Mariah will be joining the ladies of The View on Monday, May 5 and the official Mariah Carey fan club, Honey B. Fly is giving one lucky member and a guest a chance to attend the show. Mariah will be performing new music from her # 1 album E=MC², so don't miss this opportunity for a chance to see her live! Log on to MariahCarey.com for contest details.

The show tapes on May 5, but will air on Friday, May 9. The View studio is located at 320 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023.

Source: MariahCarey.com

The following seventy (70) lucky fans will be attending the Tennessee screening at 3:00pm today at AMC 19th St. East 2, 890 Broadway. Winners, be sure to check your e-mails for further instructions. Congratulations!

Source: MariahDailyJournal

E=MC²
Despite a 61% decline in sales, Mariah Carey's Island Def Jam set "E=MC²" remains atop The Billboard 200 for a second straight week. The album, the diva's sixth No. 1, moved 182,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Touch My Body
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #2 (Last Week: #2)
Hot 100 Airplay: #6 (Last Week: #3)
Weekly audience impressions: 110.1 million (-13.3 million from last week)

Hot Digital Songs: #8 (Last Week: #6)
Downloads this week: 98,711 (-17% from last week)
Total downloads: 795,691

Radio & Records:
CHR/Top 40: #11 (Last Week: #7)
Rhythmic: #5 (Last Week: #3)
Urban: #4 (Last Week: #4)

Bye Bye
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #71 (Last Week: #92)
Hot Digital Songs: #22 (Last Week: #11)
Downloads this week: 36,378 (-39% from last week)
Total downloads: 96,659

Hot 100 Airplay: #64 (Debut)
The song gained +9.3 million audience impressions per Nielsen BDS this week. Its position on the final Hot 100 Airplay chart is likely to be higher than #64, once recurrent songs are removed from it.

According to Mediabase, "Bye Bye" has garnered 23.371 million audience impressions and 3,856 for the week ending 4/29/08.

Radio & Records:
CHR/Top 40: #37 (Debut)
Rhythmic: #22 (Last Week: #38)
#2 Most Increased Plays (+589 spins this week)

Migrate
Hot Digital Songs: #134 (Last Week: #61)
Downloads this week: 9,057 (-52% from last week)
Total downloads: 27,822

Source: Billboard | bks | Soundscan | Mediabase | Radio & Records

Mariah Daily Journal is giving away 20 pairs (40) of tickets for Wednesday, April 30th, 3:00pm screening of Tennessee!

Each winner will win a pair (2) of tickets. All you have to do is e-mail tennessee@mariahdaily.com. Please be sure to indicate your FULL NAME as well as your GUEST'S FULL NAME. Transportation to the event is not included so please be sure to enter only if you're able to arrive at the location by yourself.

Winners will be selected at random. All entries should be received by 11:00am ET tomorrow, April 30th.

The screening will be at AMC 19th St. East 2, 890 Broadway (click here for map).

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Music fans can enjoy a double helping of diva in Dubai with confirmed concert dates for the world's number one-selling female artist Mariah Carey and former Black Eyed Peas Fergie.

Universal Music has this week confirmed the world-renowned artists will perform at Dubai Festival City with back-to-back concerts on May 15 and 16.

Promoting her new album, E=MC², which this week hit the top of the Billboard charts, Carey will perform first on Thursday, May 15, followed by Fergie the following evening.

Ticket prices have not yet been announced but are expected to go on sale online at either www.timeouttickets.com or www.showbizme.com from tomorrow.

Rebecca Brianceau, of Universal, Dubai, said the label was extremely excited to be bringing two such wonderful artists to Dubai back-to-back. "We are so excited about the concerts and cannot wait to welcome the ladies to the UAE. We are expecting great things on both nights."

The venue holds a capacity crowd of 15,000 and tickets for both concerts are expected to sell out in a matter of days.

Mel Tyler, General Manager of Midas Promotions, has said the people of Dubai are in for a real treat.

Carey is expected to perform hits old and new with a few "extras" thrown in for good measure according to organisers with Fergie singing the songs which have recently seen her rise through the chart positions including Big Girls Don't Cry and London Bridge.

Both Carey and Fergie have performed in Dubai before with Carey singing to a sell-out crowd at Dubai Media City in 2005 and Fergie hitting the stage with the Black Eyed Peas at the Airport Expo in 2006. This is the first time Fergie will perform in the UAE as a solo artist.

Mariah's new album, E=MC², released yesterday, April 28th is available at all Virgin Megastores and music stores all around the U.A.E.

Source: Gulf News | Michael

It's yet another win called Mariah for the Island/IDJ diva, whose E=MC² Careys her to a second straight week on top, relatively speaking, with 176k sold, for a two week-total over 650k.

That was more than enough for her to top challenger Leona Lewis, whose J Records/Syco Music debut, Spirit, remains at #2 with 98k, up 9% thanks to her appearance on American Idol. Ashlee Simpson's Geffen album Bittersweet World debuts at #3 with 50k.

Source: Hits Daily Double

Why the haters are wrong about Mariah Carey.

