News Archive » January 2004
JANUARY 31, 2004 6:09PM
Updates From Thailand

Tickets for Mariah's upcoming concert in Bangkok, Thailand on February 17th are going very fast and will be sold out shortly.

On February 8th, Universal Music Thailand will be setting up promotional events for the concert, such as a Mariah singing contest (contestants can only choose "Hero" or "Without You" interestingly enough), fan meetings, games, and much more.

For more information regarding the concert, be sure to check out www.thaiticketmaster.com.

Source: Mariah Daily | Ballsath

Reid Gets Def Jam

Universal Music and Antonio "LA" Reid have agreed in principle to a deal that will make Reid the head of Island Def Jam, The Post has learned.

The deal is expected to be signed next week, sources say. The pact under negotiation is a three-year, multi-million dollar deal for Reid to become chairman and CEO of Island Def Jam, a unit of Universal and the music industry's largest hip-hop label.

The job at the helm of IDJ became vacant last week when Lyor Cohen agreed to become chairman and CEO of Warner Music's recorded music unit.

Reid was recently let go by Arista Records, a unit of BMG, which he ran for almost four years. Reid built his reputation as a prodigious producer of hit records from the likes of Pink and Avril Lavigne, but was ultimately terminated by BMG after Arista lost some $110 million last year.

Source: New York Post

Editor's Note: You may remember that Lyor Cohen was the man that signed Mariah to the Island Def Jam Music Group in 2002 and was very influential in allowing her to establish her own label and company, MonarC Entertainment. With Lyor no longer at the company and LA Reid about to fill his place, we will have to wait and see what the effect on Mariah will be, if any.

Oh, Say, Can She Sing

Although most eyes may be on the Patriots and Panthers leading up to Sunday's Super Bowl, Beyoncé is facing as much pressure as any player: She's singing the national anthem before the game.

No, she doesn't have to weigh punting or going for the first down with the championship on the line, but she has until just before kickoff to decide whether to sing live or lip-sync.

Because a performer went blank - pregame show executive producer Bob Best won't name names - during the commercial break right before the anthem, "We make a 'protection copy,' " explains Best.

So Beyoncé cut a recording a couple of weeks back at the 20th Century Fox scoring stage in Los Angeles with a 65-piece orchestra.

"We always check with the artist the day of the performance, and basically say, 'What are you comfortable with?' " says Best.

"Some artists feel that they may have achieved - in their mind - perfection on the performance copy and perhaps they would not be able to reach that level in the rather stressful, rather rushed, busy environment they find themselves in."

The humid conditions in Tampa in 1991 contributed to Whitney Houston's decision to go with the recording, and it's that performance that remains "the benchmark," notes producer Rickey Minor, who's working with Beyoncé.

"Beyoncé told me she remembers listening to Whitney's version over and over and over again," says Minor, "and I believe that there will be definitely some similarities based on where we are as a country, being at war. And like Whitney, Beyoncé has an incredible voice."

The first time Beyoncé sang the anthem in the studio, it was almost 31/2 minutes long. "Generally they [the NFL] like it in the 2-, 21/2-minute range," says Minor, "and it was too slow for my taste too. I was falling asleep," he laughs.

But the recording session wasn't all serious all the time. "At one point," says Minor, "instead of singing 'whose broad stripes and bright stars,' she sang 'whose broad stripes and broad stars,' so I told her there was one too many broads in the room.'"

Source: New York Post

Editor's Note: When Mariah performed "The Star Spangled Banner" in 2002 at Super Bowl XXXVI, there was much debate over if she sang live or was lipsynching to her own recorded track. Although some fans still have split opinions, this article suggests that most performers lipsynch to a prerecorded track just to make sure nothing goes wrong.

News Tidbits

-- EJ will be attending Mariah's concert on February 22nd in Malaysia. He would really love to pass her a fanbook containing any letters, poems, songs or pictures from fans. If you would like to contribute, send your entries to ethanm@streamyx.com. The deadline is February 15th.

-- Shade Sheist, one of the rappers featured on "What Would U Do," has left Baby Ree Entertainment, the song's producer's company, and has been replaced on the track by Butch Cassidy. Details of the pending music video are being worked on at the moment.

-- Power 106 in Los Angeles is one of the stations that is playing "What Would U Do." Please vote for the song on the Power 106 Top 4@4 Countdown and Power 106 Top 7@7 Countdown.

-- Mariah was mentioned on Entertainment Tonight when they were talking about New England Patriots football player Tom Brady. They said he was linked to Mariah and Tara Reid, among others, and they showed a picture of Mariah from last year's Z100 Radio Concert.

-- From Press Of Atlantic City: "Star Search" grand champion Tiffany Evans spent Thursday dealing with the familiar and the new. The new was Grammy Award-winning music producer Narada Michael Walden, who has collaborated with such major divas as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Aretha Franklin. Walden was working with Evans on her first day of recording the first song on her debut CD with Columbia Records.

Source: EJ | Heroes Of Mariah | Alex | bOYinEEDmC


JANUARY 30, 2004 3:39PM
Mariah Carey declines acting role in film

Mariah Carey declined a movie role where she would have to show her breasts. According to the German magazine Bild, the singer said she wouldn't accept the role even if they used a stunt double, because that type of thing is not her style.

"They would use a body double but the next day the press would be saying that I showed my breasts and that I was naked in a movie", criticized the singer.

Source: OFuxico Online | MariahsRod

Mariah arrives in Thailand?

Guests at the Metropolitan in Bangkok could be forgiven for thinking they had wandered on to Hollywood Boulevard this week, when the entire cast of Alexander the Great checked in, along with Mariah Carey and Claudia Schiffer.

Source: Times Online

Mariah invited to Pimps N' Ho's Party

Bishop Don Juan will host the Pimps N' Ho's Party, which is actually two events at two clubs going on simultaneously. The Playaz Ball will be hosted at The Mercury Room, while The Gucci Party will be hosted at The Boaka Bar. Both events will take place in Houston, Texas on Superbowl Sunday, February 1, from 8pm to 2am

Invited guests include Mariah Carey, Halle Berry, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Vivica Fox, LL Cool J, Will Smith, Justin Timberlake, Pink, Christina Aguilera, The Neptunes and many others. For the full scoop, including ticket information, visit www.mercuryroom.com.

Source: Mercury Room | Heroes Of Mariah

News Tidbits

-- Mariah made two appearances on Radio Scope's Top 100 Urban Songs of 2003, with "I Know What You Want" at #1 and "Boy (I Need You)" at #78.

-- From Pitchfork Media: Raekwon's "Ice Cream Pt. 2" features forgettable cameos from Method Man and Cappadonna, and an instrumental so unnecessarily syrupy that I was worried any minute Mariah Carey might break out on the track's hook.

-- From Palm Beach Post: On a day saturated with emotion, the Cancer Survivors Ceremony is the climax. If, after the morning's initial reunions and memories and dedications, there's a tear yet to be drawn or an embrace not yet elicited, this -- to a background of Mariah Carey's Hero -- is where it will happen.

-- From The Independent: Even though, at 15, Katie Melua won an ITV talent competition by singing Mariah Carey's "Without You", receiving a bedroom makeover as her prize, she has never wanted to be famous. "The ultimate buzz is when people are touched by my songs, not when I'm on the cover of a magazine," she says. "I'm a songwriter. Really, I always wanted to write songs for other people."

Source: IslandYacht


JANUARY 29, 2004 11:24AM
Benny Medina's Birthday Party

Check out the following three photos of Mariah arriving at her manager Benny Medina's recent birthday party in Los Angeles accompanied with friend and video director Sanaa Hamri. Click each thumbnail for a larger, full-scale view.


Mariah denies J-Lo duet plans

Mariah Carey says she has no plans to record a duet with Jennifer Lopez. It follows reports that the pair are hoping to release a song.

A spokesperson for Carey said: "The rumours that Mariah and J-Lo will be collaborating for a duet are false."

Earlier this month reports in America suggested Lopez's ex-manager Benny Medina, who currently advises Carey on her career, had been trying to persuade the pair to record a duet.

The two divas reportedly have a dislike for each other dating back to when Carey was signed to Sony Music, which is home to Lopez.

Carey is said to be furious that her ex-husband and ex Sony boss, Tommy Mottola, stole an idea from her for Lopez's hit single I'm Real.

Carey also reportedly commented about Lopez's eight hour sleep habit: "If I had the luxury of not actually having to sing my own songs, I'd do that, too."

She is currently working on songs for her follow-up album to last year's Charmbracelet album.

Source: Ananova

Mariah 'in clobber' shocker

It seems jungle-based celebrities are getting all the breast-based headlines at the moment. So let’s rightfully address that balance and turn our attentions to Mariah Carey’s abundant chest furniture.

When you’re the proud owner of pendulous puppies like misguided Mariah, keeping them under wraps is no mean feat. Call in the weapons of mass destruction stashers or call the whole task off, if you ask us.

However, squirrel them away she must as the crazy warbler embarks on a Valentines’ Day gig in Jakarta. The high-pitched lady is keen to respect the customs of Indonesia and that means not sellotaping her mammaries to a delicate wisp of gauze – as she is wont to do.

"I have consulted the promoters here on what Mariah should wear," says the singer’s production manager Tom Hudak. "They have given their suggestions and I will put forward these suggestions to the management for consideration."

Which no doubt she will take on board as long as it involves lots of sparkly things and some kittens. But Hudak warns, although Mariah will still appear sexy (how could she not?): "It looks like in Indonesia, Mariah will not appear as revealing as she usually does."

So her next dubious golf-based photoshoot in string bikini, high heels and hotpants will have to wait until March, unfortunately.

Source: MegaStar News

Related Stories:

  • Mariah drops sexy outfits for Jakarta gig (ABC Online)
  • Sexy But Not Skimpy (Sky News)
  • Mariah to shun skimpy attire for concert (Express India)

    "What Would U Do" Updates

    Damizza's "What Would U Do" featuring Mariah Carey, Nate Dogg and Shade Sheist has reached a new peak of #67 on the CHR/Rhythmic airplay charts with 213 spings (6.942 million audience impressions).

