March 1, 2013

Pic: Elder Ordonez/INF

Credit

"It's a lot to juggle, but I'm handling it," Mariah Carey says while driving to an evening studio session in Las Vegas for her new album.

In town for the Vegas week segment of American Idol, the first-year judge was on her way to meet up with producers Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox after having put dem babies to bed. "It's about making sure I have tons of good music, because at the end of the day, that's the most important thing," says Carey, who had worked with the pair ("We have our own chemistry," she adds) until 6 a.m. that morning from the night before.

She's also enlisted producers Big Jim Wright, Hit-Boy, The-Dream and Rodney Jerkins for tracks on the set.

Declining to reveal the album's title, she does allow that there are a "lot more raw ballads than people might expect." There are also uptempo and signature-type songs that represent her different facets as an artist. "Wherever we go with this project, I've tried to keep the soul and heart in it," she says, "with me obviously as the through-line." According to Dupri, "One particular song is definitely going to be a huge fan favorite, in my opinion."

Carey's last non-holiday studio album, 2009's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and sparked the hit "Obsessed." She's excited about collaborations with her No. 1 "Honey" cohort Q-Tip and DJ Cassidy this time around. The singer didn't specify if her collaboration with Q-Tip and DJ Cassidy would be for the new album.

"I was and still am in a very prolific space," says Carey, who recently released the single "Almost Home" for the March 8 Disney film "Oz the Great and Powerful." She co-wrote and co-produced the song with Stargate; a David La Chappelle-directed video is coming soon. Whether it or her 2012 single "Triumphant" with Rick Ross and Meek Mill will appear on the new album remains to be seen. In the meantime, Carey says she's enjoying her creative streak. "I could say, 'Let's stop now.' But that's not who I am, and that's not what I want this record to be. I really want the fans to love this record."

Me and Mariah

More raw ballads? I hope this means they won't be backed by mechanical drum beats! Mimi know she has enough bread that she can hire REAL musicians to play on her album. It doesn't all have to be computer generated. We should be able to get real music out of her outside of a Christmas album.

kitbradley said:

More raw ballads? I hope this means they won't be backed by mechanical drum beats! Mimi know she has enough bread that she can hire REAL musicians to play on her album. It doesn't all have to be computer generated. We should be able to get real music out of her outside of a Christmas album.

Right!

If they're not in the same vein as Subtle Invitation, then "raw" is out of the equation.

I feel like I never waited so long for Mariah material before. The Christmas album was THREE Christmases ago already, and those Xmas albums barely count!

[Edited 3/2/13 15:15pm]

the hard pill 2 swallow 4 artist like mariah,prince, janet and toni braxton and a few choice others the music that has helped them become worldwide stars isnt popular now.live musicians isnt popular on records everybosy auto tuning and using all kinds of digital tricks now days.rap is dominating r &b music so most artist have 2 infuse in2 their music 2 feel relevant

cbarnes3121 said:

the hard pill 2 swallow 4 artist like mariah,prince, janet and toni braxton and a few choice others the music that has helped them become worldwide stars isnt popular now.live musicians isnt popular on records everybosy auto tuning and using all kinds of digital tricks now days.rap is dominating r &b music so most artist have 2 infuse in2 their music 2 feel relevant

Except the fact that those artists already made their stamp and no longer have to prove themselves by going through the motions.

I don't know what Mariah and the others true motives are, but I respect Toni for being honest enough to say that she's no longer in love with music.

It shows in Mariah's music as well, you'll a hear a glimpse of greatness but the majority of her recent material doesn't showcase her talent or any growth.

The Dream? Jermaine Dupri? Looks to me like she is making the same album that she has already done several times before I bet that every other track will feature a "guest rapper".

Call me up when she does something soulful and meaningful like "Fly Like A Bird",which I really liked.

Harlepolis said:

cbarnes3121 said:

the hard pill 2 swallow 4 artist like mariah,prince, janet and toni braxton and a few choice others the music that has helped them become worldwide stars isnt popular now.live musicians isnt popular on records everybosy auto tuning and using all kinds of digital tricks now days.rap is dominating r &b music so most artist have 2 infuse in2 their music 2 feel relevant

Except the fact that those artists already made their stamp and no longer have to prove themselves by going through the motions.

