The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey,released through Island Records on April 12,2005. The album was considered Carey's "comeback album" by critics and became her highest-selling release in the US in a decade.[1] In composing the album,Carey collaborated with many songwriters and producers throughout 2004,including Jermaine Dupri,Snoop Dogg,Kanye West,Twista,Nelly,Pharrell Williams,and James "Big Jim" Wright,many of whom appeared as featured guests on select tracks.
Carey opted to use her personal nickname 'Mimi' in the title,revealing a more intimate side of the singer,as seen in the album's declarative theme of emancipation from her personal and commercial setbacks. Although it has similar vocal production to her previous works and an inclination towards her signature ballads,the album encompasses dance-oriented and uptempo styles in keeping with its celebratory motif. The Emancipation of Mimi garnered critical acclaim,with praise towards its production,Carey's vocal performance,with critics noting the theme of independence and lack of restraint,dubbing the album a "party" record.[2]
The album garnered eight nominations at the 48th Grammy Awards,including for Album of the Year,and won three awards,including Best Contemporary R&B Album. It became Carey's first album since Butterfly (1997) to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200,selling over 404,000 copies in its first week and becoming the country's best-selling album of 2005. Internationally,it topped the charts in Greece,and reached the top-five in Canada,Denmark,France,and Japan,and was the world's second best-selling album of the year. The Emancipation of Mimi has sold over 10 million copies worldwide making it one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.[3]
"It's Like That" became one of her highest-charting songs in years,reaching the top twenty in several countries. "We Belong Together" accumulated 14 weeks at number one in the US,and was later hailed "song of the decade" by Billboard.[4] It reached number one in Australia,number two in the United Kingdom and New Zealand,and achieved top-five positions in several European countries. To promote the album,Carey embarked on her sixth concert tour,entitled The Adventures of Mimi,starting on July 22,2006,and ending on October 28,2006.
Background
In 2001,Carey had experienced critical,commercial,personal,and professional struggles,following the poor reception to her debut film Glitter (2001).[5] The picture was panned by critics and earned less than eight million dollars at the box office.[6][7] After posting a personally expressive letter on her official site,Carey checked into a hospital in Connecticut because of an "emotional and physical breakdown".[8] Following the film's and soundtrack's poor performance,Virgin Records America bought out Carey's unprecedented $100million recording contract. The company paid her $28million to part ways.[6] Carey flew to Capri,Italy,after her two-week hospitalization.[7] During her five-month stay,she began to write a new studio album,using experiences she had gone through in recent months as inspirational themes.[9] After being signed by Island Records and starting her own imprint,MonarC Entertainment,Carey released her intended "comeback" album Charmbracelet.[7] Critics deemed it a strong improvement over Glitter,but not something that would re-establish her popularity as in the early stages of her career.[6]
After enduring three years of "carping" from critics,Carey planned her return to music.[6] On November 18,2004,she revealed on her website that the name of the album would be The Emancipation of Mimi.[10] While Carey was recording the album,Island Records executive L.A. Reid had learned that close friends referred to the singer as "Mimi". He had told Carey,"I feel your spirit on this record. You should use that name in the title,because that's the fun side of you that people don't get to see –the side that can laugh at the diva jokes,laugh at the breakdown jokes,laugh at whatever they want to say about you and just live life and enjoy it." Carey explained that Mimi is a "very personal nickname" only used by those in her inner circle,and thus the title meant she was letting her guard down and inviting her fans to be that much closer to her. She thought that naming her album The Emancipation of Mariah Carey would be "obnoxious".[7]
Writing and recording