    The track is the #4 most-played song on Power 106 in Los Angeles with 98 spings, #4 most-played on Q104.7 in Oxnard with 59 spins, and #13 most-played on 92.1 KUUU in Salt Lake City with 49 spins. The song also received 6 spings from KWYL in Reno and an addition spin from an unknown station in an unknown location.

    For more information on the collaboration, check out Heroes Of Mariah's "What Would U Do" promotional webpage.

    Source: Mariah, Inc.

    Beyonce's lips confused with Mariah's

    Lip-reading took on an entirely different meaning in the Green Room of Heinz Hall last week. Four French horn players of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra stared at a pair of head-shot photographs covered up except for the lips. It was a test, for fun, to see just how immersed each was in their field.

    The faces were pop sensation Beyonce Knowles, one of the most photographed women alive, and noted horn player Barry Tuckwell, someone whom even most of the classical music world wouldn't recognize.

    "The top one is Tuckwell," said one immediately, although offering no opinion on the other. "It's Tuckwell and maybe Mariah Carey?" queried another, and a third chimed in to exclaim: "Well, Tuckwell, but the other isn't Britney Spears, but ... um ... that's a tough one."

    Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

    News Tidbits

    -- Mariah fan Knista received an e-mail from the Director of Communications at the Parker College of Chiropractors, which states that Mariah was indeed in attendance at the recent Chiropractors Convention, in which she apparently sang "Hero."

    -- There is a new project for talented digital artists who also happen to be Mariah fans. Log on to www.mceyedol.tk for further information.

    -- Delphine, a Mariah fan from France and aspiring artist, has created a website to display her drawings. Check it out at www.rainbutterfly.fr.st.

    -- From North Texas Daily News: Dallas Sound Labs in Las Colinas has recorded with the likes of Mariah Carey, Pantera and even worked on the soundtrack for "Titanic."

    -- From The Asian Age: Have you seen The Indian Elvis? He is Frank Sinatra at one time, Elvis Presly in the next. He sounds exactly like Mariah Carey when he performs her hit single "Hero" and like Whitney Houston when he sings the latter's chart buster "I Will Always Love You."

    -- From Daily Star: In a response to Ramsay Short’s recent article “Mariah Carey’s tour shows growing faith in Lebanon,” Nabil Maalouf of Montreal, Canada, responded by saying, "Good work to all those who work hard to promote Lebanon’s good image in the world. It is great for the economy and the well-being of the Lebanese people, who suffered so much from the war that was imposed on us. Thank you again to all the promoters and God bless."

    Source: Knista | Mike | Delphine


    • JANUARY 28, 2004 8:15PM
    Mariah pictures

    Check out the following photographs of Mariah with radio personalities Lisa Gee and Doctor Dre! They were taken at the studios of New York radio station Power 105.1 on January 22, 2003. Click each thumbnail for a larger, full-scale view.


    Jennifer Lopez and Mariah may record together

    Benny Medina is really trying to make the Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez duet happen. The two have been feuding since Mariah claimed Jennifer and Tommy Mottola stole an idea from her which resulted in the hit single, "I'm Real."

    "Mariah Carey is ready to make amends but, Lopez doesn’t feel like this is the right time to play sing along to Mariah," says a Sony employee.

    Benny, who is currently managing Carey and formerly managed Lopez, has been trying to bring these two divas together since the beginning of the year.

    "Lopez is a diva. Mariah Carey is a diva," the source explains. "They both want the spotlight. Lopez will not shine on a Mariah Carey record. Her voice will be drowned out. Mariah is a smart woman and with this duet she can prove to America that Jennifer Lopez is no match for her."

    So what's next? Lopez‚ new album is due early this summer while Mariah is planning a release in the fall.

    Source: GrooveVolt

    Dance Music Awards Update

    Be sure to vote for Mariah as Best Chart Act in DanceStar USA 2004, The American Dance Music Awards. She is nominated for Best Chart Act. She was nominated for this same award in 2002 but lost to Jennifer Lopez, and nominated again in 2003, but lost to Justin Timberlake.

    Her competition this year includes Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Madonna. The winner is based soely on votes submitted online through the DanceStar website, so be sure to cast your vote today!

    DanceStar USA 2004 takes place on Tuesday, March 9 in Miami. The event is filmed for worldwide television broadcast.

    Source: DanceStar Online

    Superstar Carey in Gulf debut

    Multi-award winning singer Mariah Carey is to perform for the first time in the Gulf on February 26.

    Her Middle East concert, which is going to be part of her Charmbracelet Tour, is being presented by Bahrain-based company Mirage Promotions. It will be held at the Dubai Media City and tickets will be available from Saturday.

    Mariah is the best-selling female performer of all time, with 15 Number 1 singles. She has won many accolades throughout her career including two Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, Billboard's Artist of the Decade Award and the World Music Award for World's Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium to name a few.

    Along the way she became the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s and, with Heartbreaker, she pushed ahead of the Beatles as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

    Concert tickets are available at 195 dirhams (BD19.500), 145 dirhams (BD14.500) and 255 dirhams (BD25.500). For more information, Bahrain fans can contact Mirage Promotions on 17715277 or fax 17715377 or email mirage@batelco.com.bh.

    Source: Gulf Daily News


    JANUARY 27, 2004 12:08PM
    Mariah's Fan Club Archives

    The first issue of Honey B. Fly, Mariah’s fan club newsletter, has been mailed. Most club members have already received the glossy publication, while others should start trickling in over the next few days. What many of you may not know, however, is that newsletters were being mailed to Mariah fans all over the world long before Honey B. Fly was announced!

    Way back in 1991 Mariah signed up for fan club management services with Fan Emporium. This partnership lasted until 2002 when Joyce Logan, the president of Mariah’s fan club, resigned from the company. During Joyce’s helm, twenty seven Official Mariah Carey Fan Club newsletters were published, each featuring a personal message from Mariah herself and candid photos from her travels around the world.

    Before millions were exposed to the Internet and instant communication, the fan club newsletters came to be the centerpiece for contact between Mariah and her fans.

    These newsletters are long out of print and are no longer available. However, in an exclusive offer, Mariah Daily is the only source offering an inside look at the newsletters that display the history of Mariah’s immense career through words and images from Mariah herself. You won’t find these anywhere else!

    Click here to check out Mariah Daily’s retrospection on the Official Mariah Carey Fan Club newsletters, featuring personal letters written by Mariah that are over a decade old!

    Source: Mariah Daily

    Mariah spotted in Houston for Super Bowl

    Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre and Mariah Carey are in Houston for Super Bowl XXXVII and the Pre-Bowl festivities. Magic Johnson, P. Diddy and LL Cool J are among the celebrities hosting parties.

    Source: The Tennessean

    Mariah: A Gay Icon?

    Mariah fan Raymond Valencia points out that Mariah is slowly being recognized as a bigger Gay icon than originally thought.

    In the movie "Marci X" with Damon Wayans and Lisa Kudrow, there is a scene where a mother and her gay son are protesting against rapper Marci X. When asked what types of music her son listens to, the mother answered, "He loves Mariah Carey, Cher and Boys 'R' Us."

    Also, HBO re-aired their "Best Of Taxicab Confessions" special last night. One segment was with a drag queen who stated that she imitates Mariah in her shows. The cab driver asked her to sing, but she insisted "I can’t sing like her. But people tell me we look alike."

    Source: Mariah Daily | Raymond Valencia

    "Through The Rain" among Top 10 Best Sellers

    Mariah's inspirational "Through the Rain" ballad was the eighth best-selling single of 2003.

    Clay Aiken's "This Is the Night" and Ruben Studdard's "Flying Without Wings" were the top two sellers, moving 948,155 and 728,243 units respectively. Neither was a big radio-airplay hit, illustrating a disconnect between mostly young single buyers and radio stations targeting broader audiences.

    The American Idol finalists' version of "God Bless the USA," a single that received virtually no radio airplay, was the fourth-best-selling single with 309,655. (Kid Rock's "Picture" was third with 392,489 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday" rounded out the top five with 141,360. Both were radio hits.)

    The rest of the top 10: Korn's "Did My Time" (132,967); The Eagles' "Hole in the World" (121,376); Mariah Carey's "Through the Rain" (116,785); Aaliyah's "Miss You" (98,358); Jewel's "Intuition" (96,142). Only the last two achieved widespread radio success.

    Source: USA Today | dapshnyb

    News Tidbits

    -- From The Philippine Star: Vocal trainer Butch Albarracin called singer Nina the "Whistle Girl" because she happened to be his only student who whistles her songs. In fact, Nina always sang Mariah Carey’s "Emotions" using her whistle voice. Albarracin, recognizing talent when he sees one, knew she will someday be a standout.

    -- From PRNewswire: "The Best Of Boyz II Men" will be released on February 24 as a part of the 20th Century Masters/The DVD Collection. The DVD highlights the '90s videos for a quartet of #1 pop hits including their teaming with Mariah Carey for "One Sweet Day."

    -- From The Standard: On the global arena, popular female singers such as Britney Spears, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Dolly Parton and many other female groups hold shows and tours in their respective countries and elsewhere, attracting a large number of fans. Regionally South African singers Brendah Fassie, Miriam Makeba and Yvonne Chaka Chaka, are equally popular.


    JANUARY 26, 2004 4:44PM
    From the slopes to the beaches

    The following report was written by Mariah's friend and MTV News reporter Jasmine Dottiwala. You may remember her report about Aspen, which appeared on our site January 19th and greatly detailed Mariah's Christmas experiences. Here's what happened later:

    We were going to Rio or Puerto Rico after Aspen, but divas change their minds at the drop of a hat. So we flew to St Martin on Mariah’s private jet, then took a speedboat to neighbouring Anguilla. I went from tanning on the slopes to bronzing on the beaches.

