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

So we hating on the webmaster now? (53,097) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Really? Like really now? Could the situation have been handled better? Probably. But we can't fault a site owner for reacting to negativity and probably snapping in the process. Let alone a fansite owner for well over a decade. Freedom of speech can only go so far. If we don't like how things are run around here, then we're probably on the wrong site, or better of creating similar sites of our own. We should be happy enough that the webmaster allows us to post a myriad of topics around here, even comments that blur the line between criticism and bashing. Since this is a fan site, admiration should always, always outweigh criticism on this board. Because more of the latter messes with the balance and overall vibe of the site and renders it pointless, not to mention uninviting to new fans. Negativity - that is what the rest of the internet is for, so why dump an excess of it here. Thank you, webmaster, for creating a site that has been a home for a lot of lambs for a long time. (Friday 8 May 2015; 12:08)

It's not just Mariah who has to be "real" / MC1989 (53,072) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I get that deep inside, your comments come from a place of love. You do want Mariah to do well. You don't want cheating. We have that in common, all of us on this board do. It's just that as much as we would like her to be "real" with regards to her voice these days, we also have to return the favor, not just by lowering our own expectations, but by accepting the harsh reality that no matter how much we or probably even Mariah explains that things are not easily done as they used to be, you can never ever shake off the general public's expectation of her to still belt out Hero like she did twenty years ago. It's practically engraved in world history that Mariah Carey is synonymous with flawless octave-scaling vocals. She is pressured to live up to that. She probably takes it as a back-handed compliment of just how high she set the standard for herself in the past. So before we feel bad for ourselves for being fans of a singer who is not being "real" enough, can we first stop and take a moment to try and empathize with her somehow, no matter how impossible that may seem. So she disappoints us at times. We feel disappointed. How do we act on that? We come to this messageboard and post about how we feel let down by her. But do we really ever try to set ourselves aside first and think, "How does Mariah actually feel about herself when she lets her fans down?" For all we know, she's much harder on herself than we are on her. Peace. (Friday 8 May 2015; 3:21)

RJJ12 / Mark Ronson and Mariah (52,997) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I enjoy your posts as well, especially since you tend to point out a lot of things that most are likely to miss or skip. Thanks and that's nice of you, though I'd have you know that the keyword in your compliment is "sound". Haha. Anyways, yeah, I'd love for Mariah to work with someone as talented as Mark Ronson. Having listened to some of his work, I'd have to say the guy's terribly underrated as a producer. He recreates retro sounds like no other. His work sounds very convincing, you'd actually think the songs were actually from the decades that inspired them (his latest album is great as well). But I'd have to agree with you on the Amy part. Really, if Mariah were to do a straight-up throwback album a la Christina's Back To Basics, I would really like her to work with him. It would be interesting how he would use the wall of sound technique on a voice as unique as Mariah's. (Thursday 7 May 2015; 14:59)

TMZ audio clip (52,995) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines This proves that Mariah doesn't really have an issue with vocal quality. She can still hit them trademark runs and money notes, albeit with less ease and fluidity. It's consistency she struggles with. I'm so happy for her. (Thursday 7 May 2015; 11:42)

Favorite album? More like albums (52,921) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines My favorite would be the 90's trifecta of Daydream, Butterfly, and Rainbow. No other artist has shown such a natural yet stunning transition from pop-R&B goddess to legit hip-hop superstar. If I'm really gonna have to pick a fave album, though, it would be her sexiest album yet - Butterfly. I love listening to it back-to-back with Janet's The Velvet Rope. Sadness in introspection has never sounded so beautiful. (Wednesday 6 May 2015; 12:17)

Other promotional ideas (52,912) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines So Mimi's going back to the BBMAs after 17 years. That'd be great if she really sings live to justify the hype. Other than that, though, what else should she do? She should really up her game with the TV/public appearances. Given the leaks, Madonna's Rebel Heart would not have sold as much of its disappointing sales if she wasn't everywhere during the time of the release. I know this could be polarizing but what do you think about Mariah performiing Infinity on The Voice? I mean, the show is meh and not as popular as it was in its earlier seasons but we cannot deny that live performances on that show have propelled some songs significantly over the past few years (Chains, Burn, Lips Are Movin', and of course, Blurred Lines). The fact that it could come across as a way to shade Idol would probably be just a bonus. (Wednesday 6 May 2015; 10:14)

