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

Re: Janet's radio documentary: Janet, Jam and Lewis (78,590) (78,604) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Wow, thanks a lot for sharing that. As a huge Janet fan, I was in tears listening to them breaking down their creative process. It shows and proves that Janet's vocal talent should not be underestimated. The woman knows intricate harmonies like the back of her hand and has a very good ear for what sounds great (didn't know the vocals for If was that complicated). She's definitely a genius at what she does. Weren't there plans for her and Mariah to collaborate around 2006-ish? I hope that materializes sometime in the future. My top 2 favorite female artists working together would just be divine, I probably wouldn't be able to handle it. And yeah, at 51, Janet can still give Beyoncé a run for her money and then some. (Saturday 30 September 2017; 17:10)

Re: EMC stripped versions of MC songs (78,513) (78,515) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I believe EMC stands for the name of the posting YouTube channel, EtrevistandoMC. (Sunday 24 September 2017; 17:21)

Article: Mariah gives an epic performance straight outta the '90s (78,416) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I wouldn't be as enthusiastic as this article, but then again this is written by VH1 so of course they are. The new arrangement of Honey is better than I expected. She walked unassisted for a couple of steps. She looked really pretty. But unfortunately that's about all the good I can say of this number. The outfit was ill-advised. I really hope Mariah gets her slimmer figure back. I do not mean this as fat-shaming, but she just seems more confident moving around when she's in better shape, as if the weight seems to make her feel more self-conscious about movement. She could have feigned some of the moves from the Honey video, but she chose to just stand/sit wherever she was all throughout. When everything around you is dynamic, the least you could do is to attempt to exude even just half of the energy around you. The whole thing just seemed really awkward and laborious. The camerawork, the dancers and the great song itself saved the "performance", if you could call it that. To perform, you actually have to look like you wanna be there and deliver. Imagine what it would have been if there were no props and minimal camera movement? For someone who has been touring almost nonstop since 2014, she looks like she could hardly be bothered for this one number. Honey is a fantastic song from a career-defining album. Both deserve better than this. The least one could do is strut. Strike that - the least one could do is sway. (Tuesday 19 September 2017; 13:54)

Happy 20th, Butterfly (78,364) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Following the back-to-back blockbuster successes of Music Box and Daydream, Mariah was faced with the near-impossible task of creating a worthy follow-up. As it turns out, she didn't have to worry at all because what she unleashed next is quite possibly her most universally revered outing to date. So what if it didn't burn up the charts the like one that came before? So what if it didn't sell as much as those mammoths? So what if it, like most of her work, was criminally overlooked by the Grammys? Mariah can't get any more timeless than she did with Butterfly. Of all her albums, it's the one that really exudes an atmosphere and a mood of its own thanks to its impressive cohesion. It's hard to overstate the relevance of this album today as well as its importance to both her and her fans. The beginning of Honey remains to be one of the most inviting intros to any song ever. The title track boasts arguably her most uplifting melody. My All set the standard to which modern Latin-tinged pop ballads are measured. The Roof maintains its alluring sonic mix of danger and intrigue to this day. We still listen to the plush Fourth of July every 4th of July out of tradition. We have all tried to mimic Mariah's brilliant rapid fire delivery of Breakdown's iconic chorus. Everyone feels just a little sexier when Babydoll comes on. I bet only a few songs put us in an introspective mood as Close My Eyes does. We still listen in awe of Mariah's touching top-notch performance in Whenever You Call. Fly Away is a worthy answer to the Daydream Intelude. Mariah's slowed down cover of The Beautiful Ones is hypnotic and mesmerizing. And do we really have to mention how much we've cried relating to Outside? Mature, elegant and effortlessly sexy, Butterfly is the sound of a woman who has finally found her voice. No wonder she still considers it her favorite. And at only 27 during its release, it's a truly remarkable achievement. (Saturday 16 September 2017; 00:23)

Re: Toni Braxton - Deadwood (78,354) (78,362) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Personally, to me her worst album was Pulse, but you're right, More Than A Woman is also up there, though that album has Do You Remember When and Tell Me, so I'd still listen to it once in a while. And her duet album with Babyface was great as well. The D Word and Reunited are perfection. (Friday 15 September 2017; 23:40)

Toni Braxton - Deadwood (78,353) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines So yeah, Toni's back. And while her new single Deadwood is no Un-break My Heart or Breathe Again, it's still a great track that's too smart for radio. Will she and Mariah ever duet? That would be a masterclass in R&B. (Friday 15 September 2017; 11:43)

Re: Article: Taylor Swift leaps to no. 1 on Hot 100 (78,289) (78,297) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's funny, I was just thinking of the same thing. It would be ironically hilarious if the one artist a lot of Mariah fans hoped and prayed for to topple Despacito to save OSD ended up claiming the record. Realistically though, I don't think Look What You Made Me Do has such staying power. It's already polarizing and is even currently overshadowed at least sales-wise by another Taylor song. In the off chance she closes into 16 weeks, then we'd be praying for another release to save the record again. An absurd vicious cycle it would be. (Wednesday 6 September 2017; 08:35)