    The first few days were spent relaxing by the pool, watching Jack the Dog pole vaulting into the water, playing cards and swimming with stingrays and dolphins. Readers may recall that two years ago I was attacked by dolphins in Mexico, but the trainers reassured me that dolphins don’t carry beef. I took my courage in both flippers and all was hunky dory.

    In the evenings we played a music knowledge game entitled For the Record, and one night Mariah pulled out a question about herself! Surreal.

    On New Year’s Eve she got a call from her mate Damon ‘entrepreneur-of-all things-fresh-to-def’ Dash. He invited us all to lunch so we swanned on down with our beachwear, only to find him surrounded by his tiny daughter Ava, Ava’s mum Rachel, BET head Bob Johnson, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Denzel and Mrs Washington, Giorgio Armani and family, and Robert De Niro. Someone pinch me! Damon was holding court among the glitterati. As soon as Giorgio’s son went to take a picture, I leapt up like Linford and got them to snap me a memory too – except at that moment Robert had gone over to the bar and I missed the photo opportunity! How gutted was I?

    On New Year’s Day we all went to Damon’s family house for dinner outside on a table beautifully set by the moonlit pool with thousands of flickering candles.

    Before dinner Damon dragged me and Mariah aside to listen to the album by his recent signing, UK rap group SAS. Dame kept yelling at me: “See, aren’t they the shit?!” They did sound hot. Damon assured me he was “the saviour of UK urban music”. He did say it while holding a blunt in each hand, so we can forgive the bragadociousness.

    Over dinner it was Jas versus Dame as we bantered to and fro, me cussing his often ludicrous statements like, “Even the Queen of England and Prince Charles know who Dame Dash is!” Ummm, no Dame.

    While I was laughing my socks off, he put me on blast by cussing my white-on-white Air Force Ones, which I admit I had mistreated on the beach. He told me if I couldn’t have a “fresh-to-def” pair on every outing, I should go barefoot! I said I would if I was on his fresh-to-def salary.

    After dinner we played the US version of charades. You act out a word which your team tries to guess. Can y’all believe the man running Roc-A-Wear didn’t know what a tape measure was? I told him I’d blast him in my column!

    Back in NYC I caught up with old friends like MTV’s Janet Shaw and went shopping with Di Joseph, formerly of Truce. Di was shocked when I tried on a pair of $30,000 Gucci shoes with a hole in my sock! I made up for it by taking her to my fave NYC eatery, Negrils. Then Kele Le Roc popped over, shortly followed by Masterstepz – a full-on Brit exodus.

    Finally, I bumped into Ja Rule at JFK airport and we chatted while waiting for our flights. He was incognito in his hoodie but finer than wine on a summer’s day. Me? I was just smiling at the perfect end to my perfect trip!

    Source: Jasmine's Juice

    J-Lo and Mariah put in seperate rooms

    Even though Benny Medina thought he was going to get Jennifer Lopez back in the latest round of craziness surrounding the actress/singer and Ben Affleck, this is not the case.

    Even though Lopez turned up at Medina's birthday party in Hollywood on Saturday night, no one should take this as a sign of anything but the actress dropping in on an old friend. In fact, Lopez has a new manager: Simon Fields.

    That's too bad for Medina, who definitely expected the Affleck phase out would mean a renewed union for him with Lopez. At the birthday party, by the way, Lopez was put in one room and Mariah Carey — currently Medina's part-time client — was in another.

    Medina began advising Carey last summer after the 21-year-old son of her long-time manager, Louise McNally, died of an accidental morphine overdose. Medina, says another source, saw an opportunity.

    "He preys on people when they're weak," says my source.

    Source: Fox News


    JANUARY 25, 2004 7:08PM
    "Glitter" to air on VH1

    VH1 has purchased the legal rights to Mariah’s 2001 movie "Glitter" and will be airing the film along with "Moulin Rouge" and "Rock Star" in their Movies That Rock series. "Glitter" will officially make its cable debut on Saturday, February 14, at 9pm EST on VH1.

    Source: Mariah Daily

    Shows must go on, please, for Mariah Carey

    Let us hope no more travel bans will be issued and there will be no more cases of security paranoia to stymie the much-anticipated concerts of three American artists in February.

    Despite the cancellation of new metal band Limp Bizkit's performance in December in Bali, due to vocalist Fred Durst's fears about the security situation, local promoters are going ahead with concerts for Korn, Toto and Mariah Carey.

    The genres are diverse enough for you to take your pick, or if money is not a problem, see all of them. New metal pioneer Korn will be the first to perform here on Feb. 5. Legendary rock band Toto will be next on Feb. 9.

    The last performer to hold a concert here needs no introduction. A songbird supreme and a pop diva in the truest sense, Mariah Carey's figure is getting more curvaceous and the beat of her music goes up through the years.

    She is no longer the skinny, black-clad, curly-haired soul sensation of 1990, but a seductive singing bombshell who has had her fair share of highly publicized meltdowns of late.

    However, that stunning seven-octave voice remains intact, and while rival Whitney Houston tries hard to get back on track again, Carey has continued to hold her own amid the rise of younger divas.

    Her albums have sold well, and she just released her latest album Charmbracelet, for which she kicked off the 2004 world tour.

    Carey's fame and undeniable celebrity pull have led promoter Java Musikindo to set pretty high ticket prices for these shores, with Rp 500,000 (US$59) for festival class and Rp 1.35 million and Rp 1.75 million for tribune classes.

    Compare them to Toto's of Rp 175,000, Rp 225,000 and Rp 300,000, and Korn at Rp 150,000 and Rp 200,000.

    Tickets for Carey and Korn can be obtained at major record stores, or contact Java Musikindo at (021) 57988623/24/25. As for Toto, check out the website www.rajatiket.com and www.tommypratama.com, or contact Original Production at (021) 2794423.

    Source: Jakarta Post

    Lyor Cohen bolts Island Def Jam for Warner Music

    Edgar Bronfman Jr. has lured Lyor Cohen away from Island Def Jam Music Group to head Bronfman's recently acquired Warner Music Group, it was announced Sunday.

    Island Def Jam's greatest strength has been its rap and urban music divisions, which Cohen is credited with boosting. However, Cohen has also seen disappointments of late at Island.

    He signed Mariah Carey after her disastrous union with Virgin Records, but her album with Cohen had only moderate success. Ja Rule's recent album was a flop. And Jay-Z, whose own sales have fallen off a bit, has declared his recently released "The Black Album" to be his last.

    Source: WCBS News

    News Tidbits

    -- Mariah's scheduled concert in Beijing, China at the Capital Stadium has been removed from Mariah's tour roster and is officially cancelled.

    -- Mariah is featured on the homepage of christiemartin.net, because Mariah wore Christie Martin's Old English letter armband for the cover of Maxim Magazine.

    -- Mariah's E! True Hollywood Story will re-air on E! TV on February 2nd at 6pm EST and February 3rd at 10pm EST. The bio show includes interviews with Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Patti LaBelle, Master P, Debbie Allen and Mariah herself. Mariah's complete television schedule can be seen to the left of your screen.

    -- From Gulf News: Born in Italy, Emanuel Ungaro learnt a great deal from his father who was a tailor by profession. Today, Ungaro designs for some of Hollywood's most famous stars including Sharon Stone, Liz Hurley, Catherine Zeta Jones, Penelope Cruz, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

    Source: Martell


    JANUARY 24, 2004 11:04AM
    Mariah pictures

    The beautiful photos below were taken on the set of Mariah's "Through The Rain" music video back in 2002. We decided to add them to the site today since there wasn't much news. Click each thumbnail for a larger, full-scale view.


    Mariah Carey’s tour shows growing faith in Lebanon

    On Feb. 24, the biggest selling female performer of the 1990’s, Mariah Carey, will be performing in Beirut. It will be the singer’s first visit to an Arab country and comes as part of the Beiteddine Festival Committee’s attempt to change a growing perception amongst critics and its viewing public that it consistently fails to bring more popular musicians and entertainers to its annual summer festival.

    “We have been asked by our public why we don’t bring more popular singers to Beiteddine and so by bringing Mariah Carey to Beirut we are listening to them and responding to their legitimate demands,” Nora Jumblatt, head of the Beiteddine Festival Committee told The Daily Star Wednesday.

    Though many may have mixed feelings about Carey’s music, that she will be performing in Lebanon at the Beirut International Exhibition Center (BIEL) is a positive indicator of the country’s ability to attract top stars after the difficulties all the major festivals and promoters faced in 2003 due to the war on Iraq.

    Both the Baalbek International Festival and the Byblos International Festival cited the war last year as reasons why even some popular and in the case of the Byblos Festival, youth oriented bands like Placebo have canceled contracts to perform.

    Carey’s gig is also a major personal boost for Jumblatt and her colleague Hala Chahine after last year’s promised concert from Colombian-Lebanese singer Shakira was postponed due to the regional instabilites.

    Carey with her five-octave voice and numerous awards including two Grammys, is a star of international acclaim with a huge following around the globe. She has had 15 number one singles and has broken the record held by The Beatles for most cumulative weeks spent atop the American Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. As a singer she is equally at home with sweeping ballads and pop and rarely for such a star she also composes all her own material.

    After numerous conversations with Lebanon’s festival promoters over the last few years, the consistent reason why they have failed to bring younger and more popular artists has been a question of money ­ both in terms of artist’s fees and the potential to break even financially. Sources within the industry confirmed that today’s hit bands such as Coldplay and Jamiroquai ­ perfect festival material ­ can cost between $800,000 and $1 million.

    Very few of Lebanon’s famous music festivals actually turn a financial profit and as such require money from various donors, banks, and the Culture Ministry to survive, despite the cultural cache they give to the country. However, both Jumblatt and Chahine point out another reason why high caliber popular stars do not come.