The "childish/immature" lyrics (52,909) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I do get how some fans may think the lyrical content of Infinity isn't necessarily age appropriate. But at the same time, this style of writing from Mariah has been out there since Rainbow, so I'd expect more people to be used to it by now. Yes, it has gotten progressively frank and hilarious throughout the years, but I don't understand how "Why you actin' so corny like Fritos?" is any different from "See right through you like you're bathin' in Windex" from 6 years ago. Some may see it as a sign of immaturity, I mean, I also probably would at times, but I just prefer to see it as Mariah finally being real and true to her emotions, even if they happen to be expressed in the silliest figures of speech. The point here is that Mariah has finally reached a certain point in her career where she can confidently write what she wants regardless of what people say, instead of trying to stick to what's deep and poetic all the time (which just isn't realistic). There's a much lesser disconnect between her real life and her songs right now. Back in the 90's (especially early on), while her output was considered lyrically mature, they were also criticized for revealing little of her actual experiences. Now, you don't see any critic complaining about her albums being contrived. At least she's expressing herself in fun (albeit occasionally cringe-worthy ways) while not resorting to the excessive self-referencing and cliched lyrics that seem to have plagued Madonna's releases since 2008. (Wednesday 6 May 2015; 5:50)

RJJ12 / All That / nostalgia (52,853) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Glad to know someone else hear loves All That as well. That song is horribly underrated despite its understated elegance. Dem synths really sparkle in it, reminiscent of 80's slow jams. Brilliant. Anyway, today's music isn't really about progression (with the exceptions of some of the latest outings of Beyonce, Lorde, The Weeknd and Charli XCX). Most of today's hits nod towards the past. Today, it's in to be nostalgic sonically. Some of the most recent biggest hits echo sounds from the past 6 decades. I know Mariah probably won't dabble in the 80's again because it reminds her of the Glitter debacle, but I mean just listen to that album. That type of musical backdrop just brings out something else out of her voice that isn't really that evident when she does more modern-sounding tracks. So she'll probably keep looking to the 50's-70's for throwback references, and I'm more than good with that because she always sounds great with those stylings, and because I'd rather hear her do that than flirt with mid-'00s generic urban pop that quickly went out of style after the TEOM era. But I'm really, really wishing for an 80's inspired record. (Tuesday 5 May 2015; 12:23)

Infinity / Ribbon (52,852) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Anyone else hear the similarities between these two tracks? When I first heard Infinity, I was intrigued, and then a few replays later, I started to really like it. A few more listens later, I realized that one of the bigger reasons that I liked it was because several aspects of the song reminded me of one of the best songs in MOAIA (in my opinion), Ribbon. Of course that sounded more modern and hip-hop, but I think Infinity is somehow what Ribbon would've sounded like if it were recorded in the 90s. Similarities include: 1. Brassy instrumentation. 2. Rolling midtempo beat. 3. Some sing-speaking. 4. Mariah's airy, "drier" sounding vocals. 5. Colloquialisms. Of course I'll always love Ribbon more, as I feel like that's exactly what the color magenta would sound like if it were a song, but I'll gladly listen to Infinity every now and then. (Tuesday 5 May 2015; 12:00)

Chill pill, anyone? (52,475) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Can we all just take a step back, take a deep breath, and just appreciate the fact that Mariah's still making music at all that still manages to top iTunes charts in several countries? How many artists of her age can actually say that? It's a testament to how many lives she still touches with her music, and shows who of her fans are always going to love and accept her no matter what she releases because they as much as they appreciate her music, they appreciate her more as a person and would gladly and even blindly do anything for her, including buy music that, judging from the polarity of responses, half the world apparently already thinks is crap. I realized I can be a bit of a hypocrite as well because as much as I criticize her out of love, I still feel like a kid in a candy store every time she releases new material, whether I happen to like it or not. I believe what we need now is a little bit of empathy. It can be exhausting for her to constantly try to live up to the standards she set for herself. That's difficult enough. What makes us think that she should always live up to our impossibly high standards as well? (Tuesday 28 April 2015; 15:44)