Re: Unforgettable (78,254) (78,262) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Typical Wikipedia. (Monday 4 September 2017; 14:15)

Re: Slightly shocked at Despacito / Mi Reflejo (78,237) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I love Christina's Mi Reflejo album. Well, the Spanish versions of her hits not so much but the other songs I adore. That was the first time I ever heard of Luis Fonsi as well. He's got great range. And the song he sang with Christina, Si No Te Hubiera Conocido, is beautiful and definitely a favorite of mine. I also listen to Pero Me Acuerdo De Ti, Cuando No Es Contigo and of course, her impressive, dreamy rendition of Contigo En La Distancia from time to time. (Friday 1 September 2017; 14:07)

Complex's list of 50 greatest 90s R&B songs (78,222) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Has this article has been posted here earlier this month? It's a great list, and covers most of the essentials, some questionable ones and a few curiously missing classics such as "No Scrubs", "I'll Make Love To You", "One Sweet Day", and even Madonna's "Take A Bow", The Spice Girls' "2 Become 1" and "Too Much", and Jennifer Paige's "Crush" which are considered pop but are unmistakably R&B. God, the 90s was great. This is further proof that: 3) The 90s were straight-up dope for music in general. 2) The 90s truly is the golden age of R&B. 1) With 3 entries in the list (should be more), Mariah truly ruled the 90s. (Thursday 31 August 2017; 14:30)

Re: Slightly shocked at Despacito (78,216) (78,217) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines True. Despacito is generic Latin pop at best. When it comes to truly great songs in that genre, I think of Smooth, Maria Maria, The Cup of Life, My All, and heck, even Let's Get Loud and pretty much everything from Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan as the standard. (Thursday 31 August 2017; 10:09)

Re: Slightly shocked at Despacito (78,200) (78,201) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Slightly is an understatement. It really is a wondrous thing that confuses, wait - baffles, no - floors me to this day. There are so many other Latin-influenced tracks that have had significantly less success, but for some reason, this lucky collaboration hit the jackpot in terms of the right timing, artists, audience and sound (with a huge emphasis on timing and audience). I guess the most impressive thing about its success is that it was unexpected. Attempts to keep it on top only began to reek of calculation after its second month at #1. It gave a new meaning to "crossover appeal". Not even it being currently on promo would ever make me purchase it, though. (Wednesday 30 August 2017; 12:18)

Re: Boy (I Need You) (78,136) / Boy video (78,140) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines No. I'm with you. I appreciate The One, but I play Boy (I Need You) more. I read somewhere (not sure where, maybe a comments section or something) that one of the reasons the music video for Boy is the disjointed, narrative-less thing that it is is that half of its scenes were meant to be part of the originally planned second single The One (which was supposed to be a little gangster-themed and more serious in nature) and that you can practically identify those scenes apart from the ones purposely shot for Boy. I also recall reading a comment that Mariah was almost arrested for filming in Japan without a permit at that time. Someone please tell me whether or not any of these things are true. (Saturday 26 August 2017; 23:09)

The One / in defense of Boy (I Need You) (78,122) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines The One is special. It's the best Mariah & JD collaboration after We Belong Together, Always Be My Baby and Shake It Off. They probably ultimately didn't choose it as a second single because they didn't want to follow a ballad with another slow track. But in defense of Boy (I Need You), even if it is one of Mariah's weakest singles ever, I feel like most of the hate towards it is fueled by it being chosen as a single instead of the more superior The One. As a song, it's definitely polarizing mostly due to the annoying sample and whisper-fest vocals, but I can appreciate it as something that's different from anything else on Mariah's catalog. It, along with Honey, ABMB and Sweetheart, was one of Mariah's mid-to-uptempo singles post 1995 that actually dared to sound different (big hits Dreamlover, Fantasy, Heartbreaker and Loverboy are practically made out of the same mold). And Mariah looked really gorgeous in its whimsical, colorful video, that still holds up aesthetically to this day. Blonde Mariah looked her best from 2001-2006. (Saturday 26 August 2017; 05:47)

Re: Unforgettable remix (78,080) (78,082) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Exactly. Rihanna does an excellent job in collaborating with the hottest acts in the biz and that's how she earned at least 5 of her #1s. I always wondered why on earth can't Mariah do the same. And now she did. I don't care if piggybacking on other tracks/artists' success is how she earns her hits these days, as long as it keeps her on the charts and introduces her to the new generation of music fans, then so be it. And if Stella had a hand in this, then I guess kudos to her for this act alone. It would be the smartest thing she has done even if it took way too long. I won't get carried away yet, though - she's still 99% horrible. (Thursday 24 August 2017; 12:51)

Re: Urgh (78,048) (78,076) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It can be sickening at times, but in fairness to them, they don't just do that with Mariah but with other artists as well. They always resort to associating an act with their biggest hits. Besides, if Mariah actually allotted more focus over the past few years (like the kind she dedicates to trying different ventures when it comes to making money) to actually making truly great music, working with the right people, stepping out of her comfort zone and dressing appropriately, then she would have possibly at least had a Top 10 hit since #Beautiful and the title of that hit would be used to describe her as well. I know that's a lot of maybes, but it would always be interesting to think of what could have been. I guess lately I don't mind them writers using Mariah's hits to describe her (as reductive as it may seem for others) because I personally see it as a way to remind the readers who she is and how incomparably great she was at her prime. People should know what this woman is capable of. (Thursday 24 August 2017; 04:57)