King, meet Queen. This month, Mariah Carey eclipsed Elvis Presley's record for the most Billboard No. 1 hits by a solo artist with her 18th chart-topper "Touch My Body," the first single from her strong new album, E=MC²--whose first-week sales of 463,000 were the highest of Carey's career and the most by any artist so far this year. Now only the Beatles have more No. 1s, and Carey will surely pass them soon--although, to be fair, the Beatles racked up their 20 big hits in a span of just seven years, a batting average likely never to be bested.

The news of Carey's triumph has been greeted in many quarters with hue and cry. The Presley estate got technical, arguing that Billboard had fouled up its numbers--that Mariah had merely tied Elvis' record. In a Huffington Post blog entry titled "Mariah Carey Is Destroying the World," Ken Levine wrote: "For the sake of this country and--oh let's just say it--mankind, Mariah Carey has to retire. ... She can always host a VH-1 reality show or learn a trade at the DeVry Institute." Editorialists soberly pointed out the obvious: Whatever the hit count, Carey had not matched Presley's and the Beatles' "seismic" cultural influence, a line echoed by Mariah herself. "I'm just feeling really happy and grateful," she told the Associated Press. "I really can never put myself in the category of people who have not only revolutionized music but also changed the world."

Humility doesn't come naturally to Carey, so let's commend her for the gesture. (You can practically hear the table-saw buzz of her grinding teeth as she pushes the words out: never... put ... myself ... in ... the ... category ...) But need she be so modest? Sure, Carey is not as important as Elvis or the Beatles, nor are any other musicians of the past 50 years, with the possible exceptions of James Brown and Bob Dylan. She is nonetheless hugely significant, and not just because, as Elvis once put it, 50 million fans--or if we go by Mariah's total album sales, 61.5 million fans--can't be wrong.

Mariah's accomplishment begins, of course, with her voice, or, rather, The Voice--that cyclonic force capable of hurtling unnumbered octaves, shattering crystal ware, and inducing musicogenic epileptic seizures in Japanese women. Carey is the most influential vocal stylist of the last two decades, the person who made rococo melismatic singing--the trick of embroidering syllables with multiple no-o-o-o-o-o-tes--the ubiquitous pop style. Exhibit A is American Idol, which has often played out as a clash of melisma-mad Mariah wannabes. And, today, nearly 20 years after Carey's debut, major labels continue to bet the farm on young stars such as the winner of Britain's Pop Idol show, Leona Lewis, with her Generation Next gloss on Mariah's big voice and big hair.

The rampant use of melisma has generated considerable criticism. (I myself railed against it several years ago in a New York Times article--whose haughty tone and slighting references to Carey, I now regret.) It's certainly true that overuse of the device, particularly by mediocre vocalists, can be annoying. It is also true that many performers, in the thrall of Carey hits like "Vision of Love"--which New Yorker critic Sasha Frere-Jones rightly called "the Magna Carta of melisma"--have seemed to lose all interest in melody and lyrics and meaning, packing songs with dozens, hundreds, of gratuitous notes.

But it is unfair to damn Carey for the sins of her lesser imitators or to judge her based on a set of musical values that she explicitly rejects. Emotion is not really the point of Carey's songs--not even when she's singing "Emotions." Her music is first and foremost an expression of power and technical prowess. There is a place in pop for bombast, especially when it's coupled with virtuosity. I have learned to cherish Carey's singing for its brute force, blinding technique, and, yes, showboatiness--to place Mariah's vocal "runs" in the tradition of John Coltrane's "sheets of sound," the pummeling drumming of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, and Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" (aka the Magna Carta of shredding 1980s guitar solos). Listen to the piercing final notes Carey sings in this clip from her 1992 MTV Unplugged performance of "Someday." Mariah's poodle head isn't the only thing about her that's heavy metal.

Carey may not have had the "seismic" impact of Presley, but there's a whole lot of zeitgeist up in her big, maudlin ballad hits of the 1990s. A cultural historian might detect the complacent feel-good vibes of the post-Cold War Clinton era, or maybe a musical gigantism akin to baseball's literal gigantism in those peak steroids years. What I hear most clearly, even in inspirational dreck like "Hero," is hip-hop: a lite-FM analogue to the feisty egotism of the rappers who conquered '90s pop culture. After all, Carey was engaged in a rivalry nearly as fierce as Biggie and Tupac's: a yearslong cutting contest with Whitney Houston, whom she matched melisma for melisma, bromide for bromide.

We all know who won that battle. The truth is that Houston, in her prime, was the more talented singer, but Carey was always a more versatile and interesting recording artist. She co-wrote her own material from the beginning, and when not blasting out ballads, showed a knack for midtempo songs with a classic pop feel: "Dreamlover" (1993) and "Always Be My Baby" (1996) could sit comfortably on a mix tape alongside the great mid-'60s Motown hits. With her 1995 album, Daydream, Carey made a major shift, indulging her love of hip-hop for the first time. She worked with producer Jermaine Dupri--to this day, her key collaborator--and dueted with rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard on an ebullient remix of the No. 1 single "Fantasy."

