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

Me. I am tired (44,585) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Okay, everyone should just down a vial of chill pills and just hush for a while. "Positive" fans, let's try not to be all up in arms whenever someone tries to criticize Mariah. It's fine, as long as it doesn't cross the line of outright bashing/trolling. "Objective" fans, let's try not go into so much detail or use such an authoritative tone when discussing topics that can be quite touchy. And both parties, let's not take everything too seriously and get too defensive when our opinions are challenged/disagreed with. Despite a right called freedom of speech and a thing called healthy discussion, this still is a fan site - if you're a casual visitor like me, I can say for all of us who check in once a while that it's disheartening coming to a site where everyone seems to be attacking and piling on each other (which I admit I've done once and now regret). We have to realize that not all fans have the same tolerance for that. Of course most of these arguments aren't serious, but they thicken the atmosphere on what is supposed to be a positive or at the very least, neutral environment. Thing is, on sites like these, despite the presence of punctuations and emoticons, it's hard to convey tone in our messages. We should therefore take everything we read with a grain of salt. The webmaster has been generous enough to maintain this site for so long, open enough to accept every fan, and lenient enough to allow difference of opinion. Let's respect that, Mariah, and each other as well. (Monday 9 June 2014; 7:23)

I can't even... (44,583) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Well that was a joke. I know this was her least promoted proper studio album, that the singles were a mess and overall generally weak, that the public's perception of her has dropped to astonishing new lows thanks to that feud and several botched performances, and that she's over 40 in a brutally ageist industry; but seriously, less than 60k in the first week for an artist of Mimi's caliber and star power would catch anyone off guard. I really hope she learns from this and can change things accordingly to her favor in the future. I know it's still too early and that this situation can still be turned around, but it pains me to see her bomb like this. But am I a black lamb (ha) if I sheepishly admit that I kinda was rooting for something to happen for her to realize that her image has gotten way outta hand especially these past 3 years? (Let's face it, fame has progressively gotten to our girl's head since about the Rainbow era. Glitter humbled her, which was evident in Charmbracelet, and so she felt like she had to prove herself again to everyone, hence TEOM. But ever since E=MC2, her diva antics seemed to have escalated.) Maybe this was a much needed wake-up call - but it's such a shame, because did it really have to happen with this album, arguably her best set since 2005, and in some respects, even 1997? I'm just glad she has a family now to fall back on, cushion the blow. She didn't have that back in 2001-2003. (Monday 9 June 2014; 3:56)

Vocal layering / single choices and chronology (44,389) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I must say the use of background voices in this album has been the most on point it has been since TEOM. Only 2 female artists to me create the most dizzyingly ethereal vocal layering in this world and those are Mariah and Janet. Sorry, I love me some harmonies. And now to the album's commercial success or lack thereof. This album might be off to a slow start but frankly, I would much prefer a sleeper hit than a #1 debut only to fall off quickly in the next few weeks. Chart longevity can be achieved if the next single choices are on point and promoted well, even in an era as frustrating as this. My choices are as follows in such order as well:You Don't Know What To Do - summer 2014 (Check. Now Mimi, head to a disco roller rink or maybe an amusement park for the video. With a good concept and narrative as well.) Faded - fall 2014 (Has such an unique chorus. Her best attempt at recreating the magoc of We Belong Together without sounding that much like it.) Money ($*/...) - winter 2014 (This is most fit for the Christmas season, and may benefit from its festive holiday feel and reference, plus the renewed interest for her catalogue by then.) Make It Look Good/Dedicated - winter-spring 2015 (Wildcard options for Valentine's season.) Meteorite - spring-summer 2015 (I really hope we get to this point next year still releasing singles.) What do you think? (Sunday 1 June 2014; 16:48)