Infinity (52,462) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Cons: 1) A third of the lyrics are delivered in such a rapid-fire manner that, although works for the song and sounds good, makes it a bit of a challenge to figure out what she's singing. 2) Her voice sounds the driest it's ever been. I mean it still sounds outstanding, but just more labored than usual. Straining is especially obvious during the chorus. Must've been either a bad vocal day during recording or that she wanted to keep the vocals imperfect and gritty to convey emotion. I'm hoping for the latter. 3) The stitching of different takes of her vocals has never been more obvious. The overall production is great, it's just the vocal production that sounds a bit patchy. 4) Some may deem the lyrics "too young" for her. 5) It sounds quite difficult to perform live especially during the belted chorus. Pros: 1) While not exactly the most radio friendly, at least she didn't have to resort to top 40-caliber songs that are so easily digestible (looking at you, Katy) even she's aware that is kinda what her career needs right now. She didn't have to compromise her artistry for an easy hit. 2) The song has hooks that are more memorable than half of the material from MIAMTEC. 3) The throwback thing still works wonderfully for her, classier than any other artist. 4) It's quite melodic and keeps the listener's interest thanks to Mariah's varied delivery. 5) It's like a very neatly wrapped/packaged gift, it ends the same elegant way it started. Wrapped up, ribbon with a bow on it. (Tuesday 28 April 2015; 11:27)

One by one (52,203) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Good single cover, check. That's at least one thing out of the way. Now waiting for amazing song, strong sales, and positive reception. Fingers crossed. Side note: wouldn't it be really nice if some celebs - it doesn't even matter who they are - would tweet about the song release or how much they love the song? That would give some much needed push especially if they have millions of followers. Or I really hope some celebrity lambs make a video lip-synching to Infinity. That propelled Call Me Maybe to the top, and seems to be keeping Carly's I Really Like You on iTunes. I mean yeah, it's not original, but we need all the help we can get. (Saturday 25 April 2015; 11:56)

Infinity (52,180) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Just sitting here hoping and praying that everything goes right this time. The title is already perfect. It's memorable. It's quite intriguing, even. So here's hoping that every other aspect comes together perfectly - the single art, the video, Mariah's opening night in Vegas, her image, all of her fans, the promotion strategies, the general public response, the music channels, the radio stations, the remixes, and most of all, the song. Dear God, please give this woman another chance to bring back classy R&B back to radio again. It's been a long time coming, and right now, nobody deserves another shot at it better than she does. Lambs, we gotta rally through. Hard. (Friday 24 April 2015; 17:00)

Alone In Love (52,135) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines For some reason I feel like its the most elegant song off the debut album. I often listen to it back-to-back with Sent From Up Above. So classy. Those two are my favorite non-singles from it. Alone In Love had serious hit potential. Had it been released, it could have topped the charts, or at least peak within the top 3. (Thursday 23 April 2015; 8:04)

Mariah the veteran (52,094) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Not sure where the tipping point was, but I'm guessing it was somewhere between E=MC2 and MOAIA when Mariah had really accepted her status as a veteran artist who no longer has to prove herself worthy of attention because her achievements already speak for themselves in echoes. Up until E=MC2, it's as if her music had this certain undercurrent of calculation. After that, her output started to sound more loosely structured, like she was just making music for the joy of it. She doesn't sound like she's fishing for another #1 hit anymore. That's why her last 2 albums were also her least commercial ones. And I believe this self-awareness has led to greater artistic achievements. Unfortunately, this attitude has also spilled over to her performances and promotion. She's more inclined to winging it most of the time now, which has resulted in maddeningly inconsistent appearances. Her devil-may-care attitude has never been stronger. And sadly, it's a double-edged sword. So yeah, ideally, anyone who's having her first residency on Las Vegas should be practìcing less than a month before her opening night. But then again, she's Mariah, so... (Tuesday 21 April 2015; 15:54)