It was a change that risked alienating those millions of Carey's fans who knew her as the reigning sovereign of adult contemporary radio, liked her that way, and couldn't fathom why she was palling around with a shark-toothed rapper who rhymed "Mariah" with "pacifier." But it was a smart, prescient career move. The hybridized mix of pop, R&B, and hip-hop that dominates today's top 40 was an inevitability that Carey saw earlier than others, and she hurried that future along.

Today, Carey is unambiguously a "hip-hop soul" star, in touch with her inner thug, singing over jittery digital beats about her designer luggage and hot tubs and videotaped sexploits. Some critics have complained that Carey's act is ungenuine, but to me it feels far less forced than her erstwhile cooing about butterflies and rainbows. Indeed, while Carey's musical shift is definitely good for business--she had to keep up with the Beyonces and Rihannas or risk irrelevance--it is also manifestly personal. She called her blockbuster 2005 comeback album The Emancipation of Mimi, and the emancipation in question was musical; the central drama of Carey's career was her marriage to, and subsequent divorce from, Columbia Records President Tommy Mottola, who reportedly did all he could to tamp down Carey's hip-hop impulses.

A squabble over repertoire isn't exactly the stuff of a sexy tragic-diva back story. Let's face it: Next to her rival pop starlets, Mariah is pretty dull. She can't really dance. Her videoes are a snooze. Her offstage life, rumored mental breakdowns and all, fails to excite gossip mongers. Her racial ambiguity is mildly interesting: As the daughter of an Irish-Catholic mother and an Afro-Venezuelan father, Mariah was confounding Americans with her biracial identity back when Barack Obama was still cramming for his Torts exam at Harvard Law. But Mariah remains far more compelling as a musician than as a pop persona. She's the muso's diva.

The most striking thing about Carey's post-Mimi transformation is how completely she's switched up her singing, mastering the speedy, syncopated, rap-influenced style pioneered by Beyonce, R. Kelly, et al. E=MC² is a modern R&B album through and through, tilting heavily towards mid- and up-tempo club music, with far fewer ballads than her past releases. Most of the songs swing back and forth between just a couple of chords--a showcase for Carey's rhythm and phrasing, not her famous vocal range.

The album's most shocking track is the opener, "Migrate." Over a bristling beat by Timbaland protege Nate "Danja" Hills, Mariah duets with Mr. Robo-voice, T-Pain, and even T-Pains herself--and distorts her Hall of Fame voice with that autotune sci-fi effect, an act of vocal self-sabotage that once would have been unthinkable. Of course, Mariah hasn't totally abandoned her old habits. "Migrate" is nudged along by a sour, flutelike keyboard loop, but the first time you hear the figure, at the very beginning of the song, it's not a keyboard but Mariah herself, trilling, chickadeelike, in that fiendish uppermost part of her range. I suppose she wanted to begin her album with a reminder--to fans, to rivals, to Tommy Mottola, to the ghost of Elvis--that, lo, these many years later, she's still got it. The phrase that springs to mind is queenly prerogative.

Source: Jody Rosen - Slate Magazine | Larry

Seven years after making what is widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever, Mariah Carey is back with another road-trip flick.

But her new movie, "Tennessee," has little in common with 2001's "Glitter."

Premiering at New York's Tribeca Film Festival last Saturday, it follows two brothers seeking their estranged father. On their travels, they meet Krystal, a waitress played by Carey.

"Mariah said, 'This is going to be refreshing for me; this is actually something that I want,' even knowing that it was a gritty, hard shoot," director Aaron Woodley told Reuters in an interview. "Some people even told me that they forgot it was Mariah Carey when they were watching the film."

In 2001, Carey released the semi-autobiographical film "Glitter," which was a commercial and critical flop. She also appeared on MTV's Total Request Live, nearly disrobing in front of a baffled Carson Daly, amid rumors of a nervous breakdown.

Carey, 38, has spent the years since atoning.

"The whole 'Glitter' experience was very, very hard to go through, but I learned a lot from it," she said in a statement.

In 2005, the Long Island, New York native made a big comeback with her multiplatinum album "The Emancipation of Mimi" and won rave reviews for her performance in "WiseGirls," a comedy-drama that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

But that didn't stop him from offering her the lead female role. Daniels, producer of the Oscar-winning film "Monster's Ball," said he saw Carey in "WiseGirls" and decided "it was clear that she's a very talented actress."

Source: Reuters

[ Download This Video ]

Mariah talks about Krystal, her character in Tennessee, in this AP interview on the red carpet at the film's world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26th.

"My character in Tennessee was, her name is Krystal. I was very blessed that Lee Daniels talked to me and got me. A lot of people have a lot of misconceptions and he saw that I really just wanted to explore the character. I was in the middle of working on The Emancipation of Mimi. I was sort of in between putting the album out and doing a tour but I felt that it was something that I needed to do to explore this character and to kind of like peel away different layers of who she is and reveal who she is. She's an interesting process and I really feel that I grew creatively.