Make It Look Good makes me feel good (44,386) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I'm so glad a lot of you are loving Make It Look Good as well. In terms of the most successful attempts of Mimi on recreating an old school sound, this is right up there with Forever as her best. Actually, like I've said before, she rarely does doo-wop but whenever she does, she never fails to impress (Never Forget You, Forever, It's A Wrap). Does anybody else feel like this song is the groovier sister of Janet's I Want You (which is also exceptional)? That breeziness, those harmonies, Stevie's harmonica, that overall sexy summer vibe - we haven't even gotten to the her vocals yet and it already sounds like a winner. This is definitely the most effortless, sexiest sounding song on the album, and at least to me, since the slow jams in Charmbracelet or even Butterfly. If I seem to be overpraising it, it's because it never fails to make me smile and all giddy every time I hear it. Whether the future singles from this album perform well or not, since the history of that for this era has already been messy anyway, I'd like her to just release this one just for the sake of doing so, I mean maybe for a fall or winter release, since You Don't Know What To Do will be filling in for the summer. We'll never know, it might take off and may very well be her next huge hit. Let's go against the grain and see where it takes us. #Beautiful didn't sound like anything on the radio last year, not even Miguel's own singles, but look at how that turned out. (Sunday 1 June 2014; 16:09)

Oh no you didn't (44,311) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Since I only come here once in a while, I try not to judge other fans' opinions nor address them personally because I don't know them enough to do so. But this comment generalizing some or most of us as post-Charmbracelet fans is just uncalled for. As a Mariah fan, do you realize how your statement can actually come across as some condescending shade about our taste in music, especially for some of us who actually became fans within the past decade and thus haven't lived through the same golden period you experienced? I hope you understand why some would get fired up if you say something as sweeping as Mariah not releasing anything good since '97, because it just is such a strong statement, even if it was just to your standard. If so, then we must've just imagined the countless awards and critical success she has had post-Butterfly. And Mariah has grown a lot since then. That includes her entire creative process. It's nice that you're hopeful that she may be able to blow you away again someday, but don't brand other fans as people who won't comprehend the earlier part of her career just because they're from this or that era, or imply that some fans are just blind followers who are so consumed by their love for Mariah, which you can't relate to because you have a life. I hope that's not what you really meant because clearly, I'm not the only one here who was ticked off. No one should apologize for expressing themselves, given that they don't step on other fans in the process. (Friday 30 May 2014; 15:58)

Album as a whole thoughts (44,242) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Never has Mariah taken the word throwback more seriously or literally in any album more than this. It's a slow-burner with only a few single choices - all of them risky, especially in today's musical landscape. There's a Janet Jackson-ish feel of cohesiveness throughout the album, where each song seamlessly segues to the next, sans the unnecessary interludes. Her vocals also sound healthier than they were on MOAIA, and have not been utilized and stretched this much since TEOM. This is also her least commercial yet most age-appropriate release yet. It serves as a lookback at her career - containing at least one song to represent a phase in her musical evolution, spanning her progression from adult contemporary pop, to R&B, to hip-hop, to urban, then retro soul. It ends up sounding like an amalgam of everything she has done before, which isn't bad, but isn't necessarily all good either. Every artist who's blessed to have a career with longevity is bound to release at least one retrospective chronicle of their journey at some point, and for her, if this is it, then it does the job really well. To me, this is on par with TEOM. While it does lack that album's radio-friendly appeal, but trumps it in terms of maturity and introspection. (Thursday 29 May 2014; 4:27)

Track-by-track thoughts (44,238) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines C. - Heavy start to the album. The vocals kick in and you know she means business. F - Would not have sounded out of place on MOAIA. "Echo" would have been a better title, though. D - A little bit too on the nose with the nostalgia concept, but works well thanks to the laid back vibe. #B - Flows well with the overall vibe of the album. Most commercial song. T - Sounds straight out of TEOM. The harmonious refrain saves it from being monotonous. MILG - She rarely does doo-wop, but when she does, she nails it every time. YM(E) - Has atmospheric quality that's reminiscent of MOAIA. YDKWTD - Single material, but sounds too sophisticated for radio right now, even with disco throwbacks being in vogue. S - Dembabies are cute, but there's a bit too much giggling in the song that somehow distracts from a stellar vocal performance. M - Another potential single. Her first song in a long while that, even in its original version, already sounds like a remix. C - While the staccatto singing in YM(E) lent a hypnotic effect, here it gives a subtle sense of pleading and longing. M($*/...) - Breezy jam that sounds like it was lifted from Charmbracelet. OMT - Lacks emotional depth of the original. A commendable technical effort, but sounds too pretty to be believable. H(NWT/CGUN) - Would have done much better without the background beats. Her best attempt at gospel since Fly Like A Bird. TAOLG- Would've been a perfect closer to the album only if it didn't already follow two long closing ballads. (Thursday 29 May 2014; 3:29)