    “Normally in the summer when we have the festivals, artists like Mariah Carey and others are not touring so it is much harder to bring them because they are either unavailable or cost much more,” says Chahine.

    “Most of them tour during winter and the spring. Mariah is coming now as part of her Charmbracelet Tour and will be continuing to Dubai on Feb. 26. As she is touring anyway we can bring her and her whole band and dancers at a more cost effective price.”

    Jumblatt adds that, “Though it is outside of the traditional summer period we are expanding the scope of the Beiteddine Festival and continuing to evolve positively by staging Mariah at this time.

    "It is also the Beiteddine Festival’s contribution to the Beirut Shopping Festival which happens every February,” she says.

    Mariah Carey performs at BIEL on Feb. 24 as part of the Beiteddine Festival. Tickets available from Virgin and the Beiteddine offices.

    Source: The Daily Star

    Mariah's 2004 Birthday Book

    Mariah fan Janel Spiegel has been approved by MonarC Entertainment to send Mariah a very special fanbook just in time for Mariah’s birthday. Janel has made Mariah several fanbooks in the past and has been doing the Birthday Book every year for the last few years.

    If you would like to contribute by sending Mariah a birthday wish, or getting more in depth by attaching a letter, poem, drawing, or whatever else you choose, e-mail your contributions to JanelSpiegel@aol.com or snail mail them to: Mariah’s 2004 Birthday Book / 1625 Perkiomen Ave / Reading, PA 19602 / USA

    The deadline is March 20, 2004. The book will be given directly to Mariah through MonarC Entertainment. A half-poster sized card will also be added and sent along with the book featuring birthday messages and pictures. If you would like to be a part of the card only and do no wish to be a part of the main Birthday Book, please put “Mariah’s 2004 Birthday Card” as the subject in your e-mail.

    News Tidbits

    -- Official Mariah Carey Fan Club merchandise items, including shirts, hats and sweatshirts, are scheduled to be available on www.honeybfly.com prior to April 1st.

    -- KUBE 93, Seattle's #1 hit music station, is considering adding "What Would U Do" to their playlist. Please be sure to request the song to help out the process.

    -- Mariah's "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" was listed for 13 weeks on the Flemish Top 50 singles chart in Belgium. Its highest charting position was #18.

    -- From Vibe Magazine Online: Cockney is an accent or dialect common to East-end Londoners and can be as crazy as U.S. hip hop slang, so it’s nothing to be intimidated by. Even Jay-Z and Biggie (maybe unwittingly) used a bit of cockney slang in their songs “Excuse Me Miss” and “What’s The 411?” respectively. Jigga man says “Scooby doos” instead of shoes, and Big Poppa calls Mariah Carey scary, which is what the diva’s name actually translates to in cockney.

    -- From Stuff Magazine: While other helmet manufacturers are still playing catch-up to the Fuse’s great ventilation, style and comfort, Giro has one-upped itself and added removable audio ear pads to the mix. Just plug the earpads directly into your MP3 or CD player and press play. Then press repeat — especially if you’re listening to Mariah Carey. We’re her biggest stalker!

    -- From eMedia Wire: Laura Sullivan's "Pianoscapes for the Trails of North America" CD debuted today in the Apple iTunes Music Store at #5, a very strong Top 100 Albums debut. Produced by Chris Camozzi (associated with artists Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand and many others) Pianoscapes is rich in instrumental magic.

    Source: Jason Piontek | Bert


    JANUARY 23, 2004 7:58PM
    News Tidbits

    -- "WiseGirls" will be released in Brazil next month for sale and rent on both VHS and DVD. The movie, titled "Testemunhas Contra a Máfia" for Brazilian audiences, is being distributed by Europa Filmes, and features artwork different to that of the American and International releases. The cover can be seen to your right. For more information on the Brazilian release, check out europafilmes.com.br.

    -- "What Would U Do" has reached #68 on the Internet Radio Airplay Charts. The song remains one of the top songs of three radio stations: Power 106 in LA (818-845-1059), Q104 in Oxnard (805-654-1526) and U92 in Salt Lake City (801-570-9200). The track also continues to be a top song on SoundMagnet Internet Radio and Rhythm Nation Radio. On Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks survey, the song moves up nineteen spots from #81 to #62 in its 7th charting week.

    -- From Billboard Magazine: More than 20 different "MTV Unplugged" albums have reached The Billboard 200 chart. Eric Clapton's 1992 collection tops the list of best selling albums derived from the series, with 7.4 million copies sold in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. Mariah Carey's "MTV Unplugged EP" comes in at #4, behind Clapton, Nirvana and Rod Stewart, respectively, with 2.7 million copies sold.

    -- From Hits Daily Double: OutKast maintained their pre-Grammy momentumby once again grabbing the #1 slot on Billboard's Hot 200 albums chart. Unfortunately, no album topped the 100k sales mark, the first time that's occurred on the album charts in almost a decade: Feb. 27, 1994, when Mariah Carey's "Music Box" held that dubious distinction by selling 91,600 copies.

    Source: Mauricio | Steve Burt | Charlie Feldman | Adam

    Randy Jackson Talks Mariah

    Music producer and American Idol judge Randy Jackson filled in for Steve Edwards and played guest host today on FOX-TV’s Good Day Live.

    As they went to a commercial break, Mariah’s "Fantasy" played. Randy responded by saying, "Hey! That’s my girl Mariah," while co-host Jillian Barberie danced around and commented, "Yeah! We Love Mariah."

    Randy, who has been working with Mariah since the very beginning of her career, later mentioned that his current favorite song is "What Would U Do" and that Mariah has been in the studio working on her next album.

    Source: Mariah Daily | Brian


    JANUARY 22, 2004 4:16PM
    Mariah Daily's Holidays Contest

    During Christmas week, Mariah Daily announced our Holidays Contest, in which we asked Mariah fans to think innovatively and submit any creative creation they felt fellow Mariah fans would enjoy.

    We received poems, song lyrics, drawings, graphics, and other visionary entries from fans around the world, and after narrowing down the competition to ten sole nominees, we displayed them on the site so our visitors could personally decide who the rightful winner would be.

    813 of those visitors voted and Kevon Hayati was officially proclaimed the winner of Mariah Daily's Holidays Contest! Kevon's winning drawing, displayed below, grabbed 206 votes (25% of the total vote). For his efforts, Kevon will receive a copy of the "Charmbracelet" album authentically autographed by Mariah herself!

    Congratulations to Kevon and for everyone else: be sure to keep checking back to MariahDaily.com for future contests!


    I’ll Carey on with Feb 22 concert, vows Mariah

    American diva Mariah Carey will be here for her concert on Feb 22 – despite PAS' calls to ban her performance on claims that she is a provocative dresser and that she promotes moral degradation.

    “The concert date is confirmed. The only thing that will change is my costumes,” said Carey, whose remarks were relayed to The Star by concert organiser Galaxy Production spokesman Eric Chen.

    “Whatever they don’t like me to do, I won’t do it, but the date stays,” she said of her mega concert “An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey,” which is part of her Charmbracelet World Tour that will also take her to Beirut and Dubai.

    Carey, however, has a long list of must-haves when she arrives here for the first time on Feb 22. She expects to have her privacy respected and security to be tight.

    Few things that are also high on her list are six cans of Diet Coke, ginger ale, ice-tea, uncut fresh fruits, a whole lemon, honey and unlimited supply of mineral water.

    It was said the former waitress who shot to fame in the 1990s has personally requested that these items be in her hotel room’s refrigerator at all times.

    According to Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, which is hosting her stay at the presidential suite, the diva would get a personal butler. The hotel would ensure attentiveness to and security for Carey and the entourage throughout her stay.

    “She has personally chosen our hotel and we will make sure she gets what she wants,” it said in a statement.

    Source: The Star Online

    Mariah Carey Is Still Looking For A Man

    With Mariah Carey and Luis Miguel both spotted on vacation in Aspen, rumors began swirling that the two had rekindled their romance. But Star magazine says the diva was overheard telling a friend, "Luis is here in Aspen - but he's here with another girl! I'm having a great time with my friends, but we are not back together! I'm still looking!"

    Source: Pop Dirt

    Mariah Songs Banned From 'American Idol' Auditions

    The third season of American Idol kicked off this week on FOX. According to information from the hit show obtained by LAUNCH, several singers and songs were banned from being performed at this year's auditions, including Sarah McLachlan's "Angel," Etta James' "At Last," Elton John's "Candle In The Wind," and the ever-popular "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys.

    You also won't hear anything by Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Mariah Carey, No Doubt, R. Kelly, Tom Petty, Korn, Linkin Park, Carly Simon, or John Mellencamp during the audition process.

    The American Idol memo also discourages "most alternative rock bands" to perform during the audition.

    Source: Yahoo! News

    American Idol reject sings Mariah's "Hero"

    American Idol judge Simon Cowell thinks Spc. Martha Krabill is better suited for Broadway than pop superstardom. But viewers who watched Krabill on Monday during the show's third-season premiere think otherwise. They are clamoring online for "Army Girl" to get a second chance on the show.

    At her audition, Krabill wore her Army uniform and pointed to her Airborne wings with pride. Her rendition of "Dancing in the Streets" had Abdul and Jackson bopping in their chairs. When she finished, Cowell gave her his zinger. Abdul said Krabill should be on television, but not on "Idol."

    Krabill pleaded her case and broke into song, singing Mariah Carey's "Hero," but the judges were firm. "You're not right for this," Jackson said.

    Source: Fayetteville Observer

    Write if you get work

    A sure sign of a career in decline is when a performer starts doing conventions and trade shows. The money's good but the audiences - the American Association of Librarians, or proctologists, or plumbers - are not exactly cutting edge.

    So I think the message was clear when Mariah Carey did a gig for 10,000 chiropractors at a convention in Las Vegas last weekend. The other celebs present were unmistakably has-beens: Jerry Lewis and Marilu Henner.

