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About jaker20 from US: You Will Never Be MC

Edouard part 2 (42,454) by jaker20 from US That said, I think MC should still release an album. Maybe it's not that album she did with IDJ, but I have faith the album will be amazing regardless. Some of her best singles happen by accident, and not the ones they expect will be hit. Sometimes going with her gut works better than an overly embellished and belabored album. Also, I'm going to talk out of my behind here a little bit, but IMO I think MC should restructure her career so she is not heavily impacted by studio drama. I think there is more venue and platform outside of studio system these days than before. It is the era of indie imo. I'm not saying she should go indie. But as a true artist who has so much mainstream success that she is, I think she should explore her options in a more indie mind-set. Just build it and they will come, as they say. A lot of luck goes on in music industry these days. More hits are made by indies and artists you least expect, and it's harder for studios to manufacture hits and artists now. The public likes studio artsts less these days, IMO. think Butterfly had a bit of that energy, that independent, I'll-do-what-I-want spirit to it. If she takes more chances maybe she'll strike that luck as well. (Thursday 3 April 2014; 8:09)

Nick and MC's career (42,420) by jaker20 from US I think Nick and Mariah are starting to get very comfortable that they're pushing each other's boundaries as to what they can say or do in public. If they don't want to get through this, there is an answer: retirement. But as long as they're in public this will always come up. What do you think Nick thinks when she see the mother of his children dancing in tiny little outfits revealing her panties on a music video? What Nick said was tame in comparison to what MC does, and they seem to be both ok with it. It comes with the territory and they know it. To be honest, I don't see their marriage lasting as much as maybe they want. They both have big egos. I've always said Nick is an opportunist. Few knows who he was before the marriage, and MC opened a lot of doors for him. I personally think Nick is the reason for MC's career decline, but that's another story. Nick definitely knows how to work it. (Tuesday 1 April 2014; 9:56)

Re: RJJ12, friend-managers, ego, and album release (42,297) by jaker20 from US I know we're just speculating, for cause of delay. But to me MC is definitely chasing that hit single. It's understandable because it's difficult enough to promote an album that only have a top 10 hit (Memoirs), and even that didn't really do that well. I don't believe the album is not finished. She released Memoirs 1 1/2 years after E=MC2 and in this period she got married, tried to start a family and prepared and shot Precious. It's definitely just the ego preventing the release of an album without a major hit. Personally I think she should have released the album last year when Beautiful peaked. Between Beautiful, Triumphant and Almost Home/The Art of Letting Go, that is 3 or 4 songs, with You're Mine being 5th. Then maybe more people would be interested on each songs as opposed them going to waste and forgotten. Now here she is again: i.e. will she release the album if You're Mine is a hit? IMO she should release the album regardless of hit single or not. It's tough to accept for her especially, but huge album sales is over. It's all about singles now. So her belaboring a "perfect album" until she gets a hit is impractical creatively and commercially. Finally about hiring friends as managers. E=MC2 was not Benny's fault. Her career nose-dived after getting married when she's in the heat of promoting an album that took 3 years to make. These tells me Benny is not even in control at all. But that's all we know. We don't know the behind the scenes. This post is long now. (Saturday 22 March 2014; 21:09)

Re: Mariah's management and voice (42,168) by jaker20 from US I totally agree with you Adam. It is just unprofessional to be hiring your friends as managers. It's fun, but you work sloppily, you're flexible with and don't honor deadlines and schedules, you chill and drink champagne and ultimately not get anything done. Lastly, MC seems like a person whose creativity needs guidance. This has been the trend for years and I'm afraid it'll be the same in the coming years. (Monday 17 March 2014; 6:56)

I'm That Chick (42,077) by jaker20 from US I have it on blast. Such great great song. It's like #Beautiful's cool older sister. Why can't MC do more stuff like this? It's simple, yet really cool. And without all the silly high notes its easy to song. MC needs to make songs can anyone can sing. She already have hundreds of songs which she alone can sing, now it's time to make songs which everybody can hum and sing to. It's a brave new world. MC needs to be more relatable. (Thursday 13 March 2014; 5:29)