It was a very interesting experience making this movie. It was very, I think in a lot of ways important, you know I just wonder why things come to you and I feel like this movie came to me in my relationship predominantly, of course, who took a chance in working with me. It happened for a reason. It's trying to really, really just reveal different layers of who this girl is and to me, she's sort of like a caged animal who just wants to be seen and heard. So it was like revealing that character and just layers. And so doing that well, doing such other high-profile things was a little bit challenging but I knew it was gonna be so we just went in."

[ Download This Video ]

And here's another video, from the official Tribeca Film Festival site, after screening interviews with the Tennessee crew.

Mariah Carey: "To me it was like Lee took a chance working with me and he allowed me to explore this character, to be a part of the cast, to not be approaching it as a diva of any sorts."

Ben Kingsley, actor: "I thought it was a very good film. Very touching."


About Mariah
Russell Schaumburg, Screenwriter: "I think she did great. We got snowed in like motels in the middle of nowhere."

Aaron Woodley, Director: "She really delivered. And I mean I don't have to say this. People are gonna see it."

Sarah Siegel-Magness, Executive Producer: "She's so very talented. Just being infront of the camera for years and years and years, you have to respect that."

Source: Associated Press | Tribeca Film Festival | MariahDailyJournal

[ Download This Video ]

On Top of the World with Mariah!
"Extra's" AJ Calloway was with Mariah Carey as she was honored by New York City, which lit the Empire State Building in the color scheme of Mimi's latest CD, E=MC². Mariah described it as her signature color, "Pink yet lavender."

MC also went on the record about a tabloid-fodder feud with Madonna, plus summer love -- and her slammin' body.

The interview was held on top of the Empire State Building in New York City after the lighting ceremony in honor of Mariah. She joked about this being her first time to climb the historic monument "It took them lighting it up to get me here!" she laughed. She spoke about her film "Tennessee" being premiered at the Tribeca film festival (and that Lee Daniels instructed her not to give too much away and let the film speak for itself), her new workout plan (by punching AJ jokingly to show off her strength), and her fans. When AJ asked Mariah about the man in her life, Mariah replied with "Migrate... Bye!"

Source: Carlo from Extra

Nick Cannon Squirms When Asked About Mariah Carey Engagement Rumors, Says She's A 'Good Friend'

Is Mariah Carey wearing actor Nick Cannon's engagement ring?

Well, based on sightings of the two holding hands - and photos of Carey wearing a big ring Saturday night during a New York afterparty for her new film, "Tennessee" - various media reports, including one that appeared on People.com Monday (April 28), suggest that she may be.

So, when Cannon stopped by the MTV News offices Monday to promote his film "Ball Don't Lie," we just had to ask him about his relationship with the pop diva.

First, the actor danced around our questions about the Carey rumors, saying that the singer's "a great person."

When pressed for more, he positively squirmed, adding, "I can't even know what to say. She's probably the most festive, remarkable person I've ever met. Good friend." When pressed further about the rumors, he said, "Rumors happen. They do."

Carey has long been rumored to be dating executive Mark Sudack, a member of her management team, but buzz about her and Cannon gained momentum on April 15, when People.com ran a piece entitled "Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's Night Out in Vegas." The article claimed that the two flew into Sin City on a private jet and were later spotted at a nightclub, getting "cozy" at one of the VIP tables.

Then, on Monday, People.com added more fuel to the fire, claiming that Carey was seen sporting a "humongous, gleaming ring" at the afterparty. The report further claims the two held hands for most of the soiree, and that they barely left each other's sides all evening.

Whether or not it's all a bunch of hoo-hah, when asked by MTV News about a possible engagement, spokespeople for both Cannon and Carey had no comment.

Source: MTV News

Check out Mariah's Official Site to hear a new voice message from Mariah where she celebrates her 18th #1 song "Touch My Body" with the fans.

Transcript:

Rachel: Heyyyy!

Mariah: [screaming] Celebratory moment!

Rachel: Eighteen!

Mariah: Okay, it's MC, or whatever you want to call me dahling, and Ray-Ray, click in Shawntae and May-May but they're not here right now, so it's us. They just left. It's 2:45AM unless they're lying to me about my clock to try and get me places earlier [laughs]. Basically I'm pretty much an hour late everywhere I go!

Alright but this is a thank you message, and we gotta say thank you, thank you! Because we haven't even spoken this whole time 'cause I didn't wanna call and be like "Oh, OK, I just wanna get as many people to buy the record and make it go #1" and that is so not the "sit'ation" because you guys know that, c'mon Ray Ray, how much do I love them?

Rachel: She loves you guys, she does. You guys just don't know.

Mariah: You know I do, and the fact of the matter is you're absolute smash hit wonders, and I know you've been hearing me talk about it on the radio...

Rachel: A few of them know!

Mariah: A few of them know. I think all the ones who really, really, really matter -- which is everybody -- but the ones that we really know, they know that we love them. So anyway, we love you, this is your night! The pink yet lavender Empire State Building was kind of a stone groove smash hit wonder. So anyway, we can't thank you enough. I love ya, appreciate ya, and enjoy ya and will chat to you later! You got a two minute and twenty second message, it's gonna chopped up in half, but whatever! We love you! Buh bye!

Note: Unfortunately, Mariah's message was indeed edited. We hope her future messages remain in tact... there's no need to censor Mariah!