    Source: The Gazette

    Diva hits bottom

    Mariah Carey hit an all-time career low when she performed for a roomful of doctors at a chiropractic convention in Vegas. Mariah was billed as the highlight of the back-crackers conference weekend, along with actress Marilu Henner. Some might see this kind of gig as a bit of a comedown for an artist who once sold out entire stadiums, but one music biz insider came to Mariah's defense. "Those trade show conventions pay pretty well," he told MSNBC.

    Source: San Francisco Examiner

    Mariah's Malaysian problem

    Sometimes, when things aren't going your way, it's best to check with a doctor. Mariah Carey has been catching flack from the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party's youth wing over her upcoming February 22 concert in Kuala Lumpur. The party leader wants her to be banned from performing in their country because of what he called the "sexy, unacceptable and almost vulgar manner" she presents herself on stage. Carey took a break from the controversy over the weekend by performing at a chiropractors convention at the Las Vegas Hilton. Maybe one or two of the 10,000 members that attended can help the singer straighten out her Malaysian problem.

    Source: TVNow Entertainment News

    Mariah's race parodied on "Chappelle's Show"

    Calling the humor on "Chappelle's Show," Comedy Central's hilarious sketch series from Dave Chappelle, sharp is an understatement.

    Like Chris Rock's old HBO series, "Chappelle's Show" thrives on airing politically incorrect skits that are as funny as they are thought-provoking.

    One standout bit is a "racial draft" in which teams of Jews, African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and whites decide the racial standing of such multi-ethnic celebrities as Tiger Woods, Halle Berry and Mariah Carey.

    The blacks' first-round draft pick is Woods. "He's been discriminated against in his time, he's had death threats and he dates white women," observes Chappelle as one of the play-by-play announcers. "Sounds like a black man to me."

    Source: Cox News

    News Tidbits

    -- Mariah is listed at #9 in Business 2.0 Magazine's fourth annual survey of the 101 Dumbest Moments in Business. The caption reads: "Having lured Mariah Carey with a $21 million signing bonus and an $80 million, five-album recording contract, EMI decides, after only one album, to pay her $28 million to go away. The net result: EMI pays $49 million for the soundtrack to Glitter."

    -- Portia wants everyone to know that she is selling her entire Mariah collection on eBay. The lot includes 8 albums, 14 singles and 3 other items. Check it out now!

    -- From Metro Weekly: Ten years ago, DJs were just seen as jukeboxes who played song after song. Today DJs are treated with almost as much respect as Mariah Carey.

    -- From Detroit Free Press: Celebrities are especially prone to the meltdown disease: Farrah Fawcett on David Letterman's show in 1997. Mariah Carey, dazed and disrobing, on "Total Request Live" in 2001.

    -- From Hindustan Times: Last year at the NRJ Music Awards, votes from more than 900,000 people put Colombian singer Shakira out tops, while the Latino sensation Las Ketchup took a prize for "international revelation of the year"- and Robbie Williams and Mariah Carey looked on in the audience.

    Source: Portia Cochran | Mr. Cool


    JANUARY 20, 2004 4:20PM
    Becca Solodon: Making It Through The Rain


    Becca Solodon
    For over a year, teenager Becca Solodon experienced complications with her foot. After numerous doctor visits, x-rays and physical therapy treatments, a tumor was discovered. Becca underwent surgery to have the tumor removed but final test results showed a malignant remainder.

    Diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as sarcoma, Becca underwent several chemotherapy sessions before having her leg amputated at mid-calf on October 31, after doctors determined the operation was the only way to stop the potentially lethal tumor.

    Throughout the entire process, music – Becca’s saving grace – kept her inspired and hopeful; and after hearing about her dreams of becoming a professional singer, entertainment heavyweights Sam Frankel and Jerry Heller of HQZ Management organized a fourteen-hour studio session with producer Damion “Damizza” Young.

    When Damizza, the mastermind behind a handful of Mariah songs including “Pure Imagination,” “Crybaby,” “If We” and “Irresistible,” told Mariah about the aspiring singer, Mariah appointed her as the opening act for a December 15th concert in Santa Barbara.

    MariahDaily.com spoke candidly with Becca about her amazing journey – from cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy sessions, to meeting Mariah and performing live in front of thousands of people.

    Mariah Daily: Upon the initial diagnosis of cancer, what was your immediate feeling or action?
    Becca Solodon: When the doctors told me I had cancer, I didn’t believe it. My foot had been hurting for a year, but I thought it was just a small tumor that could be removed with a simple operation. I never thought that it would be malignant and when I found out it was I was shocked.

    MD: What was your first reaction to the news that your leg had to be amputated in order to stop the spread of cancer?
    Becca: My parents told me that I may have to have my leg amputated because the cancer I had was very aggressive and it may have to be a step that I would have to take in order to save my life. Still, there was the possibility that I wouldn’t have to have the operation done, so I hoped for the best. It was hard to listen to my parents tell me that the operation was really going to take place because just the day before I felt like any other teen just going to school and worrying about getting an A on my math test the next day. I knew that my life was going to change.

    MD: Throughout this entire journey, what was the most difficult activity or choice you had to participate in?
    Becca: I think that probably the hardest thing to accept throughout this whole time was going into the operating room knowing that I was going to come out of it differently. Of course I was scared as would anybody be, but I knew it was the right choice in order to save my life, so I had a sort of peace about it.

    MD: How would you describe your personal experiences as a chemotherapy patient?
    Becca: The kind of chemotherapy I had to go through was pretty intense. I was admitted into the hospital for a week at a time with a two week break in-between. Each day I had an hour break where I would be able to be off my medicine and go outside. The hardest part, besides being in the hospital for that long was coming home and having four days of my body trying to adjust to being off the medicine. Luckily I only had to be in the hospital for three weeks, but believe me, it seemed like an eternity.

    MD: How has being diagnosed with cancer and having part of your leg amputated directly affected your life?
    Becca: Having all these things happen to me has really opened my eyes to the real world. When I think about everything I’m going through, it seems like nothing compared to what other people have gone through or are still going through. It has also showed me how I have been blessed with so many wonderful people in my life. My friends and family were there right by my side every step of the way. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. They knew what I needed exactly when I needed it and were willing to give up their time to help me feel better about things. It amazes me still that people I have never even met before have sent me cards, gifts, and have kept me in their prayers. These people are what keep the world a beautiful place.

    MD: It has been reported that you hope to become a famous singer. Who are some of your musical influences?
    Becca: Musical influences…there are so many. I have a very wide variety of music I listen to. To name a few…First of all, of course Mariah. She has one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard in my life. Dredg, Cave In, Coldplay, Radiohead, Norah Jones, Rufus Wainwright, Journey, Pink Floyd, Damien Rice, Justin Timberlake…anything by the Neptunes, Outkast, Living Legends, Talib Kweli, Bjork, John Mayer…the list goes on and on and on.

    MD: A studio session for you with producer Damion “Damizza” Young and a group of professional musicians was set up. What was it like working in the studio with such renowned industry people?
    Becca: Oh my gosh. Being in the studios was probably the most amazing experience I have ever had. It has always been my dream to record in a professional studio and I never once thought it would become a reality. When I walked through the halls of Westlake Studios, I couldn’t believe all the pictures and signed records that were hanging on the walls of the people who have recorded there. I can never thank these people enough for what they did for me. It still feels like a dream.

    MD: How and when did you first learn that Mariah Carey wanted you as her opening act?
    Becca: I first found out that Mariah wanted me as her opening act when we were mixing my song at Soundcastle Studios. Damion and Sam had me sit down first, then when they told me, I was more than shocked. I had known that she invited me to come to her show, but I never even thought she would invite me to be the opening act. I think I just sat in my chair speechless for probably ten minutes. When I told my friends, they couldn’t believe it either. My school received a call saying that I was opening for Mariah Carey and they thought it was a prank.

    MD: Had you been a fan of Mariah’s music? If so, what are your favorite Mariah songs?
    Becca: Yes, some of my favorite Mariah songs are “One Sweet Day”, “Always Be My Baby”, “Heartbreaker”, and “When You Believe”.

    MD: Why did you decide on “Simon” by Lifehouse as the song you would perform and record?
    Becca: I think the message “Simon” gives, everyone can relate to. Everyone has been put down by someone, in order to make the other person feel better about themselves. The song just gives people hope and lets them know that at one point in everyone’s life, we have all felt like that.

    MD: As a member of your high school's jazz choir, you’ve performed live before. But were you nervous about performing by yourself in front of thousands of people at the Arlington Theatre?
    Becca: I was nervous, but also very excited. I had performed by myself before, but I had always played the piano or the guitar as well as sang. This was a completely new experience for me, not having an instrument. Being out on stage gives me such a rush. It was probably one of the most exciting things I have ever done.

    MD: News of your performance made headlines across the nation and across the world, appearing in South American, European and Asian publications. You were also featured in Rolling Stone, People Weekly and Star magazines. Do you feel like a celebrity now with all of the media attention?
    Becca: I still can’t believe my story went world wide. I would have never thought anything like this could have happened. Even though there was so much bad going on in my life, it seemed like it was completely taken over by all the good. Who wouldn’t feel like a celebrity!


    Becca's Opening Act and Working Pass
    MD: After the show was over, you had the opportunity to briefly meet Mariah herself. What was that experience like?
    Becca: Meeting Mariah was really fun. She is one of the biggest pop stars in the world, and there I was meeting her. She is a really sweet person. She thanked me for opening her show and she was happy to meet me. I thanked her for the invite and said that I was happy to meet her as well. It was a really nice experience and I’m glad I was able to share it with my family.

    MD: What are your hopes for the future? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
    Becca: My hopes for the future are ones of happiness. In ten years I hope I will still be involved in music some way or another. Hopefully one day I can make a cd and go on tour. I’ve had a taste of the music industry and now I dream of making a living recording and performing.