Jessie Ware - Midnight (77,929) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Unfortunately there really are acts that are immensely talented but still somehow remain undeservedly and inexplicably low-profile. Jessie Ware is one of them. Her first 2 albums, Devotion and Tough Love, were equally fire. Her sophiticated sound is evident in her latest offering, Midnight. I love the Bennie and the Jets-esque chorus. Please do give it a listen. You won't be disappointed. (Actual translation of this message: Everybody seems to be coming up with new material and I want me some new Mariah jams stat. It's been over 3 years since MIAMTEC, dammit.) (Wednesday 16 August 2017; 12:18)

Re: Stella (77,914) (77,916) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines A good manager would have suggested to sing bits and pieces of the more obscure material as interludes in between (or intros to) some songs to zhush up the playlist a bit and make the hardcore fans happy while not alienating the casual listeners. But then again we have to remind ourselves that it's Stella we're talking about here, and what does she know about the music aside from the fact that Mariah sings and the increasing probability that she once accidentally walked into a room where Butterfly was playing long enough to figure out that "unbridled" was in its lyrics and suddenly decided that that's gonna be her favorite word to use randomly and liberally. (Tuesday 15 August 2017; 10:07)

Re: MC/Santana collaboration (77,824) (77,832) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Well yeah, maybe, but I'll take Rihannaish every time over Stellaish, which has unfortunately been the case for 3 years now. (Thursday 10 August 2017; 05:52)

Re: Despacito / Felices los 4 (77,814) (77,831) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Simmer down, please. Sometimes we have this tendency to take other people's opinions as if they were being posted as absolute truths, which they are not. There is such a thing as agreeing to disagree. That's how a lot of people in this board manage to coexist despite having differences. Peace. (Thursday 10 August 2017; 05:48)

Despacito / Felices los 4 (77,803) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines With Despacito, Luis Fonsi & Co. were able to capture lightning in a bottle. Not to discredit the song, it sure has its merits, but it's one of those rare unlikely hits that went far resulting from a confluence of luck, hype, and star power - so much so that the material itself became secondary (see Blurred Lines). Chances are this will end up as a once-in-a-lifetime achievement for most of those involved (possibly with the exception of Bieber) and that probably none of the artists involved will ever be able to top such achievement for the remaining stretch of their career. Thanks to this song, though, Latin music has been given a lease of life after being dormant since the early 2000s. Reggaeton is in now. If this is the song to break Mariah's record, then it is what it is. But if it were up to me, I'd honestly rather have Maluma's Felices los 4 (currently the #2 Latin song) at #1 for it being a more interesting, melodic, engaging listening experience. (Wednesday 9 August 2017; 10:23)

Re: Take a song from all albums to make the album (77,760) (77,765) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Mine would be a double-disc edition with a cheesy predictable loose narrative. Disc 1: I Came To Have A Party Heartbreaker Prisoner So Lonely I've Been Thinking About You Daydream Interlude Emotions Migrate I Know What You Want Sweetheart Didn't Mean To Turn You On Obsessed Fly Away Meteorite Disc 2: Cloud of Reverie All Alone In Love Last Kiss It's A Wrap (Remix) The Wind Never Forget You Miss You Most Candy Bling Underneath The Stars Fourth Of July Bliss Yours I Still Believe Mine Again Lead The Way (Sunday 6 August 2017; 13:32)

Re: Mimi's hair (77,735) (77,764) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Yup - Mariah should only darken her hair color if (caps) she cuts it short - around shoulder length short. Otherwise she shouldn't. Not while Stella's still around. I've had enough of twinsie fashion moments from those two and I am not prepared for a twinsie hair one. Flattering for Stella, insulting for Mariah. (Sunday 6 August 2017; 11:48)

Re: Do you guys remember this? (77,623) (77,647) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines 2008 was faultless for Mariah in terms of fashion and image. Everyone was rooting for her and her diva persona that she played out for promotion was mostly adorably tongue-in-cheek. My fave outfit that she rocked the hell out of that period was that cute blue and yellow ensemble she wore during this performance. Aside from her figure, this is proof that color choice also is key in making anyone look younger. (Wednesday 2 August 2017; 06:02)

Article: The 150 greatest albums made by women (77,482) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines While this does have a lot of essential recordings by the fairer sex, I still rebuke any list of such nature that includes just one Mariah, Janet, and Mary J album, only two Madonna albums, no sign of Lisa Stansfield's debut or self-titled album, Kylie Minogue's Fever or Body Language, Brandy's Never Say Never or Aphrodisiac, The Cardigans' First Band On The Moon, or even Lady GaGa's The Fame or The Fame Monster. Injustice. (Wednesday 26 July 2017; 13:10)

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