Source: MariahCarey.com | MariahDailyJournal

Mariah Carey is not a diva, according to the co-stars in her new film.

Starring newcomers Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Reddick, Tennessee is about two brothers who embark on a journey to find their estranged father. On the way, they meet Mariah, a waitress running away from her abusive husband.

"She was great, and a hard worker," Ethan Peck told us at the film's world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

Director Aaron Woodley was also struck by the singer.

"Directing Mariah was wonderful. She was a joy to work with," he said.

"Being in a film with very little money that we had, we had very little time. Things had to move very quickly, and she was incredible. She was so prepared to hang on every time. There were times when we were chasing the sun, and she would do it in one take. She was just lovely, and very little diva-like behaviour."

He added: "After meeting her, she said to me, 'I don't want all the bells and whistles. Whatever all the other actors have, that's what I'm going to have. I don't want anything more than anyone else'."

Lance Reddick, who plays Mariah's abusive husband, admitted he had initial concerns.

"The biggest, most dramatic scene that I had with her was on the first day," he said. "That was scary, but she was so open and so wanting to do the work."

Tribeca Film Festival runs until Sunday May 4. See www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

Source: Metro UK

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From Friday, April 25th through Sunday, April 27th, the Empire State Building lit up in pink, lavender and white to celebrate the color motif of Mariah's new album E=MC² which entered at #1 on the Billboard chart with the biggest first week Soundscan total of her career, 463,000 units.

Here are some photos and a video, taken by Denny, of the Empire State Building on the night of April 27th.







Related Video
And here's a video of Mariah posing for photographers at the observation deck of the Empire State Building on Friday, April 25th. Stream the video or download below.


Download: Mariah at the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building

Source: MariahDailyJournal | Denny | Perez

Mariah's appearances on MTV's TRL and BET's 106 & Park which were scheduled for tomorrow (April 28) have been postponed. The appearances will be rescheduled when the "Bye Bye" music video is ready to be premiered.

Stay tuned for information about the new air dates for the shows.

Source: MTV | BET

The Tennessee Crew (Left to Right): Mariah Carey ("Krystal"), Russell Schaumburg (Screenwriter), Adam Rothenberg ("Carter"), Ethan Peck ("Ellis"), Lance Reddick ("Frank"), Aaron Woodley (Director), Lee Daniels (Producer)

[ Download This Video ]

The world premiere of the film Tennessee, starring Mariah Carey, took place last night, April 26, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. The film's cast and crew attended the premiere as well as A-list actors such as Robert DeNiro (festival founder), Ben Kingsley and Edie Falco. Also present were Mariah's friends Trey Lorenz, Maryann Tatum, Sherry Tatum, Rachel McIntosh, Nick Cannon and Da Brat. At the end of the film's screening, a Q&A was held with the producer, director, writer and actors. Mariah answered questions about her appearance in the film and the song she wrote for it - "Right To Dream". She talked about writing the lyrics with Willie Nelson over the phone and writing the music with her keyboard player, Eric Daniels.

Below are details about the film from the official movie site:

PLOT SYNOPSIS
Carter Armstrong (Adam Rothenberg) and his younger brother Ellis (Ethan Peck) only have each other. They live in the mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a trailer home. A discontent cabbie, Carter numbs his existence with alcohol while Ellis photographs the mountains around them. Their lonely lives are shattered when Ellis is diagnosed with acute leukemia, which can only be treated with a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor. After discovering Carter is not a match they decide to return to their childhood home in East Tennessee to find the abusive father from whom they fled many years earlier.

Their journey takes them through Texas where they meet Krystal (Mariah Carey), a local waitress who dreams of becoming a country singer. Fleeing her loveless marriage, Krystal takes pity on the weary brothers and agress to drive them as far as Nashville.

The trio embark on a fateful road trip - Carter and Ellis in search of a father who may be the only chance of saving the younger brother's life; and Krystal longing to fulfill her musical aspirations. Along their journey, an emotional bond develops amongst the travelers as they cut across state lines, managing to elude Frank (Lance Reddick), Krystal's state trooper husband. Krystal becomes an unlikely guardian, watching over Ellis as she and Carter race him to Tennessee to get the care that he needs.

Once they reach Nashville, Ellis's condition continues to deteriorate and Carter is unable to locate their father. Carter's search takes him back through the places, the people, and memories of his youth -- his days as a star quarterback, his first love, his violent home life.

As unforeseeable events unfold, Ellis's health becomes critical; Carter begins to make peace with his past; and Krystal pursues her musical career.