    MD: What do you want the world to know about Becca Solodon?
    Becca: I would like to be known as a voice that rises up out of adversity to inspire and encourage other people who are struggling with everyday life and the challenges it presents. I hope to become an example of how determination and a positive attitude can open a new world of opportunity to anyone who dares to dream.

    Source: Mariah Daily

    "What Would U Do" music video

    Over the last few days, there have been rumors that Mariah will direct and appear in a music video for the Damizza-produced song "What Would U Do" featuring Nate Dogg and Shade Sheist.

    Although specific details cannot be officially established, Baby Ree Entertainment, Damizza's management company, did confirm to Mariah Daily today that there are plans to film a music video for the track and that a budget for the project is being panned out.

    Baby Ree Entertainment also suggested that people check in with www.putyourselfout.net for further details.

    In related news, log on to Heroes Of Mariah to see a scan of the "What Would U Do" press release, which includes a picture of Mariah and Damizza performing the song live in Los Angeles.

    Carey gives concert for chiropractors

    Mariah Carey — who recently announced that she would be playing more “intimate” concerts — surprised some in the music industry by singing for 10,000 chiropractors last weekend.

    The diva, who not too long ago was the hottest-selling singer in the country, was the headliner at a convention for the back specialists at the Las Vegas Hilton, where the other celeb attractions included such stars as Marilu Henner of “Taxi” fame and Jerry Lewis.

    “She’s had some rough spots in her career lately,” says one industry expert. “But those trade conventions pay pretty well.”

    Source: MSNBC

    Rubbing Elbows With The Stars

    What do you get when you subscribe to the hottest tones from myGlobe Music Central? A once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet the biggest international stars, that’s what!

    Recently, Globe Handyphone sponsored the manila concert of Mariah Carey’s Charmbracelet world tour. After 15 songs and seven outfit changes, Mariah went back to her hotel for a chat with myGlobe Music Central winners Melissa Maturan, Abbie Real, Feli Ondasan, Norman Elegado, Marnelli Bron and Cameron Nazareno. They won a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet their idol just by texting MC to 2949 to subscribe to weekly tones from myGlobe Music Central!

    They were led into a room where Mariah, clad in a denim mini skirt and white mid-riff top- and a hearty, welcoming smile, was waiting. “She had this incredible smile I will never forget. She’s a big superstar and she smiled at me!’’ exclaimed Melissa.

    “She’s a true vision of love. Larger than life, too!” observed Abbie. “What’s most admirable about her is that she was real nice and gamely posed for a photo with us,” she added.

    Before leaving, Globe representatives Fino Ruiz, Nonie Busuego and Christine Misa presented Mariah with the Panasonic GD88 handyphone. Winner Norman also handed Mariah a lucky charm; a miniature marble statue of a phoenix.

    “I’d like to give you this lucky charm, Mariah- I hope it serves you well,” he giddily said to her. This was met by a wide smile from the delighted diva who graciously accepted the gift.

    Source: The Philippine Star | Rea Siochi

    See Mariah Live In Malaysia

    Mix FM is giving you the chance of a lifetime to catch, the one and only Mariah Carey Charmbracelet World Tour, presented by TM Net.

    Keep your dial set on Mix FM for the cue to call. We'll play two overlapping Mariah Carey hits and be the first caller through on 03 9543 3322 who can correctly identify the song titles to win 2 tickets to witness Mariah Live in concert for the first time here in Malaysia at Merdeka Stadium on the 22nd of February.

    Mix FM is proud to be the official radio station for the Mariah Carey Charmbracelet World Tour. For ticketing information call Galaxy at 03 2282 2020 or log on to www.galaxy.com.my.

    Source: Mix FM Online

    News Tidbits

    -- Reportedly, after only two days of being on sale, 60% of the available tickets for Mariah's performance at the 33,000 seat Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia have been sold.

    -- Universal Music Thailand and Matching Entertainment, the promoter of Mariah's concert in Thailand, officially announced today the details of Mariah's upcoming concert. The tickets will go on sale January 24th for those who are members of the GSM Advance Evolution program. General sale will start January 31st. Check out www.thaiticketmaster.com for more details.

    -- From Canada Online: David Morales won a Grammy in 1998 for his remix work with Mariah Carey. Still, that didn't stop him from eventually hanging up his remixer's hat in favour of DJing full time. "I stopped remixing in the late '90s because I'd been doing it since 1986; I just got bored being Mr. Fix-It. It got frustrating," concedes Morales.

    -- From Alameda Times-Star Online: A pointed bit about the Secretary of Celebrity Defense reveals that troubled celebs such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears and Tom Cruise are all good, decent people and enduring talents. If they have any problems, the secretary tells us, it's only because they're a little dehydrated.

    Source: RainbowCity | Sathapana Charoenchai


    JANUARY 19, 2004 12:04PM
    Christmas adventure in festive Aspen

    During Christmas week I took Mariah’s dog Jack for daily walks up Smuggler’s Mountain (he likes water so much he sprinted into the hot tub every night to join us). We all went skiing and one-horse open sleighing, singing songs through the mountains (including Merry Christmas in Spanish, which sounded to me like we were saying ‘’very snobby dog’’). I insisted they sing a carol in an English accent to make me feel at home, a request that was greeted with much hilarity (ie p**s-taking).

    Tubing was a shocking thrill. It’s like those huge inflatable doughnuts at water parks – but we did it on the icy mountain terrain! Whoo! On the slopes we bumped into Will Smith and wifey Jada Pinkett-Smith, who was moody ‘cos she’d taken a couple of spills. Will, Jada, their kids and extended family then joined Mariah’s family for hot toddies at the Buttermilk Mountain Café! Also on the slopes with us were Kevin Costner, Miami Vice’s Don Johnson and TV Superman himself, Dean Cain.

    Later, Mariah went shopping in Christian Dior – it was like an episode from Sex in the City! The most amazingly funny thing ever is on entry to every Aspen town store – from designer shops to the local post office – every customer is offered a glass of champagne. Can you imagine me and my girls shopping out there? We’d be in a coma within the first hour! You can be an alcoholic without spending a penny. A glass of water is on offer, too, but why bother with water when bubbly is there for the taking?

    Our Christmas tree was the biggest I’ve seen indoors. Ever. We covered it in butterflies, doves, angels and snowflakes while drinking eggnog. Christmas dinner was Yankee stylee – sweet potato, turkey and cranberry sauce, mash potato, stuffing , macaroni cheese and delicious biscuits. I reckon I put on a stone in weight. But it was much yummier than the English version. It was all so festive, snuggling up in front of a huge private cinema every night with MC’s clique and her three little nephews and nieces to watch cartoons.

    On Christmas Eve, instead of just attending Midnight Mass in the local church as usual, we decided to keep it at home and huddle around the cosy fireplace. We sat in a small group and read from the Bible to make it a really spiritual occasion. It was like a scene from The Waltons. Lovely.

    Then there were the prezzies. Mine included my first real diamond chain, a few Prada and Ralph Lauren goodies, two Fred Segal hangbags – which are very SATC – a scented candle, blinging earrings, a white wool coat, a DVD player, tacky knickers and lots of bathroom smellies.

    One of MC’s best friends and backing singers Mary-Anne brought her dog Tiffany along – sporting designer wear and other clothes “for when she goes to church’’. As you can see, I had a real diva-eye opener of a Christmas before packing my bikinis and flying off in MC’s private jet to Anguilla. Someone slap me – I need a reality check!

    Source: Jasmine's Juice

    Janet Jackson says Mariah is not a diva

    R&B/Dance artist Janet Jackson insists that Mariah Carey is not the person she portrays in the limelight – a diva. The superstar told Music Beat that Carey is "down to earth".

    Jackson - whose new album is set to drop in March – states, "I have met [Carey] before and she's really cool and so funny. Everyone has been given the wrong impression of her, and maybe it is her doing.

    "But you have to remember that celebrities are always in the spotlight and are sometimes forced to conduct them selves in a different way than they normally do. That’s how it is in the business. I have met artists who are real divas, but Mariah Carey is not one of them. She is a very sweet person, and what nobody sees off camera is the real person she is on the inside."

    Source: Celebrity Insider | MariahsRod | JanetsMan

    Editor's Note: Mariah Daily cannot confirm the authenticity of this article, which originally appeared on Janet Jackson's official messageboard. If you have any information regarding the supposed source, Celebrity Insider, please contact us.

    Mariah to attend NATPE function

    After performing for a record crowd of over 10,000 Chiropractors at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Parker Seminars of Chiropractics, Mariah will also attend the 2004 National Association of Television Program Executives exhibition along with Dana Carvey, Jerry Lewis, Keifer Sutherland and Jerry Seinfeld to also be held in Las Vegas January 18th - 20th.

    Source: PRNewswire | Shayne

    "What Would U Do"

    "What Would U Do," the Damizza-produced track by Nate Dogg and Shade Sheist, which samples "If We" and features adlibs and background vocals by Mariah, has been issued as international promotional singles. The tracklists are as follows:

    Promotional CD Single:
    1. What Would U Do (Radio Edit)
    2. What Would U Do (Instrumental)
    3. What Would U Do (Explicit LP Version)

    Promotional Vinyl Single:
    A1. What Would U Do (Radio Edit)
    A2. What Would U Do (Instrumental)
    B1. What Would U Do (Explicit LP Version)
    B2. What Would U Do (Acapella)

    "What Would U Do" will be released commmercially and will be available on the upcoming album "Damizza Presents 2: No More Waiting. No More Hating." Click here to listen to the song if you haven't heard it yet.

    Source: Heroes Of Mariah

    News Tidbits

    -- Tickets for Mariah's upcoming show in Indonesia at the Jakarta Convention Center on February 15th went on sale today. The concert's promoters also announced that the show has been rescheduled to 4:00pm, although the original date is still the same.

    -- Mariah is the 4th runner up in the Top Of The Pops Awards 2003 category "Shameless exhibitionist". Other runner ups include Christina Aguilera, Robbie Williams and Darius. The winner is Britney Spears. Mariah is also the 3rd runner up in category "Gibbering Fool". The winner is The Cheeky Girls.