RJJ12 / Fantasy album version (52,019) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I completely feel you on the whole Fantasy thing. I mean, sure the remix was what gave it longevity on the charts, and ODB's feature is just awesome on the track, but it also omits 3 hooks, including the swirling intricate harmonies of shoo-doo-doos and oh-oh-ohs as well as that delirious roller coaster ride of a chorus, which in turn takes a way a lot of its girlish effervescence and charm. The more beat-driven remix is impressive and historic for being the first thug love duet that came as a result of the most unlikely collaboration at the time, starting a trend that would become a regular fixture in today's music scene. But its the original version where Mariah has the most creative input and magic, as she tries to balance the addictive yet overpowering beat with her syllabic harmonies and hooks. Why not take the rap part from the remix and try to seamlessly place it on the original one? If the issue is that doing so will make the track too long, then that's just them because I personally have very rarely had issues with song length when it comes to Mariah. (Sunday 19 April 2015; 11:04)

Mariah's consistency (52,018) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I'm also a fan of Janet and Madonna. I believe their impact in music will not be surpassed, as they have not just burned up the charts especially during their prime, they more importantly have created music that would still prominently be heard in today's landscape, as well as paving the way for all female singers in expressing themselves through fluid sexuality and provocative imagery. However, as much as I love them, I'd have to admit that when I listen to their records in chronological order, there is a noticeable deterioration in the quality of output. No one could touch them during the 80's, while only Mariah rivaled them in the 90's. After that, though, Jan has gone downhill post All For You, and while Rebel Heart is somehow a return to form for Madge (and yes, Bitch I'm Madonna is the worst song on it), it isn't as good as her last great album Confessions On A Dance Floor. This is mostly what makes me proud to be a lamb, because the quality of Mariah's output has been pretty consistent throughout her entire career (I actually feel like she's better in any era from Daydream onwards than any of her albums that came before it). She has matured as a songwriter, relying less on cliches, generalities, and shmaltz than she did during her first 4 years. Just listen to the output, as much as she seems to "try hard" to stay relevant on Thirsty, it's still more age appropriate and doesn't sound as desperate as Gimme All Your Luvin' or Feedback (though I do love the latter). (Sunday 19 April 2015; 10:44)

Mimi L. / Ardis / pushback (51,959) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines So the May 6 thing was just a rumor then. Gullible me. Haha. I still stand by my point about pushbacks, though, as there were several dates over the past 2 years that were set, announced, and moved. That can't happen this time. Just no. Mimi L., your idea of the iconic looks sounds great as well. Also nostalgia-inducing. Oh well. I hope they don't (or didn't) slack on the video. It's crucial. Another clip of her touching herself and she'll be eaten alive. (Friday 17 April 2015; 11:47)

Ardis / pushbacks (51,957) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I agree. Constant pushbacks were responsible for sinking MIAMTEC before it even had a chance. Perhaps once is fine, but more than that, people start to lose patience, not to mention interest, and from what we have had to live through in the past 2 years, it's all downhill from there, especially for an artists over 40. Some may argue otherwise, but just ask J.Lo. and Madonna. In a perfect world, good music will always find its way to the top of the charts. But in reality - this present reality - quality doesn't assure success. Nowadays, good music will sell only if today's music-buying public is smart enough to recognize it. Most times, a huge chunk of today's listeners constantly seek for what's hot, what's in, who's young, and who's new, even if it's all for the wrong reasons. Stick to a date. Deliver on that date. Go all out on promotion. Lambs will do their part. If all still fails, at least we all did our best. (Friday 17 April 2015; 11:24)

Mimi L. (51,952) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I love that idea. Though selfishly, I would like it better if she got an element each from every video of each #1 song (may be an outfit, a prop, a backdrop, etc.) and incorporate them in a creative way with a coherent storyline. That'd be genius, fun, and nostalgic all at once. Please, Mariah, don't botch the video. We haven't got a passable one since Obsessed and maybe even the Up Out My Face (Remix). It's pretty worrying, as both of those were both made in the previous decade. (Friday 17 April 2015; 10:17)

Infinity back cover (51,941) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Thank you webmaster for posting the ad pic for #1 to Infinity, I saw it here first. Is it weird that I like the back cover more than the front? I mean sure, Mimi looks great on that (though I'd prefer the one from the shoot where she's actually smiling, but I just feel like the back cover is just the best way to showcase the tracklist. (Friday 17 April 2015; 2:39)