During a visit to a recording studio,Carey was given a beat by the Legendary Traxster. On a later date,she met with American rapper Twista backstage after a show. When Carey mentioned the track,Twista told her that the beat had been originally intended for him,and that he had already written lyrics for it. They decided to collaborate on the track,which later was titled "One and Only".[11] In the following months,Carey wrote and co-produced several songs including "Say Somethin' (with Snoop Dogg and The Neptunes),"To the Floor" (with Nelly),and "Fly Like a Bird" with James "Big Jim" Wright.[12][13] By November,she felt that she had composed enough good material for The Emancipation of Mimi. After Reid listened to the album,however,he suggested the singer compose a few more "strong" singles to ensure the project's commercial success. Based on his recommendation,Carey met with Jermaine Dupri in Atlanta for a brief studio session,since Reid felt she had written some of her best work with him. During this two-day trip,Carey and Dupri wrote and produced "Shake It Off" and "Get Your Number",which were released as the album's third and fourth singles. Following this recording session,"Shake It Off" was briefly selected as the album's lead single,replacing the other contenders,"Stay The Night" and "Say Somethin'". Carey later returned to Atlanta for a second meeting with Dupri;they then penned the last two songs for the album:"We Belong Together" and "It's Like That".[14] In an interview for Billboard,Carey described her sentiments regarding "It's Like That" during the production stage:
I had the chills. I had a great feeling about it when we finished writing the song,and I was flying back from Atlanta at some crazy hour of the morning ... But we were listening to it on the plane ride on the way home,and even from the demo version,I really felt something very special.[15]
Carey and her management then decided to release "It's Like That" as the album's lead single,calling it "the right fire-starter". The singer has praised Dupri for being "focused",and felt that together they had composed some of her favorite songs on the album.[14] She has told MTV,"The album is not about making the older executives happy by making a bring-down-the-house,tearjerker ballad,or [something] steeped in the media dramas of my life. What I tried to do was keep the sessions very sparse,underproduced,like in '70s soul music ... "[16] According to Reid,Carey intended for the album to feature a more unpolished sound than her previous releases.[12] The singer had been frustrated with the overproduction on many of her previous records,due to the inclusion of what she considered unnecessary "bells and whistles". She opted to record the majority of The Emancipation of Mimi live,alongside the band. Reid agreed with this decision and felt that the live vocals made the album sound more authentic.[12]
Composition
The Emancipation of Mimi was Carey's most expressive album to that point according to Fox News;it signified her creative freedom,as she had been oppressed by the expectations of record executives in the past.[17] They noted the album's motif of professional and cultural emancipation throughout many songs. In an interview with the Hartford Courant,Carey spoke about the album's lack of creative restraint she felt was not featured on Charmbracelet.[18] The latter album harbored on reviving Carey's popularity among the adult contemporary radio audience,following her decline with Glitter,which found the singer sampling 1980s melodies.[19][20] While featuring ballads similar to those on Charmbracelet,the songs on The Emancipation of Mimi drew influence from R&B and hip hop,and were composed at an elevated tempo.[21] According to Dimitri Ehrlich,an editor from Vibe,the album includes many musical facets:
Mimi pulls Carey in two opposite directions. Most of the tracks find her paired with the hottest hip hop producers of the day;there,she exercises restraint and settles into a groove. But on the rest,she does what comes most naturally to her—belting to her heart's desire,perhaps to mollify those who don't care much for her detours into raunchier rap territory.[21]
The Emancipation of Mimi explores various genres;Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune felt that the album effectively combines "elements of hip-hop and rhythm and blues into pop songs that appeal to a broad cross-section of listeners."[22] According to Billboard staff,"Carey's emancipation is drenched in hip-hop and old-school R&B ballads".[23] Alyssa Rashbaum of MTV deemed the record "a predominantly pop and R&B effort [...] tinged with hip-hop inflections.[24] Meanwhile,AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered The Emancipation of Mimi "a slick,highly crafted piece of dance-pop".[25] Aside from the ballads and uptempo tracks,The Emancipation of Mimi incorporates elements of soul and 1970s-inspired genres,as evident on the gospel-tinged closing track,"Fly Like a Bird".[26] While most tracks derive instrumentation from live bands and musical instruments,some of the uptempo songs feature computerized arrangements and synthesizers.[27] Stylistically,critics considered the album Carey's most diverse record in years,and one that highlighted many different production choices and techniques.[28]
This clip features the hand claps and whistles used throughout the song. It illustrates the strong bassline, aligned with piano and string notes. Dupri's ad-libs are heard toward the end of the sample, followed by Scoop's closing verse.[29]