Katy Perry called MC a "throwback" (42,056) by jaker20 from US On her interview last week Katy was raving about Beyonce. But called MC a "throwback". I have to say I hated Katy for saying that. I'm now going to ban her from my playlist and boycott her. But I also have to say it's a statement that's difficult to refute. This is what MC has become and all it only took was 4 consecutive failed singles. (Wednesday 12 March 2014; 7:11)

Re: Too challenging for her now? (42,055) by jaker20 from US I've said many times that MC should write and arrange songs that fits her voice now. Stop doing the same arrangement over and over. Example, these this big booming notes at the end, lots of note fluctuations. Why arrange it that way when you can't sing it that way? #Beautiful was a step in this direction. Sure it has the whistle at the end. But the song was so beautifully arranged, it feels fresh and mot importantly it's easy to sing. I know in my heart she can do fresh songs like that. She's a pop genius IMO? Yet here she goes again back to her lazy old style with the new song I can't even remember the title. (Wednesday 12 March 2014; 6:46)

Re: the voice of Mariah (41,998) by jaker20 from US Of course people compare it to her old voice. Who else should we compare it to? We can't compare it to her most recent voice because we hardly hear it anyway. She's not had so many fully and unquestionably live performances the past few years, I can can count them with my fingers. MC has to accept her new voice. I would rather hear her raw and imperfect voice, rather than perfect that is so obviously lipped/semi-lip. (Thursday 6 March 2014; 9:59)

Fantastic post Matthew (41,896) by jaker20 from US You pretty much summarized in one post what I have been trying to say for months but don't have the knowledge to articulate. I have many times over that #Beautiful is her most current song in many years, probably last 8 years, and it's worth repeating it is produced by someone she hasn't worked with. MC needs to expand as an artist, grow and learn, collab. So I don't understand how growing and expanding your style equals not being true to yourself or lacks integrity. Many MC fans are just as stuck as MC herself and if you notice they are the same who likes YME which to me is shockingly uncreative and a bore, I almost thought it's a Daydream or Music Box reject. Why does she keeps on recreating past styles, she's got dozens of albums I can come back to if I want the same style. All in all, if YME is the direction she's taking, I agree with Matthew, we should be concerned because that album will bomb. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 9:56)

Re: Management of Randy (41,873) by jaker20 from US Stephen, the last official announcement, just after American Idol, is that Randy is MC's manager. As you say, her friend. If MC is managed by a friend, that's code for "I am the manager". The friend, whoever it is, will bow to everything MC says. And that is exactly the problem, the problem we've been seeing since she parted with Benny. She has to let others do this work for her so she can focus on her art and her creative expression. MC doesn't know anything other than touch her hair and hips. Benny forced her to learn choreo and a few dance moves, as basic as they are, at least that's not the aforementioned hair and hip-touching we've been seeing these past few years. I am in now way saying MC should learn how to dance this time in her carer. I'm saying she has to stretch somehow, like the way she carries herself on and off the stage. A "friend-manager" won't make her be the best she can be. They will just go to the studio, hang out and well, drink champagne. (Friday 28 February 2014; 17:05)

Re: Management problem (41,872) by jaker20 from US Haru, you are absolutely correct. It was definitely Benny who "straightened" MC. MC has a very head-strong, stubborn character. Most artists do, and I consider MC a artistic pop genius. So she needs someone who is equally strong, and it was Benny who had the whip in his hand who I see will stand up against MC's antics. Some artists, when they get very successful, they think they had it all together. But artists should not manage themselves or even have the last say. They have to surrender control to strong managers who see the bigger picture. I'm gonna say this, MC's head had swollen into epic proportions. And why not? With all the titles she's been labelled: "artist of the century", "most no.1", etc. etc. Imagine what that's doing to her brain? So yeah, managing an image, schedules, priorities, etc of an artist, that takes a no-nonsense manager. MC can't do it, and she won't change. So I think she needs a very strong manager who will handle her with an iron fist and tell her as it is. But with how arrogant she's become, I don't know if you can find someone like Benny. Otherwise, this is it for her. But we don't know, maybe that's what she wants. (Friday 28 February 2014; 16:47)

