. As an Asian, I completely understand. (Thursday 11 January 2018; 12:14)

Re: Article: Meryl Streep reveals what really happened (80,361) (80,362) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I personally loved Meryll in that interview, but I knew that her storytelling would rub some fans the wrong way, and that's understandable. Side note - thanks to this year's Golden Globes, we finally got a worthy sequel to the Anne Hathaway fangirling episode - featuring Tamera Mowry this time. Celebs who freak out and lose their crap in Mariah's presence are always an entertaining and adorable watch. (Wednesday 10 January 2018; 14:26)

Little by little (80,338) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Judging by all the great things that have been happening since the witch was fired, I guess those are enough to confirm that Stella was holding Mariah back (which also unfortunately means Mariah is very impressionable, so she really needs to be surrounded by top-notch professionals). People didn't praise Mariah for doing well at NYE because that's what they expect of her - to deliver a respectable performance. And right now, it's just mostly fans that are raving about Mariah's new glow and aura. If she keeps this up, then more and more people will and this will only add another chapter to her redemption story. She looked stunning in the Golden Globes - her look was like a mix of her previous looks in different eras of her career. She's bubbly and approachable again, significantly more lucid, which leads us to conclusion number two - Stella is a human sedative. Law Roach (of ANTM, who styles Celine Dion, Zendaya, etc.) styled her that night. This is progress, guys. Open off that Bacardi (but none of that for Mariah, please). (Tuesday 9 January 2018; 12:39)

Article: Mariah's tea disaster is the hottest meme of 2018 so far (80,258) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Even early last year I probably would have not been pleased to see a headline like this, as it seemed like such a downgrade for Mariah's relevance to have gone from "diva extraordinaire" to "meme queen". But now, I couldn't care less if she's better known for her meme-inspiring antics than her singing or music. Beyond the fact that it does keep her in the news somehow, it also makes her more special than a lot of her contemporaries. She really is the only meme-able legacy act these days. Seriously. It doesn't matter what she's in - an interview, a live performance, a concert - she really (inadvertently) does and says a lot of meme-worthy stuff. Not JLo, Britney or even Madonna is able to do that these days. It may seem shallow, but that further proves her relevance. Whether most people are genuinely interested in her or just rooting for her to eff up or say something diva-ish, the point is that people are talking. I'd take that over indifference any day. Even if the music comes second or third in the conversation. I can't count how many times I've seen a Mariah meme on social media and in comments sections. And in the age of social media, as fleeting as it is, it still makes you a lot more memorable, relatable even. (Friday 5 January 2018; 09:54)

Re: Anything but Hero (80,123) (80,125) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I had a feeling that this would always end up on the setlist somehow. I know she would like to have a moment with the fans about overcoming adversity and all that especially after last year's flub, but still, really? Now anyone who has watched her post-2010 perfomances of this song definitely know what to expect. The usual runs, the notes she would dodge, the ad-libs, the "you and you and you" ending, etc. It's all so predictable now. And although Hero is a classic, it's just sad how her choice to stick to a limited selection of songs from her vast repertoire over and over again only serves to highlight her hesitance to step out of her comfort zone and possibly her laziness to at least create new arrangements for those big hits she has already sung to the ground. The only way Hero could make sense on New Year's Eve is if it's in the form of an energetic house remix ala the My All one. I hope the other songs are not (caps) Emotions, We Belong Together, and Vision of Love. Now Mariah, this initial news may be a bit disappointing, but please still go ahead and redeem yourself regardless of song choice. (Friday 29 December 2017; 23:07)

Re: Billboard (80,093) (80,095) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines That's actually still impressive, especially considering early forecasts suggested that it would slip to #10. Next week it would probably still be in the top 20, so that would be quite an achievement for an older song to hit a new peak and stay within the top 20 for a month. Its potential to achieve the same or even better success in the future is the most exciting part. (Wednesday 27 December 2017; 11:40)