A sample of the final chorus of "We Belong Together". The sample highlights Carey's acclaimed vocal performance throughout the climax, as well as the instrumentation derived from finger-snaps, kick drums, and a strong piano-driven melody.[21]
"It's Like That" was written and produced by Carey and Jermaine Dupri. It features hand claps and whistles, as well as ad-libs and verses from Dupri and Fat Man Scoop. The song's bassline and chord progression are aligned with piano and string notes.[29] Its lyrics are arranged to portray the singer during a celebration: "I came to have a party / Open off that Bacardi ... Purple taking me higher / I'm lifted and I like it."[29] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine praised its lyrics and beat, and felt the song prepares listeners for the album's "party theme".[2] Lyrically, "We Belong Together" was described as a "broken-hearted lament for love";[21] it features finger-snaps, kick drums, and a piano-driven melody.[21] Carey composed the gospel-influenced ballad "Fly Like a Bird" with James Wright.[13][30] The lyrics are in the form of a prayer that conveys a message of unconditional love for God.[30][31] The song features a verbal recording of Carey's pastor, Clarence Keaton, who reads two verses from the Bible.[2] The singer wrote the album's fifth cut "Say Somethin'", which features rap verses from Snoop Dogg and was produced by The Neptunes. Vibe writer Dimitri Ehrlich described it as "a musical oddity", and characterized the production as "strange instrumentation, weird melodic shifts, hectic drum patterns and a bed of synths."[21] Lyrically, the protagonist makes sexual advances to a romantic interest with the line "If it's worth your while, do something good to me."[21] When interpreting the lyrics in the female role, Cummings noted "a shy woman who doesn't need to say anything at all to get a man's attention."[29]
Carey wrote "Mine Again" alongside producer James Poyser. The ballad has electronic keyboard notes, a rhythmic vinyl sound, and melodies from gospel and R&B genres.[21] "Stay the Night" was produced by Carey and Kanye West, and samples a piano loop from Ramsey Lewis's 1971 cover version of "Betcha by Golly, Wow". In the lyrics, the protagonist faces the dilemma of spending the night with an ex-lover, although he is in another relationship.[29] "Get Your Number" samples the hook from British band Imagination's 1982 single "Just an Illusion",[32] and derives its production from "'80s-esque synthesizers" and computerized musical instruments.[29][33] Lawrence Ferber from the Windy City Times described "Shake It Off" as a "playful approach to bitterness—and, more specifically, a cheatin' bad apple", with lyrics such as "I gotta shake you off / Just like a Calgon commercial". In an interview with Ferber, Carey described the track as her favorite from The Emancipation of Mimi: "'Shake It Off' can apply to anything. Whatever personal dramas we go through, put that song on and you lose the anxiety or intensity of the moment. I'll listen to that song when I've just come out of an annoying meeting. I gotta shake this off."[30] Editor Jon Pareles from The New York Times felt that the album follows a formula that was most apparent on "Shake It Off": "On this album, the verses stay in a narrow range, the choruses glide higher, and at the ends of some songs, Ms. Carey gives herself a few of her old sky-high notes as a background flourish."[34]
Release and promotion
Carey, pictured with former Island Records head L.A. Reid in 2005, at the release party for The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi was released by The Island Def Jam Music Group for download and as a CD in Mexico on April 12, 2005.[35] On April 4, 2005, the album was released in Australia and New Zealand.[36][37] In the United Kingdom, The Emancipation of Mimi was distributed through Mercury Records.[38] The following day, the album was made available in Canada through the Universal Music Group.[39] On April 12, 2005, it became available in France,[40] Japan,[41] and the United States,[42] and was released on May 11, 2005, in China.[43] On British and Japanese versions of the album, "Sprung" and "Secret Love" were included as bonus tracks.[44]
A reissue of The Emancipation of Mimi, subtitled Ultra Platinum Edition, was released on November 15, 2005, accompanied by the reissue's lead single "Don't Forget About Us". The reissue was released in two versions. The first was a CD with four bonus tracks: "Don't Forget About Us" (co-written and co-produced by Carey with Jermaine Dupri), the album's only single; "Makin' It Last All Night (What It Do)", featuring Dupri; the "We Belong Together" remix, featuring American rappers Styles P and Jadakiss; and a new version of the 2006 single "So Lonely" by Twista (which originally featured Carey), in which she sings an additional verse. The second version of the album was a limited-edition set of the CD and a DVD, which includes the videos from The Emancipation of Mimi that had then been released ("It's Like That", "We Belong Together", "Shake It Off", and "Get Your Number"), along with the then-recently filmed video for "Don't Forget About Us". The album became the first domestic release of the video for "Get Your Number", which had previously been released only in Europe.[45]"Sprung" and "Secret Love" were later included as bonus tracks in the 2020 digital reissue of Ultra Platinum Edition.[46]