Thoughts (51,910) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I think Mariah releasing an updated collection of her #1 songs may not exactly be the most profitable decision, but considering the current state of her career and image, it's what she needs to reintroduce herself to today's younger audience. It may very well be her most pivotal career move yet, as the fates of her succeeding new material from here on out may depend on whether or not this compilation does its job well of bridging the gap between her biggest commercial flop so far and her next masterpiece. A lot is riding on Infinity. It being the only additional track on the compilation may mean two things: 1) Mariah wants to stay true to the title. Should Infinity underperform, at least that would make it just one dud in a collection of #1s. 2) Her team and new label really believe in the song's potential on the charts. It's probably that good, or at least we hope it is. As a bad side effect, this unintentionally oversells the song, so it better be the s**t to justify the hype. Of course as fans, we will forever want more new material from her, so I understand the disappointment of some on this board. But who knows? Maybe she'll announce a deluxe/special version with extra previously unreleased tracks. For now I just hope Infinity won't leak before its official release. They were able to keep #Beautiful under wraps before it was released, so I hope this follows suit. And this better have a kickass creative video as well, not just a montage of glamour shots. (Thursday 16 April 2015; 11:32)

Does anybody else want a sonic sequel to Glitter? (51,906) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines As someone who loves 80's music to bits (new wave, new jack swing, time-stamped keyboard, blaring synths and that overall dark, seemingly empty, bottomless sound), I love the Glitter soundtrack. Based on some of those characteristics, my favorite upbeat track on that album has to be Didn't Mean To Turn You On. On the midtempo side, it would be Want You. Of the slow tracks, it's Lead The Way. And as much as I love Mariah's 50's-70's throwback songs (Your Girl, Circles, I'm That Chick, It's A Wrap, and Make It Look Good are my favorite songs off her most recent releases), just the other day, I heard a new song by, of all singers, Carly Rae Jepsen (yes, weird, I know) that has me wishing Mariah does an 80's inspired album again. Carly's All That is giving me some 80's quiet storm realness right now (think of the slow jams from Janet's Control album). Of course that's mostly thanks to the brilliant production by Blood Orange, but I guess that's the point. Maybe Mariah should break away from her comfort zone. Seek out less known up-and-coming producers (the way she does rappers). That will freshen up her sound even more. I personally would want her to release a lush atmospheric album like Jessie Ware's Devotion or Tough Love someday, as I feel her voice would fit such sophisticated sound like a diamond-studded glove, but if that doesn't happen, I'd just wish she would be more open to working with producers no one would ever expect her to work with. (Thursday 16 April 2015; 5:40)

Uptown down (51,905) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Another one bites the dust. If I haven't commented for a while, it's probably because I was worried that Uptown Funk would match One Sweet Day's record. Haha. Keyword, though is "match". But I actually love Uptown Funk. I thought for sure that it would take a longer time for any song to match, let alone surpass the staying power of Blurred Lines, but when I first heard UF, I felt that of all the #1s released since Rolling In The Deep (which I believe underperformed), it had the best potential for longevity, and it did. Two interesting things: 1) Three of the most recent chart-toppers that were able to stay on top for at least 10 weeks were all throwback tracks (Happy being the third one). Throwback is still in. 2) What is it with week 14? It's like the spot where all One Sweet Day-wannabes go to die. (Sadly, even We Belong Together suffered from this weird "curse" of some sort.) (Thursday 16 April 2015; 4:34)

Ageism (48,828) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It's not set in stone, but legacy artists eventually do struggle with maintaining public interest. Such struggle just becomes even more and more of an uphill battle as they get older. Okay, Cher did top the charts with Believe in 1999 when she was in her 50s, but that was pretty much just her being lucky to have released the right song at the right time. A lot about commercial and even critical success with music has to do with perfect timing, regardless of talent or quality. In a perfect world, MIAMTEC would have topped the charts all around the world for weeks if based solely on its quality. Unexpected successes are very rare and fleeting most of the time. So if someone as commercially ruthless as Madonna has her latest EP falling down the charts faster than you can read this sentence despite all the hype caused by the leaks that happened and her controversial comments about it before its release, then no artist of her age is guaranteed success. A lot of today's music consumers are tweens. We know how they are, they generally gravitate towards people who are hot and young, and tend to dismiss those who are older. I'm not saying it's impossible for Mariah to score another hit based on Madonna's recent performance. But that debacle from such a prominent artist just proves how trickier it is to make it and stay commercially relevant in the music scene these days. (Tuesday 30 December 2014; 2:12)

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