CAST
Carter Armstrong - Adam Rothenberg
Ellis Armstrong - Ethan Peck
Krystal - Mariah Carey
Frank - Lance Reddick
Karen - Michele Harris
Roy - Bill Sage
Young Carter - Ryan Lynn
Laurel - Melissa Benoist

FILMMAKERS
Director - Aaron Woodley
Producer - Lee Daniels
Screenplay - Russell Schaumburg
Director of Photography - David Greene, CSC
Production Designer - Aidan Leroux
Editor - Steve Edwards
Composer - Mario Grigorov
Costume Designer - Deborah Everton
Executive Producers - Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness, Lisa Cortes, Dave Robinson, Damon Dash, Jane Kosek, Tom Heller
Co-Executive Producers - Brad Kaplan, Chris Ridenhour
Casting - Billy Hopkins, Suzanne Crowley, Kerry Barden, and Paul Schnee
Co-Prodcuer - Valerie Hoffman
Makeup Dept. Head - Pamela Roth

Mariah Daily Journal was able to send 12 lucky fans to the premiere and we are happy to share some of their reports with you as well as other fans who attended the premiere. Please note that some of the film reviews may reveal details of the movie plot.

Contest Winners


Rachel Garcia - Contest Winner
Premiere Report
Tonight was absolutely, hands down, the best night of my life!!! Mariah went through the usual celebrity red carpet press interviews and photos, and then entered the theater. All the MariahDaily winners were seated together in the back center section (with a perfect view of the screen). Robert DeNiro was 6 rows in front of us. I couldn't spot where Mariah was sitting. When the opening credits came on, the audience respectfully clapped for the two male lead actors, Adam Rothenberg (Carter) and Ethan Peck (Ellis), but when Mariah's name appeared, the audience cheered and aplauded much louder.

After the screening and a question-and-answer with the filmakers and cast, Mariah came back into the theater to meet with some of the kids who are from Camp Mariah, her Fresh Air Fund camp. She was so sweet and engaging with the 20 excited kids. Da Brat and Trey Lorenz were floating around the theater too. I presented Mariah with a bouquet of lilies (wrapped in her colors of "pink, yet lavender"). We took a picture together and chatted for a few seconds. She is so down to earth (and totally stunning in person), and looked directly into my eyes while we talked. I congratulated her for E=MC² and Tennessee and she replied her thanks very genuinely. I was tongue-tied most of the time (what do you say to someone you completely idolize?), but I think I made it clear that I am so proud of her accomplishments. Thank you again for selecting me to attend this event. I am so incredibly happy now, you can't imagine.

Film Review
I thought overall that the film Tennessee was very well done, and MC's role was crafted just right. Mariah really stuck to her character's personality and played with believable conviction.

Her character, Krystal, was a depressed and abused woman living a trapped life in rural, decrepit Texas. She was a waitress at a dingy diner, pulling double shifts and spending all her tip money for booze for her husband Frank (played by Lance Reddick). Frank was an abusive alcoholic whose character's role mirrored the father that the two brothers (Ellis and Carter) had to flee years before.

Ellis and Carter provided Krystal the opportunity to abandon her horrible life in Texas and flee the domestic violence and the stiffling trapped feeling that was getting in the way of her dreams. The trio headed to Tennessee where Ellis and Carter were on a mission to find their father and where Krystal could pursue her burgeoning singer/songwriter career. Krystal gets to perform a song in a club ("The Right to Dream", which is a stunningly beautiful and poignant song), and she finally feels the validation of her talent and hard work. Mariah didn't oversing or try to show off her instrument, but rather, sung it as Krystal would, someone who was clearly talented but had not fully refined her voice through proper training. Mariah kept the song in her medium range, but occasionally hit high octave notes (but not the huge power notes she is so well-known for). When the song appears in the film, it is a turning point for several characters.

The topics the film covered were generally somber (domestic violence, alcoholism, cancer, poverty), but it also intertwined triumphant topics (escaping bad situations, true love, the bonds of friendship, loving brotherhood, fufilling your dreams). Overall, I'm really impressed with the quality of the filmmaking and the acting of the whole cast. The film was very engaging and you get right into the story, and really connect with the characters.

Tiffany Chunat - Contest Winner
Premiere Report
The Tennessee premiere was awesome! Once I was finally able to be directed to the right place to pick up tickets and they handed them out to the Mariah Daily winners, we made it in just in time to hear the end of Lee Daniel's introduction speech and get seated for the start of the movie. During the opening credits when the names of the actors, producers, etc. were coming up, the crowd would cheer for each one. When Mariah's name appeared on screen, I think she got the loudest cheers of all.

After the movie was over, Lee Daniels came on stage to do a Q&A segment and he introduced and brought up the cast, writer, and director. Most of the questions were directed at either Lee Daniels or Mariah. Among other things, she talked about being thankful for being able to be in the movie and the fact that she will play a social worker in Lee's next film.

As we all filed out of the theater, me and a few fellow fans caught a glimpse of an area behind some curtains where it looked like Mariah and the other actors were. We asked some security guards if we could go back and see her but they said it was too crowded. Fortunately for us, one of them directed us back into the theater where M was going to have a quick meet and greet with some kids from the Fresh Air Fund. All of her background singers and Da Brat were inside too. When she came in, all the kids went crazy but Mariah wasn't intimidated. She posed for pictures with all of them and even asked them to let her into the middle of the row where she could sit amongst all of them. She was so great to them and before she walked out we got our chance to get some pictures with her and let her know that we thought she did an amazing job!