Carey began a promotional tour in support of the album, beginning on April 2, 2005, at the German Echo Awards.[47][48] Two days later, she performed "It's Like That" on the game show Wetten, dass..?.[49] In the UK, the singer filmed a two-part appearance on the British music program Top of the Pops, performing the album's first three singles.[49] Carey launched the stateside release of the album on Good Morning America with an interview and a five-piece outdoor concert.[50] Taking place in Times Square and attracting the largest crowd to the plaza since the 2004 New Year's Eve celebration, the concert featured the first three singles from the album in addition to "Fly Like a Bird" and "Make It Happen" (1991).[51] During the following week, she performed "We Belong Together" at the 2005 BET Awards, and appeared at the annual VH1 Save the Music special, which was broadcast live on April 17.[52] Throughout May, Carey performed "We Belong Together" on the Late Show with David Letterman (May 5), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (May 11), The Ellen DeGeneres Show (May 13) and on The Oprah Winfrey Show (May 24).[52][53]
During the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Carey performed at the National Hotel in South Beach.[54] Accompanied by Dupri, she sang "Shake It Off" and the official remix version of "We Belong Together".[55] She was a headlining performer at the 2005 Fashion Rocks, in Monaco.[56][57] On November 15, 2005, Carey performed "Shake It Off" and her newly released single from the album's re-release, "Don't Forget About Us", during half-time of the Thanksgiving game between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons.[58][59] On November 22, 2005, she opened the 33rd annualAmerican Music Awards with "Don't Forget About Us".[60] Two months later, she placed as the featured performer at the Times Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve in New York.[61] At the 48th Grammy Awards, on February 8, 2006, Carey returned to the Grammy stage for the first time since 1996.[62] Her performance began with a pre-taped video in which she discussed the importance of God and religion in her life.[63] She then came to the stage, and sang a shortened version of "We Belong Together", followed by "Fly like a Bird".[64] The performance induced the only standing ovation that night,[65] and earned praise from critics.[66][67]
Singles
Carey performing "Fly Like a Bird" on Good Morning America
"It's Like That" was released as the album's lead single on January 7, 2005. Critics predicted that the song would re-ignite Carey's popularity among MTV viewers.[21][27] It became her highest-charting song internationally in years, and peaked at number sixteen on the US Billboard Hot 100.[68][69][70]
"We Belong Together", the album's second single, became one of the biggest hits of Carey's career.[71] It became her sixteenth chart topping single in the US, spending fourteen weeks on the Hot 100's peak; the longest stay of any song during the 2000s.[72] Aside from breaking several Nielsen BDS records, the song was named "song of the 2000s decade" by Billboard.[4][73] "We Belong Together" also topped the charts in Australia and attained a top-five peak in New Zealand, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.[74][75]
"Shake It Off" was the third single released from The Emancipation of Mimi. It peaked at number two on the Hot 100, being barred from the top position by Carey's previous single, "We Belong Together".[76] It became the first time in Billboard history that a female artist occupied the top two spots on the chart as a lead artist.[76] It was released as a double A-side with "Get Your Number" in the UK and Australia, where it reached the top ten.[77]
"Don't Forget About Us" was released as the lead single from Ultra Platinum Edition, and overall fourth single from the album.[78] The song became Carey's seventeenth chart topper in the US, tying her with Elvis Presley for the most number-one singles by a solo artist (a record she surpassed in 2008 with "Touch My Body").[78] "Fly Like a Bird" was released as the fifth single from the album in the US, followed by "Say Somethin'".[13] "Mine Again" was not released as a single, but peaked at number 73 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart due to sales.[79]
Carey focused on providing a balance between songs from her existing catalog and introducing her newer songs and 'Mimi' persona. The photo shows a stage prop with the tour's slogan, 'MIMI'.