Champagne (41,861) by jaker20 from US Her drinking definitely affected her career. Not just her creativity (or lack therefore these past few years), but also her demeanor, her look, the way she carries herself (which seriously I can't stand lately), and maybe even the way she cares about all these. Ps I'm in no position to judge her life, I'm only speaking as a fan seeing what I see. But the writing's on the wall. I don't want her to go down the path many former-stars have gone to and can't handle the decline. I have many times referred to MC as a "pop genius", so the fact that she's not been able to be her best the last 3 years or so tells me something is off. (Friday 28 February 2014; 8:07)

TEOM era is her best "image" (41,825) by jaker20 from US Remember that promo interview with Steve Jones? That is the MC I want back. That is TEOM era. Actually most of her during that era is one I want back. Super composed, very professional, looks like a boss, a maneater. Very serious but still fun and bubbly. A mature woman who is very confident. And in spite of that exterior, she was a creative monster. Mature lyrics, creative and imaginative videos. Now she's just... unbearable. She's become, as they say, a caricature of her old self. She actually regressed to her old ways after TEOM, both in interviews and musical style and lyrically. Very strange, when you're a fan of MC for a long time, you can actually see her creative arc, and its on a downslope the past 3 years. Now I could not talk about her in the present tense. It's always the past. She doesn't have to have more number ones. I just want good music and someone who I can love without feeling embarrassed. Now everyone I know can't stand her. (Thursday 27 February 2014; 15:33)

MC definitely needs to be handled at this point (41,811) by jaker20 from US Someone has to tell her the style is super out of touch, the videos needs to be classier and high concept (you don't need big budget for high concept), the songs need to be more mature and lyrics with more mature smarter stuff. She did this in TEOM so I don't see why she can't do it again. Why does she has to go back to this same shtick. It's super tired and super corny. MC needs to be directed by a creative person who will stand up for this. Unfortunately, some artists when they reach a certain level of success things they can do it all and not take other's opinion. Well this is the result we are getting. Subpar single, video and performances. If the supposed album that is 3+ years in the making don't get released at all I won't be surprised. (Thursday 27 February 2014; 7:51)

Mariah is stuck (41,409) by jaker20 from US Over the last 4 years or so I have posted similar message to this, and the my point hasn't really changed, i.e. Mariah is stuck. She is not growing or changing anymore. And if the artist is not changing or growing, you can't really expect to gain new fans, or old fans to stay with you. The fans have moved on, grown, got smarter, changed tastes. MC did not. Here she is again singing lyrics that seem taken from two decades ago, sounding like she did in many of her songs, and a video that looks very much like she did in the past, very sexy, sensual, looking beautiful. The only difference is she is slightly older now. Where is the artistry and creativity that she's talking about in American Idol? Where are the clever lyrics she did in TEOM? She needs to collaborate, learn from other artists, experiment new sounds and genre, and become a respected artist. The sameness is her songs, style, and the loopy overtly sexy image is very tiring. She has nothing new to say in her songs, no new experiences to share on her lyrics. MC is stuck and can't move forward. She's giving us throwaway songs, because she's in family mode. We all have to work, we all have families. Which is fine and dandy. Just don't expect all "lambs" are going to bite the same shtick. (Monday 17 February 2014; 10:52)