As I've experienced before with her, Mariah was so genuine and appreciative of her fans. Even as her bodyguards try to rush her out and not allow pictures, she stops with almost everyone and makes them feel like she really cares. She's amazing! Thank you Mariah Daily for a great experience!

Film Review
The movie overall was great even though the story was pretty heavy. Mariah did such a great job with a role that is completely different than what she normally is. Her character is an unglamorous (yet still beautiful), southern girl. She kept up a consistent and very convincing accent throughout the whole movie. Although she plays an aspiring singer, that was not the main focus of the movie and I think that is great for showing her diverse talent - it was not a music movie or a Mariah voice showcase and you could focus more on her acting ability. The song that she did sing (and that she also wrote and produced as always) was amazing! It also plays in full at the end when the credits roll.

Paolo Romero - Contest Winner
Premiere Report
I arrived about 5PM sharp to the BMCC Theater. As the line was quite long outside, any industry, contest-winners, and VIPs were allowed entrance prior to the 7PM show time. I was escorted in the red carpet by one of the very friendly Tribeca Film Festival people to the Industry Concierge where I was to pick up my ticket for Tennessee. Every person working the venue was quite professional and friendly. After picking up my ticket, I ended up running into other contest-winners from MariahDaily and mingled together as we waited for the arrival of Mariah on the red carpet.

As the full cast of Tennessee arrived one by one including the man behind it all Robert DeNiro, they were interviewed by massive paparazzi and television telecasts such as ET. When the red carpet tent suddenly turned from dim lighting to a blast of lighting flashes everyone knew who had arrived. Mariah arrived promptly at 6PM dressed in classic jeans and a white blouse. She truly played the part of an actress and put aside the festive dresses and went for the casual look. It took about 30 minutes for her to just walk down the red carpet which was only about a half block long. After she completed "the walk", everyone pretty much went inside the theater to get ready for the premiere.

I, along with some friends who already had tickets to the premiere, was lucky enough to sit behind Mariah during the whole movie! It was nerve-wrecking, exciting, and O.O.C. all at the same time. I could not believe I was actually sitting literally behind her along with her crew of Da Brat and friends. I can honestly say I missed the first 20 minutes of the movie because I was just in total awe of what was happening.

After the movie, they did Q&A with the cast on the stage and Mariah was asked questions such as: "Where can we find the song she had sung in the movie." She didn't quite hear the 3 part question that was asked to her so she never got to tell where lambs can download the song. After the Q&A, the theater and red carpet pretty much emptied out. As my friends and I were about to leave I spotted a friend who is a photographer on the red carpet and revealed to me that Mariah would come out again. As the red carpet was becoming empty in preparation for the next film to be shown, a few minutes passed and Mariah surely came on the red carpet once again.

She even stopped, took a picture, and had a mini-convo with me in regards to what song was my favorite and what I feel should be the next single. As I stated "Migrate", she stated that "I don't think they are going to put that one out." I then opted for what I already felt was the next single and said "That Chick" and she agreed. When I stated "That Chick was a great track and a festive one," she looked back at me as she started to walk away smiled and said "It definitely is festive!"

Film Review
This journey of two young brothers and an aspiring singer couldn't have been told better than by Aaron Woodley, the director of Tennessee. As we are taken for a ride, literally from state to state until they reach their destination (Tennessee), Mariah Carey playing as Krystal Evans becomes a mother-figure to the two brothers in their journey for a bone-marrow transplant from their father.

Mariah plays a southern waitress that pursues a life she is even unsure of as she travels with Ellis played by Ethan Peck and Carter played by Adam Rothenberg. Mariah nails the southern accent which seemingly comes out natural in this film produced by Lee Daniels. Her warmth towards Ellis, who is suffering from Leukemia is believable and strong. Her role in the movie is so significant that when the brothers split ways with Krystal at their destination, her return at the end of the film is a welcome one.

Similar to her role as Raychel in Wisegirls, another independent film that won critics over in 2002, Mariah showcases she can throw down when it's game time. We almost forget this is Mariah Carey until she enters a singing competition at a local bar to win some cash to finally get Ellis and Carter where they need to be. One relevant attribute Mariah displays in this film is her determination to get the brothers to Tennessee. Though she gets physically abused by her husband Frank played by Lance Reddick, she doesn't show a drop of selfishness in her journey with Ellis and Carter.

Danny Foglia - Contest Winner
Premiere Report
First off I want to say a GIANT THANK YOU to MariahDaily for selecting me to attend the Tennesee premiere. I had never been to such an event with all of the cameras, media people, and of course the actors themselves. While on the red carpet I was able to stand nearly 10 feet away from the actors in the movie (Adam, Ethan, and of course Mariah though she was completely mobbed by the media). And as I'm walking to my seat, I see none other than Robert DeNiro, who I saw earlier on the red carpet, sitting on one of the end seats. I was thinking to myself 'can this be real'!? My favorite movie of all time is Goodfellas, so it really was an incredible moment for me. So after a few quick words from Lee Daniels and Aaron Woodley (producer and director of the film), the movie began. Right from the start, I was impressed with the acting and direction. It did not seem like an indie film, but a film that could and SHOULD be released in theatres. It would be a shame if the public couldn't see Mariah acting in her best movie role to date. Not a sign of Mariah Carey was present, she completely transformed into the character of Krystal. One of the best moments in the film was when we finally heard "Right to Dream". It's a very emotional song and I know fans who have been waiting for an acoustic Mariah song will not be dissapointed. There were some very emotional scenes, and I shed a tear twice during the movie. The acting was emotional and believable, the script was great, and the message it gave was something that Mariah has written about several times in her music already. It really is an inspiring film and I hope that it is released so more people have the opportunity to see it.