    -- Marc has a huge Mariah collection that he is putting up for sale. The list includes a vast amount of rare promos, U.S., U.K., European and Australian single sets, and other memorabilia. Click here to e-mail Marc for more details and further information.

    -- A fan-submitted drawing of Mariah is featured on page 11 of the new edition of Word Up magazine.

    -- From CNN Online: If you want to impress the American Idol judges, leave the Mariah Carey-like vocal histrionics at home. Paula Abdul said it's like "a breath of fresh air" when a singer simply sticks to the melody.

    -- From Jamaica Observer: While in Hollywood, Jana Bent met music producer Howie Hersh, who has done work with Mariah Carey and Snoop Dogg and other West Coast rappers.

    Source: Indra | Johny | Marc | Robert

    Mariah Daily's Holidays Contest

    The voting for Mariah Daily's Holidays Contest will end on tomorrow. Please take time to review all of the entries (located under the "Poll" section on this page) and vote for the one that you like the most. Your chosen winner will receive the "Charmracelet" album authentically autographed by Mariah herself!


    JANUARY 18, 2004 10:54AM
    Mariah fan on American Idol

    You may see Mariah fan Corinthian Sharell Andrews when the season premiere of American Idol begins tomorrow night (January 19th) at 8pm EST.

    She made it through three rounds of auditions in Atlanta and was sent to Hollywood, where she made it into the second round and Judges Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell called her voice "matured."

    Sharell has began work recording a demo and will be finishing it up in Los Angeles this Spring. Expect amazing things from this amazing person, who is pictured above with Mariah herself at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game.

    Source: Mariah Daily | robinGSU

    Living In The Past

    I started listening to American diva Mariah Carey about a decade ago when she had better dress sense. That was the time she sang lovely ballads.

    After 10 years in show-business, her love life has suffered, she reportedly had a nervous breakdown, she incorporated hip-hop in her music and appeared on music videos with rap singers who look like they have just been released from prison.

    Although the two-time Grammy Awards winner can still perform to a sell-out crowd, she has to do more in the face of heavy competition from newcomers such as Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.

    Regarded as the best-selling female performer of all time, Carey has shed more of her skimpy clothes in her videos and continued to retain most of her male admirers, including those PAS members who must have been secretly watching the clips.

    If it’s all about sexy singers, the majority of us would rather watch Kylie Minogue or Shakira. Being sexy, however, does not mean being erotic, lewd and obscene. Anggun, Ning Baizura and Ella are considered to be sexy by many, regardless of whether they are men or women, but they are properly dressed.

    We like Carey simply because she is a good vocalist. She also composes her songs, and with 15 hit singles under her belt, she certainly has talent. She is proud of her physical assets and flaunts them much more than she ought to, but we believe she is sensible enough to abide by the conditions spelt out to her by the Malaysian authorities for her Feb 22 concert here.

    After all, she is scheduled to perform in Jakarta on Feb 15, Beirut on Feb 24 and Dubai on Feb 26 – all three cities with predominantly Muslim populations – as part of her world tour.

    It is understood that Singapore, well aware of the tourism gains from such a concert, tried very hard to get her to sing there but she picked Kuala Lumpur over the island republic.

    Last week, Federal Territory PAS Youth deputy chief Ahmad Sabki Yusof protested against the concert, saying it was untimely and that Carey was known for her sexy and provocative dressing. PAS could not accept her “immoral performance”, he said. Criticising the Government for allowing such an “obscene act”, he said her concert was not suitable for the people.

    Malaysians should be familiar with the stance adopted by PAS. In the name of religion, they have played moral guardians again. Not only have they protested against anything Western, they have banned mak yong and wayang kulit, very much part of the Malay culture, supposedly because of Hindu influences.

    PAS leaders, in their eagerness to embrace the Arab culture, have unfortunately gone overboard in the name of religion. To put down their opponents, the PAS leaders brand them as Jews and anti-Islam.

    Moderate Malaysians should ignore the protest by PAS against the Mariah Carey concert. PAS is living in the past and is simply passe.

    Source: The Star Online

    PAS criticised for wanting concert banned

    Barisan Nasional and DAP leaders have criticised PAS for its call to ban American pop star Mariah Carey’s concert at the Stadium Merdeka here on Feb 22 on grounds that she is provocative in her dressing.

    MCA Youth secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai urged PAS leaders to adopt a more liberal attitude as Malaysia was a progressive and plural society.

    “Malaysians are generally tired of calls by PAS to ban concerts, the imposition of a dress code and its gender segregation policies,” he said.

    Liow said the MCA had received many complaints from youngsters following the protest by PAS against Carey’s concert as they felt PAS leaders were “living in the dark ages.”

    Penang DAP legal bureau chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said it was another extension of PAS’ discrimination against women.

    “How can PAS ask for the cancellation of concerts of such nature in a progressive country like Malaysia, which is trying to be at par with other developing and developed countries. This further reinforced the narrow-mindedness of the party’s leadership,” he said.

    DAP Wanita chief Chong Eng said PAS should channel its energy towards helping to solve more serious issues like pornography instead of harping on inconsequential matters.

    She said that if the public could not watch the concert, they could easily watch it on television or music videos.

    MCA Wanita central committee member Tan Cheng Liang said PAS was basically against any form of entertainment including wholesome cultural dances.

    “PAS should discard its Stone Age thinking and move forward with the times,” she said.

    On Thursday, Federal Territory PAS deputy youth chief Ahmad Sabki Yusof sent a protest memorandum to the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry, saying that the party could not accept Carey’s “immoral performance.”

    Concert organiser Galaxy Productions spokesman Eric Chen said Carey had personally picked Malaysia to be one of her world tour destinations in line with her objective to cover new territories as an international artiste.

    He said she was set to tour other predominantly Muslim nations such as Lebanon, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

    Chen revealed that they had been in talks with Carey for the last two years and she had agreed to perform here, as Malaysia was one of her strongest fan bases in Asia.

    “Carey has already been briefed about the culture and sensitivities of this country before she accepted the invitation to perform here and she knows her limits. We already said there will be no bikini costumes, and that she will don attire that complies with the dress regulations approved by the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry,” he said.

    Having sold 150 million copies of her albums, Carey has had more No. 1 songs than any other artistes, with the exception of Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

    Source: The Star Online

    Reporter Hypnotized Into Being Mariah Carey

    Stage hypnotist Paul McKenna came into Radio 1 Thursday, and decided to try out his hypnotic powers.

    Dave Pearce's listeners suggested it would be good if Paul persuaded BBC Entertainment News reporter Sara Morgan to believe she was Mariah Carey.

    Sara didn't think it would work, and kept laughing nervously, but Paul soon put her at her ease and she had her eyes closed for about 15 minutes - although she thought it was about four.

    Click here to hear what happened when Sarah was under and thought she was Mariah!

    Source: BBC Online | Mariah Planet

    News Tidbits

    -- Mariah appears in the new, January 27th issues of In Touch Weekly and Star Magazine. Both publications show Mariah's "topless" beach photo. In Touch even devoted an entire page for the picture.

    -- The term "lamb" has a new meaning in the Online Urban Dictionary, which defines the word as "a dedicated follower of Mariah Carey, who uses the term to set apart and acknowledge her true fans."

    -- "What Would You Do," Mariah's collaboration with Nate Dogg, Shade Sheist and Damizza, is being played on two important European radio stations, one in Germany and the other in France. Please continue to request the song on your local stations.

    -- Click here to find out details on Mariah's upcoming concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    -- Please continue to vote for Mariah in the GrooveVolt Music & Fashion Awards. She is nominated for Best Female Pop Album, Best Female Pop Song Performance, Best Unreleased Pop Album Track, and Best Hip-Hop Collaboration. Her competitors include Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. Winners will be announced on January 21.

    Source: Brian | Richard | Gilles | Ken


    JANUARY 16, 2004 4:01PM
    Mariah nominated for Dance Music Award

    Mariah has been nominated as Best Chart Act in DanceStar USA 2004, The American Dance Music Awards. She was nominated for this same award in 2002 but lost to Jennifer Lopez, and nominated again in 2003, but lost to Justin Timberlake.

    Her competition this year includes Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Madonna. Voting for The American Dance Music Awards will commence at www.dancestar.com from Tuesday, January 20 at 5pm EST.

    DanceStar USA 2004 takes place on Tuesday, March 9 in Miami. The event is filmed for worldwide television broadcast.

    Source: DanceStar Online

    No sexy attire for Mariah in Malaysia concert

    American pop diva Mariah Carey will hold her concert in Malaysia next month despite Islamic pressure for it to be cancelled but she cannot wear sexy or revealing attire under strict stage rules, officials and organisers said Friday.

    The opposition Islamic Party (PAS) has called for Carey’s concert at a Kuala Lumpur stadium on February 22 to be cancelled, saying it would encourage moral degradation and was also disrespectful to Muslims because it coincided with an Islamic religious holiday.

    But Eric Chen, spokesman for concert organiser Galaxy Production, said that the date of Carey’s concert was fixed much earlier as part of her "Charmbracelet" world tour and was not intended to offend Muslims.

    He said the singer, who would also be performing in other Muslim nations including neighbouring Indonesia , would respect local sensitivities and abide by dressing guidelines issued by the tourism ministry.

    "We will follow the guidelines. Carey is also performing in Jakarta and other Middle East countries and there are no problems there. The public is more interested in her singing," Chen said.

    Source: Times Of India

    Michelle Branch disses Mariah

    Pop singer Michelle Branch has lashed out against fellow songstress Mariah Carey, calling her music "stupid."

    With Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell gearing up for American Idol's third season, People Weekly asked Branch how she would stack up against the Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard wannabes.

    Her answer? "Don't you have sing something stupid like a Mariah Carey song?"