(44,204) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines The question I will ask later in this post may be way off and in fact might even be offensive to some of us, so I apologize in advance to anyone who may find it so as I don't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers. To say LA Reid has nailed it this time would be an understatement. It's hard enough to stage a comeback for an artist with a career that spans decades who is alive, which makes it even more impressive that he was able to mastermind the MJ fever revival almost 5 years after his death, especially following the relatively dismal performance of his first posthumous compilation of material. Not to mention the fans are actually pretty much divided about the idea of releasing music after his death, so that definitely was an added challenge. But still, he and his team pulled it off really well. Now my polarising question is this: hypothetically, when Mariah is gone, will you allow her team to release her records posthumously? Would you be one of those fans who would agree and lap them up because every bit of Mariah counts? Or would you be one of those who think those records didn't make the cut for good reasons and just would rather that they remain unreleased? (Wednesday 28 May 2014; 15:29)

Angels Advocate (44,200) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Does anybody else as well feel relieved that the Angels Advocate album didn't get released at all? I mean, all of the "remixed" songs from that album were barely even touched at all. Like somebody else mentioned here earlier, all of them stink of the same lazy "cut-and-paste" routine. It makes you even wonder how this whole idea of a remix album was even concieved in the first place, let alone considered. It had "legacy tarnishing" written all over it. It's funny because it's almost as if Mariah forgot what "remix" means - ironic, considering she was responsible for some of the most memorable remixes (dance or hip-hop) in the 90s. Of the 5 songs that were "remixed", I feel like only Ribbon with The-Dream and Ludacris was the only one where the original song structure was altered the most (and that's not saying a lot, because they still retained the beat, just removed the lazy drone in the background). Even worse, there was no trace of a resung vocal to be found in any of the supposedly "reworked" material. Thank God this was shut down because it definitely would have been a massive commercial flop following the already underwheming performance of its parent album. Plus, the critics would have never let us heard the end of it. (Wednesday 28 May 2014; 14:51)

Mariah's current voice (44,162) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Am I the only one who doesn't find the current state of Mariah's voice not that bad as a lot say it is? Yes, she may have lost the fluidity, power, fullness, and vibrance of her voice back in the 90s, but in turn she has gained grit and experience (like Whitney did circa My Love Is Your Love) that, in my opinion, serves her well, as she can now better convey emotions in what she sings, thus making them more believable than they would have sounded if she sang them 20 years ago. I'm not exactly equating the leathery rasp she has adapted with expression, but when she sings now, while it does sound a lot nasal, thinner, and more labored, it also sounds more convincing, thus making even some of her material which are "a bit too young" for her (Ribbon, Obsessed, Up Out My Face) somehow sound more age-appropriate (it works even better for her more lyrically/thematically mature songs). That's not to say she didn't know how to express emotions before, it's just that in the early 90s, she almost seemed like she was always trying to prove herself that she was always so technically impressive that it kind of overpowered the feelings in whatever she sang. Let's face it, Mimi (again, just like Whitney) did oversing a lot earlier in her career. That was the #1 complaint of critics and regular music listeners back then. I feel like Daydream was actually the first album that she learned that less could be more, and from then on, those complaints faded away. Just my two cents, though. (Tuesday 27 May 2014; 16:35)

Nasal quality, "accent" (44,161) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Someone has asked about the nasal quality to Mariah's voice lately or that somehow she sounds like she's singing with an accent. I believe it's because Mariah's lung power can't quite sustain long notes now like she used to that she has to compensate by singing with her mouth open a bit narrower (to let less air out) and that in turn affects her enunciation (especially vowels). (Tuesday 27 May 2014; 16:22)

Similarities and excitement (43,337) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines For some reason, single performances and incoherent interviews aside, the promotional aspect is era is shaping up to be very reminiscent of that of The Emancipation of Mimi. The cover art employs a similar layout, the title is also explicitly self-referential, and the release date falls within the same quarter of the year. Here's hoping she finally charges into promoting this with the same gusto and drive she had during that glorious era - we're talking relatable TV appearances, coherent radio interviews, spot-on single choices, and creative concept music videos to promote them. It's quite a lot to ask for, but almost 5 years of hard work should not be taken lightly and must not be in vain. Nevertheless, I'm so excited, I don't even care that the album covers are a tad too airbrushed or that the release date has been pushed back yet again, I'm just ready for the music and I know Mariah won't disappoint me in that aspect (like, ever). Commercial and critical success will just be cream and cherries on top. (Thursday 8 May 2014; 5:22)