Very uninspired song (41,408) by jaker20 from US If this is her comeback, then this comeback is off to a false start because it's really not impacting so much. If she has to reply on "promo", you know there will be a struggle for the song. I don't know what's going on. I don't think she's inspired to be creative at the moment, and the past four years for that matter. Add this to the loopy behavior lately, and this new album gets me worried. I don't think she has to chase the charts anymore, but at least come up with a solidly creative song, or you can just take care of the kids because I don't want to see a flop happening again for the 3rd time (or is it 4th now), and a supposed album that never happens. (Monday 17 February 2014; 8:58)

Beyonce (40,216) by jaker20 from US I always liked Beyonce, but for some reason I feel she never reached her full potential. I thought a lot of her time and success was spent with Destiny's Child which I thought has a better discography than herself alone. She's obviously super talented, but I think she shot herself on the foot with this surprise release. I listened to the album clips and they sound rushed and unpolished to me. In this age of singles, artists shouldn't release full extended materials/albums at once because an hour later everyone's just downloading it for free. It's an interesting move, but it makes me wonder if she's fully committed to this era if she's doing this and wonder the motivation behind it. (Friday 13 December 2013; 19:36)

I support MC doing a dance album (40,200) by jaker20 from US If that is what she wants to do next. If she lose her core fans, well, hello, it's not like her core fans make a dent in her career or sales anymore. She needs new fans! I also support her doing something jazzy, or some mashup genre. What is this fear amongst MC fans that she shouldn't do dance music? If you say it's because she can't dance, hello, it's not like Gloria Estefan and Gaynor can dance either. It's not like she's new to dance. She's charted no.1 in dance chart more than most artists in that genre itself for crying out loud. She's got 16 of them! It's not foreign to her. Look at that fail song Triumphant that had an amazing remix version. Well then just go straight releasing the remix version and maybe you won't strain your vocals. A good music is a good music with or without the high notes. She has nothing to prove so she should take risks in her music. Be an artist, not just a singer. Expand her genre, collaborate, make music not nailpolish. Her voice is not as strong, but the artist will always be there. I've stated many times that MC is a pop genius and it's wasted by expectations that she should always belt. But you all put her in this box of screaming vocalists. I will argue many here untill cows come home that she's more than the voice but fans will never get it. (Friday 13 December 2013; 5:45)

Re: Nikki (40,199) by jaker20 from US I'm glad you state your opinion in a civil way. But we agree to disagree. You are saying that MC can claim "best selling of all time" title due to Soundscan. Come on, we all know that is misleading advertising. Also you are mixing up your Soundscan and global numbers. You yourself stated Madonna sold 27 million during Soundscan (it's actually 29m but I'll use your number here to prove a point). Pre-Soundscan she has RIAA certification total to 41m. That totals to 68m vs MC's 54. Yes RIAA don't represent actual sales, but if you add MC's RIAA certifications it is more or less the same number. That's also huge gap to think about. It is simply not possible. We're not even talking about global numbers here, just US sales. I think a lot of artsts used Soundscan's number and run with it for advertising. That's like saying Garth Brooks is the "best selling artist of all time", because you know, according to Soundscan, he sold 4m more albums than The Beatles. Sounds good for advertising, but we all know that's not true. (Friday 13 December 2013; 5:22)

Blaming the media, Rihanna, reality check, etc. (40,193) by jaker20 from US First, don't blame the media because Mariah is media. She has her own media, PR and advertising people, therefore she is part of that industry. All the press they put out over the years, best-selling female artist, most no.1 singer, etc. She might not have created it, but she definitely chased it and danced with it. We all know that the "best selling" part is not true. MC is best selling in Soundscan era but we all know Madonna takes the overall title. So that's somewhat false and misleading advertising. In my opinion, MC's true legacy is having the most no.1s by a solo artist. Here comes Rihanna, getting her 13th no.1 so fast I can't believe she'll break MC's record while MC is still actively working. She's definitely gunning for that title and with the way chart formulas are structured now, she'll definitely take it faster than we all though. Now, let's not pretend this isn't important. MC used that title herself throughout her career, it is good for business so to speak. MC at this point in her life probably: (1) don't care, (2) silently lamenting, (3) or just plainly don't know what to do (4) would rather focus on nail polish and perfumes. MC is kind of a victim of her own success. (Thursday 12 December 2013; 8:23)