Sixteen months after the release of the album, Carey announced her first headlining tour in three years, named The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour after a "Carey-centric fan's" music diary.[80][81] Beginning on July 22, 2006, and ending on October 28, the tour spanned forty stops, with thirty-two in the US and Canada, two in Africa, and six in Japan.[82][83] The tour featured the singer's long-time friend Randy Jackson as the musical director.[84][85] In an interview for the Associated Press, Carey described the tour's direction, as well as the music she would perform:
With this tour, I'm going to be working on some different arrangements for some of the older songs, to... give it a little more life to them. That's not to say they're going to sound totally different and to freak anybody out... I love re-singing songs to different music. I genuinely want to tour with these new songs, as well as older hits. These new songs mean so much to me, this time of my life has been so wonderful for me, and I want to experience that with my fans.[80]
The tour received a generally mixed reception from critics who praised the singer's vocal performances but called the show's excesses, such as the singer's frequent costume changes and pre-filmed clips, distracting.[86][87] In Tunis, Carey played to 80,000 people during two concerts.[83] Midway through the tour, she booked a two-night concert in Hong Kong, scheduled for after her Japanese shows.[88] The performances were cancelled after tickets went on sale; Carey's then-manager Benny Medina said the cancellation was because the concert promoter refused to pay the agreed compensation.[88] The promoter blamed poor ticket sales (allegedly, only 4,000 tickets had sold) and "Carey's outrageous demands".[89] Medina later disputed the promoter's ticket sales figure, saying that 8,000 tickets had been sold. He said Carey would have performed as long as she was compensated, regardless of attendance.[89] Carey ultimately sued the promoter, claiming onemillion in damages for the concert's abrupt cancellation.[90]
The Emancipation of Mimi received a 64 out of 100 (indicating "generally positive reviews") on Metacritic, a website that averages professional reviews from critics into a numerical score.[91]Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called the album a "highly crafted piece of dance-pop" and "relative comeback" for Carey[25] Michael Paoletta from Billboard was less critical of her vocals, writing that "while her voice has lost some of the power through the years, Mimi deftly showcases her still-considerable pipes with strong lyrics and slick production." Paoletta praised The Emancipation of Mimi as Carey's best album since Butterfly (1997).[100]Michael Dougall Bell from the Calgary Sun called Carey's voice "very impressive". He concluded: "While Emancipation may not send Carey's stock or star back up to where it once was and where that voice deserves to be, at least she's not plummeting – she's merely levelled off."[101]Entertainment Weekly editor Tom Sinclair noted that almost every song "showcases Carey's undeniable vocal strengths". Reviewing "Fly Like a Bird", Sinclair concluded, "It's so moving that we'll resist the temptation to be crass and interpret the song as a plea for heightened record sales. Help from above is always welcome, but Emancipation sounds like it just might do fine all on its own."[31]
Jennifer Vineyard of MTV News considered the album's title to be influenced by Janet Jackson's Damita Jo, which was also based on an alternate persona.[10] According to Jenson Macey from BBC News, The Emancipation of Mimi was Carey's strongest effort from the 2000s; he said that the album "took her straight back to the top of the A-List."[102] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian gave the album four stars out of five, calling it "cool, focused and urban."[93]The New York Times's Jon Pareles complimented how Carey wrote all of the album's material. He felt the record's sound was fresh and innovative: "on The Emancipation of Mimi, she disciplines herself into coherence, using fewer tricks and sounding more believable. She also finds what lesser singers can take for granted: a certain lightness that eases her constant sense of control."[34] Cummings from PopMatters gave the album seven stars out of ten, claiming it to be Carey's redemption from the manacles of her previous two releases. He praised the album's singles, but called some of its music "corny" and "unnecessarily overproduced".[29] Todd Burns from Stylus Magazine gave the album a B−, admiring its assortment of beats and tempos. Burns, however, called some of The Neptunes and Dupri's production "ill-advised".[33] He called some of Carey's vocals "strained, thin and airy".[33] While considering it as an improvement over her previous releases of the decade, he concluded that it "suffers from the fact that her vocals have deteriorated – a simple fact of the ravages that her voice has undergone in the past fifteen years."[33] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine gave The Emancipation of Mimi three and a half stars out of five, calling it "redemption". He complimented its array of beats and its production.[2] Critic Andre Meyer of CBS News thought the material on the album was "stronger" than on Charmbracelet, and described it as a move in Carey's long-term plan for pop domination, while giving off the "jittery R&B vibe that made Destiny's Child so potent." He added that "Mariah has returned to singing – while still pushing the limits of good taste with her barely there outfits."[6] In the updated edition for The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time published in 2020 by American magazine Rolling Stone, the album ranked at number 389.[103]
Carey performing "We Belong Together" live on Good Morning America