Album title (43,335) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines It is quite long, over the top, and even a bit obnoxious, but I think the title is quite fitting considering her place in today's music scene. To a new generation of music lovers (that make up more than half of the current music-buying population) who are practically children and are ever so quick to patronize everything that's young, hip, fresh, and bombastic, Mariah is like an middle-aged aunt- they know and respect her, but don't think she's cool. This title sort of reintroduces her to everyone - calling out all fans she ever had and possibly lost, high-fiving those who still are, and offering a handshake to the new ones she can gain. I love how they also poked fun at the multiple setbacks the album suffered with the "Elusive Chanteuse" part. (Thursday 8 May 2014; 5:02)

Schedule of events before May 6 (41,922) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Only 2 months to go before the album release date, so we could probably expect a title by the end of March, a tracklist by early April, then the cover reveal by the middle of the month. I hope she doesn't fall victim to an album leak before the release date like what happened to Ciara weeks before she was supposed to drop her album last year. She should also share an album sampler before April ends and stream her album on iTunes the week before it's released. Sure, the latter move would increase chances of web-rips, but knowing Mariah's current image and popularity, she could benefit from a little re-introduction. (Sunday 2 March 2014; 7:37)

Ariana Grande (41,919) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Sorry for the barrage of (long) posts I have decided to unleash upon this board. Haha. It's just that I probably wouldn't be able to post for quite some time. I like Ariana. Sure, she can never hold a candle to Mariah, she's more like Mariah-lite. Her debut album somehow filled in the void that Mariah left when she delayed her album release 4 times since 2012. She sings with the fluidity of young Mariah, and although her whistle notes are not quite as stratospheric and her voice lacks the heft and richness of her idol's, no one can deny that she's talented. I'm fine with her "aping" Mariah's style, whether it's intentional or not. I'd rather her look to Mimi as inspiration than waste her talent on some generic top 40 production and add to today's pile of musical garbage. Besides, all the comparisons between them actually benefits Mariah, because Ariana's young fans who haven't got a clue who Mimi is will probably look her up and discover her formidable discography. I wouldn't mind a duet between them in the future. That would be nice, like a "passing of the throne" kind of thing, like what Madonna did to Britney. A lot of artists have been hailed as the "new Mariah" when they started out. To me, at least vocally and sonically, somehow Ariana fits the bill best. Don't get me wrong, there will never, ever be a "new Mariah". But if she ever gets an heir-apparent, I'm glad it's Ariana. She just need to work on her enunciation and songwriting more. (Sunday 2 March 2014; 4:40)

You're Mine (Eternal) (41,918) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I like the song. I love its ethereal vibe. I agree, though, that it doesn't sound fresh at all. It's got mid-2000's stamped all over it, which is currently a bad thing in today's musical landscape. It also sounds like an amalgam of her past hits with its theme and overall sound. What it has going for it are its hypnotic chorus and a final note that reminds everybody who's queen. I know Mariah isn't one of those artists that predictably choose the best single material to precede her albums, but if I choose to think otherwise and YME is considered among the best of the lot, then I'm a bit worried about the whole album. So I'm just gonna shrug off that doubt and believe she will deliver as she always does. (Sunday 2 March 2014; 4:06)

Matthew (41,917) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I can't even think of a better explanation for the poor performance of Mariah's releases lately. A lot about the success of music nowadays relies on timing. It's about staying hip and current and changing with the times, as if being almost transient. I really has become much trickier than before. Music trends also tend to be unpredictable in this digital age. A decade ago, they were more obvious. In 1998-2001, bubblegum teen pop was all the rage; in 2002-2004, urban was pop; that segued into the domination of R&B from 2005-2008; followed by EDM in 2009-2011. Over the past two years until today, there seems to be no trend at all, what with all the chart-toppers ranging from straight up pop (Katy Perry), to adult contemporary (Adele), to retro-tinged (Bruno Mars), to hip-hop/rap (Mackemore and Ryan Lewis) to even unconventional "indie-ish" genres that woudn't be usually considered "number-one material" (Gotye and Lorde). Maybe that's why it's harder for Mariah to catch a break. People are looking for something fresh, unexpected, and even unusual. Now that the album is almost done, I hope Mariah and her team came up with innovative sounds that strike the perfect balance between appealing to a wider, younger audience, while not alienating her core fanbase. (Sunday 2 March 2014; 3:47)