Here we go again - NYE take 2 (80,038) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Yaaaaaaas Mariah. That is how you handle s**t. This move is probably the most strategically brilliant one she has done in years. If she slays this, it would be just brilliant from a PR perspective, especially coming off of her recent major successes - the Golden Globe nomination and AIWFCIY hitting the top 10. And with the latter, it's only apt that she closes this year at the same event that brought her infamy last year. So go ahead, Mariah, this is make or break. Time to win back some old fans and make some new ones. Choose a killer ensemble, and sing your lungs out, even only with this one performance. Make 2017 your year and kick off 2018 in a major way. We're rooting for you. (Saturday 23 December 2017; 20:06)

Re: Interesting, try this (79,986) (79,989) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I forgot, AIWFCIY should be spelled out. (Thursday 21 December 2017; 07:37)

Interesting, try this (79,986) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines 1) Try googling AIWFCIY. Observe the results page. Done? 2) Google Last Christmas. Done? 3) Then try googling for just about every Christmas tune that comes to mind one at a time. 4) See the difference? I guess Mariah and George's fans are that special. (Wednesday 20 December 2017; 23:55)

Making history (79,975) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Cher had a #1 hit at 53 with Believe. Michael hit #9 posthumously with Love Never Felt So Good. Madonna had her historic 38th top 10 entry with Gimme All Your Luvin'. And now, we can add AIWFCIY to that list of remarkable achievements. It only took 23 years. Not like Mariah needed this to happen to cement her legendary status - she was already a legend before she even hit 30 - but I mean come on. Congrats to Mariah for the most wonderful news we've heard in a long while. Hope it goes even higher next week. Or at least still stay in the top 10. Such a sad time for them haters who aren't too thrilled with an older song charting among the current top hits. (Yes, these people exist.) (Wednesday 20 December 2017; 11:09)

Re: iTunes Christmas top 200 in your country? (79,945) (79,949) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Wow, the Glee version is still charting in your country? That's so cool, especially considering Glee ended like two years ago. Amber Riley sang the hell out of AIWFCIY, although she was almost too faithful to the original version. Still, hers is one of the better covers around. (Monday 18 December 2017; 12:10)

Re: Top 10 Christmas albums ever / Santa Baby (79,946) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Totally. Santa Baby was not written for Eartha Kitt. It's definitely for Kylie. And for those who still haven't heard it, here's the most perfect naughty-yet-nice Betty Boop impression you'll ever hear on record. Best. Version. Ever. Well the Ariana Grande ft. Liz Gillies version would also be great if Liz sung the whole thing. Ariana just tried too hard to sound cutesy. Liz's voice, on the other hand, just screams sophistication - her enunciation and tone in the lower register just sound expensive - this girl should be singing more. (Monday 18 December 2017; 10:20)

Re: Top 10 Christmas albums ever (79,920) (79,935) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I won't argue with most of the entries, especially the top 3, but Christina's holiday album borders on unlistenable to me. She sings the hell out of it, but boy did she go too far. She has always displayed her penchant for oversinging in all of her albums after her debut, but My Kind of Christmas was just overkill. It's like, "yeah, alright, we know you can sing". She makes early Mariah Carey sound tame and restrained. The only track I liked from that was Angels we have heard on high. I'd much rather have Michael Buble's at #4 than that mess. Gwen's album just made it on the list for promotion purposes, considering it's the most recent one on the list. Although there's something appealing about how her unique voice sounds against the retro production, all of the original material is just weak and just weighs the whole album down. The 60s throwback sound was a cool idea, but she should have just made an album of all covers. Her take on Last Christmas rivals Carly Rae Jepsen's version in terms of successfully infusing it with a new sound. White Christmas and Let It Snow are swinging. And while I've never heard Santa Baby suit any artist's voice as well as Kylie Minogue's, Gwen's rendition has its charms. (Sunday 17 December 2017; 08:57)

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