The Emancipation of Mimi became Carey's highest-selling album in the US since Daydream (1995).[1] In its first week of release, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 (ousting 50 Cent's The Massacre from the top position)[110] with 404,000 copies sold, the highest first-week sales in Carey's career, until E=MC² opened with 463,000 in 2008.[111] On its second week on the chart, the album moved a spot down to number two and moved a further 226,000 units.[112] It became her fifth number-one album in the country and her third album to debut at the top.[113] The album returned to number one in its eighth week after selling 172,000 copies.[114] It remained in the top ten for many months before dropping to number eleven on September 28, 2005.[115] It returned to the top five after the release of the Ultra Platinum Edition, which helped the album rebound to number four, with sales of 185,000 units.[116]The Emancipation of Mimi was the best-selling album in the US in 2005, with nearly fivemillion units sold. By the last full week of the year, the album outsold The Massacre, which had been released more than six weeks earlier.[117] It was the first album by a solo female artist to become the year's best-selling album since Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill in 1996.[118] It reached the six million sales mark in the US in October 2013, and in September 2022, the album was certified seven-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[119]
The Emancipation of Mimi entered the Australian Albums Chart on April 17, 2005, at number 13.[120] During the promotional campaign for "We Belong Together", it peaked at and spent one week at number six. The album spent a total of forty-six weeks on the chart.[120] It was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) – denoting shipments of 70,000 unit – and finished at number twenty-seven on the End of Year Chart.[121][122] In Canada The Emancipation of Mimi debuted and peaked at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart, with first-week sales of 11,000 units.[113][123] The album was certified triple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for shipments of 300,000 units.[124][125]The Emancipation of Mimi debuted at number seven on the UK Albums Chart dated April 6, 2005.[126] On July 23, fourteen weeks after its debut, the album once again reached its peak position of number seven.[127] After one re-entry, the album spent a combined forty-three weeks in the albums chart, being certified double-platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments of 600,000 copies. By May 2008, the album's British sales stood at 621,352 units.[128][129]
In France, the album debuted at its peak position of number four on April 9, 2005.[130] The record spent a total of fifty-one weeks in the chart, and was certified gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP), signifying shipments of 100,000 copies.[131] Eight months after its release in Europe, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) certified The Emancipation of Mimi platinum, denoting shipments of onemillion units throughout the continent.[132] In Hong Kong it was awarded a Gold Disc Award, which is issued to the ten best-selling foreign albums each year.[133]The Emancipation of Mimi debuted at number two on the Japanese Albums Chart, and was certified platinum (250,000 units shipped) by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[134][135] At the end of 2005, the IFPI reported that The Emancipation of Mimi had sold 7.7million copies globally, and was the second best-selling album of the year, after Coldplay's X&Y. It was the best-selling album by a solo and female artist.[136][137] As of October 2011, The Emancipation of Mimi has sold 10 million copies worldwide.[3]
The Emancipation of Mimi was ranked as the 52nd best album of all time on the Billboard Top 200 Albums of All Time.[138]
The Emancipation of Mimi won the 2005 Soul Train Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album and Best Female R&B/Soul Album, and the 2005 Vibe Award for Album of the Year.[141][142]Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 43 on its 2005 list of the year's best albums,[143] and Entertainment Weekly ranked it at number 21 on their list of the "Top 100 Best Albums of the past 25 years".[144] "We Belong Together" won a Teen Choice Award,[145] a World Music Award,[146] five Billboard Music Awards,[147][148] four Radio Music Awards,[149] and three Bambi Awards.[150] "Shake It Off" and "Don't Forget About Us" won two additional Bambis.[150] After Carey received the Bambi, the award drew media attention after it was stolen from the singer's dressing room.[151]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. An influential figure in popular music, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, and signature use of the whistle register. Carey is also credited with influencing vocal styles, merging hip-hop with pop through her collaborations, popularizing remixes, and helping break down racial barriers for multiracial Americans in popular culture. Referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by Guinness World Records, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023, and has been dubbed the "Queen of Christmas" for the enduring popularity of her Christmas music, particularly the 1994 song "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which is the best-selling holiday song by a female artist.
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ. Raised in Atlanta as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music production at the age of nine. In 1991, he discovered the teen hip hop duo Kris Kross. Dupri wrote and produced their breakout 1992 single "Jump," which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the 23rd most successful song of that decade. He established his own record label, So So Def Recordings in a joint venture with Columbia the following year.