JT (41,905) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I really hope the JT rumors are true. Even though there may have been bad things that happened between them pre-TEOM, I'd be glad to know that they smoothed things over. The hype over Justin's latest album may have died down a considerable amount, but he still is very much a newsmaker mostly because of his current touring. Both he and Mimi love using vocal harmonies, he dabbles in retro-soul quite often in his songs, and I love his alternative and at times forward-thinking take on R&B and pop. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 17:51)

Familiarity (41,903) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I feel like Mariah's biggest fault is her tendency to resort to familiarity on pretty much everything she does. Think of it, the producers she works with, the stories she tells and retells in interviews, the other people involved in her career, etc. Relying on what's familiar is a double-edged sword, because as it may make things easier and more comfortable for her, it also sets her up to do the same thing over and over again, thus making her output boring or even worse, making her commit the same mistakes repeatedly. She must realize that whenever she steps out and tries new things, the results are pretty much always magical or at the very least, interesting - '80's sounds on the whole Glitter album, reggae on Cruise Control, '70's jazz in Underneath The Stars, Danja producing Migrate (proof that Mariah plus autotune can work without tarnishing her reputation as a big-voiced diva), and most recently, having Miguel on #Beautiful. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 16:39)

Etc (41,902) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines I just realized I left out the part where I should tell something about myself. I'm someone who listens to a lot of music of possibly all genres although my preferences lean toward jazz, R&B, and pop, most of the time in that order. As much as I listen to The Beatles, Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder and other artists that are well known and revered by many, please don't hate me when I say I also love a lot of today's artists as well, in fact, some of them are constantly some shade and sometimes even bashed in here, like Lady GaGa, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande. I tend to like artists that inject a throwback vibe to their sound such as Pixie Lott and especially Amy Winehouse and Adele (who perfectly marries current and classic). I love electronica; not afraid of it. Techno, especially EDM has been given a bad reputation the past few years because of the creativity the producers fail to put into their work. I love a lot of Brit pop, ranging from Swing Out Sister to Tears For Fears to Corinne Bailey Rae to George Michael to even Sophie Ellis-Bextor. When I hear a song, it's usually always the melody that grabs me first, then the musical backdrop, then the vibe they create together. I love Mariah because she comes up with the best melodies and can make dizzying harmonies that probably only Janet Jackson can rival. At her best, she's one of the most skilled songwriters. I feel that she's best when she's being specific - she paints a scenario so vivid, it's real. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 16:20)

Hi (41,901) by this_is_qhm from the Philippines Hi, everyone. I've been visiting this messageboard since last year but I have just decided to join in and take part of all the madness that happens here. First of all, I'd like to express my appreciation for all the time and effort the webmaster puts into this site. It's a paradigm of unconditional labor of love. And since this is a messageboard, there are bound to be differences in opinions and beliefs, which to me is great, because we kind of serve as a Mariah focus group (worldwide at that), or like a sample population in a Mariah related study. Just a glance at this messageboard can give anyone a good idea about how the die hard lambs, not-so-much-lambs, and lambs-to-be think and feel about her. When I read stuff online that are in line with the sentiment that "the lambs are gonna eat up anything she releases or does", I really want to refer the authors of the those articles or comments to this site to realize that while what they think is mostly true, it's actually also us fans that are the first to tear her apart when we are disappointed by anything she does, says, or releases. As bad as that may sound, it's actually a good thing. The reason why a lot of us here post our grievances is actually the same reason why we post our appreciation for her as well. Not solely for expression, but for this underlying hope we keep that Mariah will somehow stumble unto this board and get a consensus of how her fans truly feel about her, and what she could do to address that. (Saturday 1 March 2014; 15:34)