Mariah needs to reinvent (40,192) by jaker20 from US MC probably hates that word because its synonymous to Madonna who has endured and outlived everyone's career, even those who came after her. But that's going to be MC's curse. If she doesn't reinvent, then as a performer she can't survive. Reinventing doesn't mean you have to change who you are. It's just part of growth, and any artists should continue to grow and change, because your body changes as well and you can't do the same you use to do 20 years ago. That is of course if MC even want to perform anymore. At the rate she's going, she seem more interested in reinventing herself as a business woman selling nail polish and perfumes. (Thursday 12 December 2013; 8:07)

Re: Licia (40,162) by jaker20 from US I did not say MC should never sing her old songs. I'm saying she needs to build a new discography that is more fitting to her current voice. And no one said it is going to be easy. We are all working and at some point in time we need to adjust to our new self. At some point in our lives we can't continue to work 12 hours a day, run like the wind and eat anything we want. Same with MC. She needs to adjust to her new self, otherwise, that's it. It's over. If she and her fans don't recognize this, she will not grow old gracefully because she'll be stuck in reminiscing her past glories. Like I said, it won't be easy. It might mean losing your old fans, maybe losing you and me. But for her as an artist, it is good. We all get old, but growing and learning never ends. (Tuesday 10 December 2013; 8:35)

Retirement (40,138) by jaker20 from US I don't think retirement is the answer. The answer is for her to adapt to the new times. Adapting doesn't necessarily mean changing yourself to something you are not. Look at Christina, her Say Something collab is doing very well which is not a belt song. MC should do the same, ie expand her art, work with new artist, collaborate, and most importantly, stop singing those high notes that are so old-fashioned and makes you belt or do high notes. Sure they are "impressive" notes, sure that is her brand, but they are also corny and old fashioned. She is not the same, and she has to recognize this and rebrand herself soon, otherwise this is it for her. #Beautiful was a great start, but she and her label ruined the promo of that song. Some of you may say AIWFCIY isn't really a belt song, that's not true. Halfway through the song she sings in a higher key and it stays there. She did well with Fallon, because it's acapella and a small room. But outdoors and with a band, her voice is drowned. She needs to create new songs that support the current state of her voice. (Monday 9 December 2013; 9:39)

Yeah that performance was rough (40,137) by jaker20 from US I can't watch MC like that. I just can't. This is what I have been telling you guys all along. MC is stuck with her old fans, her old self, and her old discography. She needs new fans, new songs. Singing older songs forces her voice to a level where it isn't anymore. And she should avoid the big open air stage. It never suited her voice, even during her peak. Her voice is not the same. It's not. A few weeks ago I said why did MC sing on Idol all those oldies/medleys from 20 years ago that she can't hardly sing as well? And I got attacked. I said many times, just sing songs that is current to your voice. If she had sang #Beautiful only and only that song, it would be all live and she's not straining her voice because she arranged and composed it to her current voice state. I really think that was a turning point for her. Now she's got it in her mind that if she lips she's going to get attacked. She basically outer herself in the big stage. Basically. (Monday 9 December 2013; 9:24)

By Tory (39,931) by jaker20 from US Yes it was, I'm sorry you didn't undestand it. And even if it wasn't clear then, I made it clear in my next message. She should have sang Beautiful only instead of wasting time on medleys. It is one of her last big stage performance and it's a wasted opportunity. Worse, the medley/performance was poorly received and that's not good for the new single. Beautiful is still being played, but I believe if the promo had been better, it would have done much much better because it's a great song, and in effect, the anticipation for this next single TAOLG would have been higher. The fact that the song isn't impacting at all shows lack of excitement. In entertainment, you're only as good as your last work. (Thursday 21 November 2013; 7:07)

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