"It's Like That" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her 10th studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). Written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, and produced by Carey, Dupri, and Seal, the song borrows the hook "It's Like That Y'all" from the Run–D.M.C. tracks "Hollis Crew" and "Here We Go (Live)". Several other tracks were contenders for the album's lead single. However, plans were changed when Island Def Jam Music head L.A. Reid suggested to Carey she record a few more strong songs to ensure the album's success, thus "It's Like That" was written and chosen as the album's lead single, being released on January 25, 2005.
"We Belong Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The song was released on March 15, 2005, through Island Records, as the second single from the album. "We Belong Together" was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin and produced by the former three. Since the song interpolates lyrics from Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now" (1981) and the Deele's "Two Occasions" (1987), the songwriters of those respective songs are credited. "We Belong Together" is built on a simple piano arrangement with an understated backbeat. The lyrics chronicle a woman's desperation for her former lover to return.
Daydream is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on September 26, 1995, by Columbia Records. The follow-up to her internationally successful studio album Music Box (1993), and the holiday album Merry Christmas (1994), Daydream differed from her previous releases by leaning increasingly towards urban music. Throughout the project, Carey collaborated with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote and produced most of her previous albums. With Daydream, Carey took more control over the musical direction as well as the album's composition. Carey considered the album to be the beginning of her musical and vocal transition, a change that would become more evident in her sixth studio album Butterfly (1997). During the album's production, Carey endured many creative differences with her label and then-husband Tommy Mottola. On Daydream, Carey collaborated with Jermaine Dupri, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and R&B group Boyz II Men. With Afanasieff's assistance and the addition of a few contemporary producers, she was able to make a subtle transition into the contemporary R&B market, after previously only pursuing pop, adult contemporary and traditional R&B music.
The Remixes is the first remix album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released on June 25, 2003, by Columbia Records. It is primarily a collection of remixes of some of Carey's songs: disc one is compiled of club mixes, while disc two contains Carey's hip hop collaborations and remixes.
#1's is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released by Columbia Records on November 17, 1998. The album contained Carey's then thirteen number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as four new songs. In Japan, the album also included her popular single, "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which was Carey's biggest selling single there.
"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on February 20, 1996, as the third single in the United States and fourth worldwide. Written and produced by Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal, "Always Be My Baby" is a midtempo song, with lyrics describing the feeling of attachment and unity the singer feels towards her estranged lover, even though they are no longer together, she says he will always be a part of her and will "always be her baby" even after they move on.
"Say Somethin'" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Snoop Dogg, Chad Hugo, and Pharrell Williams, and produced by The Neptunes as the sixth and final single from Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The song is one of few from Carey's catalog in which she does not share production credits. "Say Somethin'" features Dogg as a guest artist, and is influenced by R&B and hip-hop music genres. Lyrically, the song is a dialogue in between and male and female, that discuss sexual themes and acts of which they plan to engage in a restroom.
"Shake It Off" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). It was written and produced by Carey along with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin. The song was serviced to radio on July 11, 2005, by Island and Mercury Records as the album's third single in the United States, while "Get Your Number" served as the album's third single elsewhere. Described by Dupri as "ghetto," the track is a R&B song that makes use of pop and hip hop influences and a simple, sparse production. Lyrically, the song follows Carey as she moves on from her relationship with an unfaithful lover, packing her things and breaking up with him over an answering machine.
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, released on December 3, 2002, through MonarC Entertainment and Island Records. The album was Carey's first release since her breakdown following the release of her film Glitter (2001) and its accompanying soundtrack album. Critics described Charmbracelet as one of Carey's most personal records, following 1997's Butterfly. Throughout the project, she collaborated with several musicians, including Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, 7 Aurelius and Dre & Vidal.
American singer Mariah Carey has released fifteen studio albums, two soundtrack albums, eight compilation albums, four extended plays, and one remix album. Carey is one of the best-selling music artists of all-time, having sold over 220 million records globally. She was presented with the Millennium Award at the 2000 World Music Awards for becoming the best-selling female artist of the millennium. According to the RIAA, she is the highest-certified female artist and tenth overall recording artist with shipments of 75 million albums in the US. She is also ranked as the best-selling female artist of the US Nielsen SoundScan era (1991–present) with album sales of 55.5 million.