    Our guess is Michelle wouldn't make it past the first round of auditions regardless of what she sang.

    Source: Mariah Daily | JARHoney7

    News Tidbits

    -- Click here to view a picture of a sales person booking tickets on Mariah's upcoming concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Mariah's promotional poster can be seen in the background.

    -- According to The Standard, new albums from Mariah, 50 Cent, Ashanti, and 3 Doors Down are expected to be released this November.

    -- Mariah's "Merry Christmas" album was the third best-selling album in Korea during December 2003, selling 10,058 copies, for a total of 523,503. Mariah's decade-old release sold more than new releases from Alicia Keys and Britney Spears.

    -- Logon to The Emirates Network for promotional information regarding Mariah's upcoming concert in Dubai.

    -- Be sure to check out mariahcarey.bluehypo.com, a website setup to promote Mariah's concert in Malaysia. The site includes ticket details, contests and prizes, and biography information.

    Source: mariahkorea | Yousuf Philips | admac


    JANUARY 15, 2004 3:23PM
    Mariah In The Studio

    As of January 13, producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and the Flytetyme crew at Flytetyme West at the Village Studio in Los Angeles, have been writing and recording tracks with Mariah for her upcoming album. Matt Marrin is serving as an engineer.

    Mariah has been collaborating with Jam & Lewis since 1999. Their hits together include "Thank God I Found You," "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme), "Against All Odds," "Never Too Far," and "Through The Rain."

    Source: Flyte Tyme Online | Heroes Of Mariah

    Islamic opposition protests Mariah's concert

    Malaysia's opposition Islamic Party (PAS) on Thursday protested the government's move to allow sexy American pop diva Mariah Carey to hold a concert next month, saying it would encourage moral degradation.

    In a letter to Tourism Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, PAS' youth wing said Carey's planned concert at a stadium in Kuala Lumpur on February 22 was also disrespectful to Muslims because it coincided with an Islamic religious holiday.

    "To allow a western artist, especially Mariah Carey who is well-known for her sexy clothing, to perform on Awal Muharram is disrespecting the sensitivities of Muslims and can be seen as challenging the status of Islam as Malaysia's official religion," it said.

    "We cannot accept such an immoral concert to be held on Awam Muharram or on any other days... it is not only an insult to Muslims but will encourage moral degradation especially among youths."

    PAS youth wing noted that this was not the first time the tourism ministry had approved such concerts, noting that it also allowed major US rock group Linkin Park to perform here in October.

    It called for Carey's concert, which is part of her "Charmbracelet" world tour, to be cancelled immediately and urged the government to apologise to Muslims, who make-up some 60 percent of Malaysia's 25 million population.

    The government should organise more programmes to benefit the Muslim community, rather than tarnish good eastern values by bringing in such "obscene and immoral culture," it added.

    Source: Channel News Asia

    Malaysia Muslims want Mariah show banned

    Malaysia's Muslim opposition party has urged the government to cancel an upcoming concert by Mariah Carey, saying her performance is immoral and promotes un-Islamic values.

    "Everyone knows Mariah Carey presents herself in a sexy, unacceptable and almost vulgar manner," Ahmad Sabki Yusof, a leader of the fundamentalist Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party's youth wing, said Thursday.

    "She is not an appropriate role model for young Malaysians," he told The Associated Press.

    Party officials gave a letter of protest to Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism officials Thursday urging that permission for the Feb. 22 concert at a 50,000-seat Kuala Lumpur stadium be withdrawn.

    Ahmad Sabki pointed out that date of Carey's concert marks the start of the new year in the Muslim calendar, which is a religious holiday in Malaysia.

    Deputy Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Fu Ah Kiow last week said Malaysian officials supported the staging of the pop star's show, but reiterated the government's policy that foreign performers should "dress accordingly" to avoid offending anyone.

    Concert organizers had reportedly assured the ministry that the 33-year-old Carey, who's known for her clingy, revealing outfits, would comply with any dress regulations.

    Source: USA Today

    Randy Jackson reflects on Mariah

    American Idol judge Randy Jackson reflects on what it takes to become a pop star in his new book, "What's Up Dawg: How to Become a Superstar in the Music Business," which can be purchased from Amazon.com.

    Below is an excerpt from chapter one (entitled Do You Have "It"?) in which Randy recalls the first time he heard Mariah:

    In 1989, I was working in San Francisco with Narada Michael Walden, one of the hottest producers in the country at the time. We were making some of the dopest hits of the day, including Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love" and George Michael and Aretha's duet, "I Knew You Were Waiting."

    Demos from unknown artists poured nonstop into the office. WE would sit and listen to everything. We heard lots of good songs and hot voices — and dude, some that were beyond terrible. It wasn't often that a Whitney or an Aretha would come calling.

    I'll never forget the day when an unforgettable demo from a young, unknown singer came into the office. A big-name record exec had just signed her and was looking for producers to work on her first album. We played the cassette and couldn't believe what we were hearing.

    The singer had written the lyrics and melodies herself. The music had a jazzy, Anita Baker-meets-pop/R&B sound to it. Beautiful. But it was the singer's voice that took my breath away. Her unbelievably sweet, buttery tones. Her incredible seven-octave range. Her amazing phrasing. And she sang with such conviction and passion.

    She had the complete package. I just could not believe how talented this singer was. She had the kind of voice that commands you to listen to the end of a song because you just can't turn it off. The kind of voice you hear on the radio that makes you pull the car over and call the radio station, yo, who the hell is this? You want to rush out and buy that song. That music touched you. Affected you. Gave you the chills.

    There was no doubt in my mind. She was going to be a star. I knew the public would not deny that voice. This is what we in the business, look for. She had "it."

    The singer? Mariah Carey.

    Source: ABC News

    News Tidbits

    -- Logon to AOL's Aim Today website to select a rating for a Mariah look-a-like.

    -- New items have been added to the Universal Music Store, an online market place which presents signed memorabilia from Mariah and your other favorite artists!

    -- Mariah's official website has updated today with new candid pictures in the "Mariah Moments" section. Answers to newly-submitted fan questions can also be found in the "Ask Mariah" section.

    -- Mariah is featured in the latest edition of US Weekly magazine in the Fashion Police section. There is a feature on glitter bras, and a picture of Mariah backstage at her concert in New York last year wearing one.

    -- Apparently, Mariah is featured on the newest installment of E! Television's Celebrities Uncensored series. No further information was given, so be sure to look for it and report back to us!

    -- From FOX News: Lifestyle TV fan Mario Almonte, an account manager in New York City, said his paycheck probably wouldn't cover one night's rent at a celebrity hotspot, but shows that take viewers from Prince William's party to Mariah Carey's bathtub, have him mesmerized.

    Source: Diana Stevenson | Katie Autry


    JANUARY 14, 2004 9:40PM
    Hungarian Fan Update

    Zoli and the Hungarian Mariah Carey Fan Club met Mariah herself last October after her concert in Vienna, Austia, in front of the Imperial Hotel. Mariah was very nice to the fans, posing for pictures and chatting. She even told several of the Hungarian Fan Club members that she saw them at the concert and specially signed one tourbook, "To the Hungarian Fans. Love, Mariah."

    The Hungarian fans also presented Mariah with a fanbook filled with over 3,000 signatures. The pictures below are from that very event. Click each thumbnail for a larger, full-scale view and be sure to visit mariahcarey.hu for more pictures, multimedia and information regarding this special event!



    JANUARY 14, 2004 8:26PM
    Oleta Adams has sympathy for Mariah

    Singer/pianist Oleta Adams has seen it all. She sees her style come in and out of vogue every few years. One year it's loud guitars, the next year it's Norah Jones.

    Adams has sympathy for performers such as Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera - singers who have genuinely amazing voices, yet seem so lost in their celebrity and image-making that they don't take advantage of their gift. "But they think they are - they think they are taking advantage of it," Adams says.

    Source: Rocky Mountain News

    Diva vs. diva: J.Lo & Mariah

    Since her last album "Charmbracelet" bombed and she got royally dissed by ex-boyfriend Eminem, Mariah Carey is looking for ways to up her profile. So sources close to the singer say she wants to record a duet with Jennifer Lopez. But convincing J.Lo to essentially do Carey a favor isn't going to be easy after Mariah made some disparaging remarks about Lopez during an interview. When a reporter commented to Mariah, who was treated a few years ago for exhaustion, that Lopez insists on getting at least eight hours of sleep a night, Carey responded, "If I had the luxury of not actually having to sing my own songs, I'd do that, too."

    Source: San Francisco Examiner | Kevin Johnson

    Lairy Carey lashes Lopez

    Mariah’s funbags and J-Lo’s buns of joy may come together – although not literally obviously – for a duet to fulfil the fantasies of many a bootilicious lady-fancier.

    The squirrels singer and the ample-arsed diva will be settling a raging catfight between them if they join together in perfect harmony (as Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder once said).

    The handbags-at-dawn feud started when J-Lo used a sample in her "I’m Real" single which Carey had used on a key track on her Glitter album.

    Then the pendulous-breasted kitten-stroker wouldn’t let it lie and had another dig at the big-bottomed belter.

    After hearing J-Lo has eight hours sleep she barked back: "if I had the luxury of not actually having to sing my own songs, I'd do that, too."

    So where all this guff about a duet has come from is a mystery.

    One record company ligger from Mariah’s label had a theory that they passed onto the New York Daily News: "They've reserved studio time. They'd like her to have a single out by the spring and an album out in the summer.

    “Now that BMG and Sony are merging, every exec is hustling for a big hit so he can keep his job."

    And, we suppose, they don’t come much bigger than those belonging to Mariah and J-Lo.

    Source: Mega Star News

    News Tidbits

    -- Mariah's Israeli fans are trying to bring Mariah to Israel for a concert! Sign the online petition by clicking here and be sure to visit the Israeli Fansite to download the "street petition."

    -- January 12, 2003, a news flash on Fox40 News reported that a 17 year old teenage