I don't know what Mariah and the others true motives are, but I respect Toni for being honest enough to say that she's no longer in love with music.

It shows in Mariah's music as well, you'll a hear a glimpse of greatness but the majority of her recent material doesn't showcase her talent or any growth.

Right on. Mimi is already a legend. She has nothing to prove so it's not necessary for her to be trendy and sound like everybody else. It's not going to mean more sales for her at this point in her career. And lord knows she doesn't need the money. And anyway, the woman has sold hundreds of millions of records and is the best selling female artist ever. So why not forget about being commercial, chasing trends, being "hip" and go back to recording albums with substance? "Memoirs" was a mechanical, commercial embarrassment. It barely went Gold. I hope she has learned trying to sing like an immature, 20 year old ain't gonna to work for a 40+ year old woman. Leave that garbage to chicks like Rhianna.

I don't know if there will be any covers on this album but boy would I LOVE to hear her cover Minnie Ripperton's "Inside My Love"!

SoulAlive said:

The Dream? Jermaine Dupri? Looks to me like she is making the same album that she has already done several times before I bet that every other track will feature a "guest rapper".

Call me up when she does something soulful and meaningful like "Fly Like A Bird",which I really liked.

Actually, I have hope for the album. Jim Wright was responsible for "Fly Like A Bird", "Circles" and "If You Only Knew" which were my favorite songs on "Mimi" (along with "Mine Again"). So, hopefully, Jim will bring out the mature side of her again on the upcoming album.

SoulAlive said:

Call me up when she does something soulful and meaningful

Eh, eh -eh she already did a Christmas album

kitbradley said:

Harlepolis said:

Except the fact that those artists already made their stamp and no longer have to prove themselves by going through the motions.

I don't know what Mariah and the others true motives are, but I respect Toni for being honest enough to say that she's no longer in love with music.

It shows in Mariah's music as well, you'll a hear a glimpse of greatness but the majority of her recent material doesn't showcase her talent or any growth.

Right on. Mimi is already a legend. She has nothing to prove so it's not necessary for her to be trendy and sound like everybody else. It's not going to mean more sales for her at this point in her career. And lord knows she doesn't need the money. And anyway, the woman has sold hundreds of millions of records and is the best selling female artist ever. So why not forget about being commercial, chasing trends, being "hip" and go back to recording albums with substance? "Memoirs" was a mechanical, commercial embarrassment. It barely went Gold. I hope she has learned trying to sing like an immature, 20 year old ain't gonna to work for a 40+ year old woman. Leave that garbage to chicks like Rhianna.

I don't know if there will be any covers on this album but boy would I LOVE to hear her cover Minnie Ripperton's "Inside My Love"!

Actually she is behind Madonna and Celine Dion

kitbradley said:

Harlepolis said:

Except the fact that those artists already made their stamp and no longer have to prove themselves by going through the motions.

I don't know what Mariah and the others true motives are, but I respect Toni for being honest enough to say that she's no longer in love with music.

It shows in Mariah's music as well, you'll a hear a glimpse of greatness but the majority of her recent material doesn't showcase her talent or any growth.

Right on. Mimi is already a legend. She has nothing to prove so it's not necessary for her to be trendy and sound like everybody else. It's not going to mean more sales for her at this point in her career. And lord knows she doesn't need the money. And anyway, the woman has sold hundreds of millions of records and is the best selling female artist ever. So why not forget about being commercial, chasing trends, being "hip" and go back to recording albums with substance? "Memoirs" was a mechanical, commercial embarrassment. It barely went Gold. I hope she has learned trying to sing like an immature, 20 year old ain't gonna to work for a 40+ year old woman. Leave that garbage to chicks like Rhianna.

I don't know if there will be any covers on this album but boy would I LOVE to hear her cover Minnie Ripperton's "Inside My Love"!

i never said they had shit to prove 2 a damn soul but yall get on here and bitch and moan when they release music that u dont like so apparently they have something 2 prove 2 u people. prince stopped having 2 prove anything back in 85 but yall tear him down 2 this day as if he is brand new and owes u his life