"Get Your Number" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Johntá Austin and Bryan-Michael Cox, and produced by the former two and LRoc. It was released on October 3, 2005 by Island Records, as the third international and fourth overall single from Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The song is built around a sample of "Just an Illusion" (1982) by British band Imagination. Due to the inclusion of the sample, several other writers are credited as songwriters. Lyrically, the song features the protagonist persistently asking for the phone number of an individual at a club.
"Fly Like a Bird" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released on March 13, 2006, by Island Records as a single from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). Written and produced by Carey and James "Big Jim" Wright, the song is influenced by Gospel, soul, and R&B music genres. Its arrangement is built on piano chords and guitar melodies, and features Carey's pastor Clarence Keaton, who recites two Biblical verses during the song's introduction and bridge. Carey described "Fly Like a Bird" as the most personal and religious track from The Emancipation of Mimi, with its lyrics featuring a veritable prayer to God: "Fly like a bird, take to the sky, I need you now Lord, carry me high!".
"Don't Forget About Us" is a song by American R&B singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and Johntá Austin, and produced by Carey, Dupri and Cox. On October 10, 2005, it was released as the lead single from the reissue of her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi:Ultra Platinum Edition (2005). The song is influenced by R&B and hip hop soul music genres, and lyrically chronicles the emotions felt by the protagonist after the loss of their relationship. Carey explained that the true meaning of the song is to be interpreted by the listener, therefore not disclosing its entire meaning publicly.
"Mine Again" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, from her tenth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). It was co-written and co-produced by Carey and James Poyser. It was recorded at MSR Studios and Honeywest Studios, both located New York City. It is a R&B and soul inspired ballad. The lyrics revolve around the protagonist wishing for a second chance at a seemingly failed relationship. The song garnered positive reviews from music critics, praising Carey and Poyser's production and her vocal performance. Upon the release of The Emancipation of Mimi, "Mine Again" debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 82, and reached a peak of number 73. In 2006, it was nominated for the Best Traditional R&B Performance at the Grammy Awards.
E=MC² is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on April 4, 2008, by Island Records. The singer began recording the album in 2007 in Anguilla, after writing and composing most of its material during and after her 2006 Adventures of Mimi Tour. Carey worked with various songwriters and producers on the project, including Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, Stargate, The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Scott Storch and Danja.
"Bye Bye" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her eleventh studio album, E=MC² (2008). She co-wrote the song with its producers Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen and Johntá Austin. It was released as the album's second single on April 15, 2008 by Island Records. The song is influenced by pop and R&B music genres, and features a piano and keyboard-driven melody. Lyrically, the song is a dialogue in between Carey and her deceased father throughout the verses, and a universal salute to departed loved ones on the chorus.
"I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her eleventh studio album, E=MC² (2008). It was written by Carey, Aldrin Davis, Crystal Johnson and Clifford Harris, and produced by the former two. As the song's hook and instrumentation is derived from sampling DeBarge's "Stay with Me", Mark DeBarge and Etterlene Jordan also share songwriting credits. "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" was released as the album's third single in the United States, Australasia and select European countries on July 1, 2008 by Island Records. Drawing influence from pop, soul and R&B music genres, and featuring a piano and keyboard-driven melody, the song's lyrics demonstrate the lengths the protagonist will go for her lover, and how she will be 'lovin' him long time'.
#1 to Infinity is the sixth greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter and producer Mariah Carey. It was released by Sony Music on May 15, 2015. It features Carey's then eighteen US number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. A new recording called "Infinity" was released as the only single on April 27, 2015. In January 2015, the singer announced that she had signed a residency deal to perform at The Colosseum at the Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas in May and July 2015, and would perform all of her number ones. As a result, she decided to re-release her first compilation, 1998's #1's, with an updated list of subsequent chart toppers. Carey promoted the album with her #1 to Infinity residency and with live performances at the Billboard Music Awards, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Live! with Kelly and Michael.
↑ Anderson, Joan (February 6, 2006). "Carey, On!". Boston Globe. Richard H. Gilman. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
↑ Cinquemani, Sal (December 15, 2005). "2005: Year in Music". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 11, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
↑ The Emancipation of Mimi (Ultra Platinum Edition) (CD liner). Mariah Carey. Europe / India: Island / Universal Music. 2005. pp.5–14. LC00407.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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