Afterwards, my friend Ronnie introduced me to Trey Lorenz! And I also met MaryAnn, Sherry, and Rachel. I also saw Mark Sudack walk right in front of me. It was a moment I'll never forget, thanks again to Mariahdaily for 'making this happen'.

Film Review - heavily contains plot details / spoilers
The movie begins about 16 years back in Tennesee, where Carter (Adam Rothenberg) finds his abusive/drunken father beating his mom in their home. A fight ensues between Carter and his father (who ends up getting knocked out) and he and his mother quickly pack their things and leave their home, not looking back. Then we are in the present day in New Mexico. Carter's mom had passed away by then, and only he and his younger brother Ellis, an aspiring photographer, are left. Ellis is later diagnosed with leukemia, and is in need of a bone-marrow transplant. Carter is not able to provide for him, so they both decide to travel back to Tennesee to find their father. Along the way, their car breaks down and while it is being repaired, they stop at a diner where Krystal (Mariah) is working. She is having a tough time doing her job, her boss is mean, and she just seems very unhappy. Ellis senses this and tries to convince her to come with them on their way to Tennesee. He also hears her sing outside of the diner, and tells her that she has got an excellent voice and should be playing in Nashville. She invites them over to their house to stay the night so that they can freshen up and sleep until they form a plan to get back on their way to Tennesee. When they arrive, Krystal's abusive and drunken husband (Lance Reddick) who is also a cop, immediately starts to beat on Krystal, not knowing that Carter and Ellis in the next room. He chokes her up against the wall and continues to torment her with words all because she bought the wrong kind of juice. After she tells him that there are people in the living room, he stops and tells them that Krystal 'belongs to him' and that they are not to touch anything in the house that belongs to him. They stay the night, but in the middle of the night Krystal decides to pack up and run. She wakes them up and they leave quickly before her husband wakes.

The next scene takes place in a bar in Oklahoma. It was just a scene of dancing, singing, and drinking basically. At one point, Carter while dancing with Krystal, flashes back to he and his old girlfriend dancing to the same song several years back when he was still in high school. It prompts him to start to touch Krystal in an inappropriate way, and she gets very angry at this and leaves the bar. By this time, her husband realizes that she has ran away and he, being a cop, uses his authority to track down the license plate number of the car. Krystal hears on the radio inside of the motel lobby that 2 white males are wanted for kidnapping her, and she quickly wakes them up, trades in her car at a used car shop, and they continue on their journey east.

Later on she arrives in Nashville and phones a friend who she knows living there from a payphone. She does not answer but leaves a message saying she is in Tennesee. Her friend calls her cell phone, which is left at home, and her husband finds out that she is in Tennesee. While there, Krystal was going to pawn her guitar so that Ellis and Carter, who are near broke now, can have some money. But Carter quickly stops her, because he finds an ad for a singer/songwriter contest inside of a bar. She then performs "Right to Dream". During the performance, her husband enters the bar and sits down. She stares right at him while singing, and the words about being free and being her own person make her husband realize that she was right for leaving. I will not reveal the ending to the film, so go see it!

Robbie
Film Review
I thought the movie was pretty good. It's a slow moving character driven story. The central theme of the movie is abuse and freeing yourself from it, and the song Mariah wrote sort of ties that theme together.

The strength of the film was the chemistry of the two brothers and Krystal. Mariah is really, really good in this. She's natural and totally warms up the screen. It's another situation like Wisegirls where when she exits towards the last third, you miss her and look forward to when she comes back. At its best, the 3 characters journey reminded me of shades of Y Tu Mama Tambien (in terms of the chemistry between the two boys and a girl on a journey).

[The song "Right To Dream"] is not really country and it's very Mariah. She said she wrote it on the telephone with Willie, so it's unclear how much he contributed (at the end of the movie, it's credited as written by Mariah Carey, produced by Mariah Carey) but I think that was an oversight.

The vocals are whispery/jittery which I think is where Mariah attempted to make it sound like someone less confident. A line from the lyrics is "I've got a right to dream". In the movie, it's just her on stage with a guitar and a guy with a harmonica. It also plays at the end credits, so there is a full studio version.

Denny
Premiere Report
I arrived at almost 6pm, Mariah was already there. I was lucky to be able to get one of the 3 last tickets. The movie is great. The real attraction in the movie is Mariah. Her acting is even better than in Wisegirls, you even forget it's MC. The audience responded really well.
After the movie ended, the cast, producer, director and screenwriter went on the stage and answered some questions. MC got energetic applauses when she appeared. Mariah was very humble when asked about her projects and she said that she just has the new album (she didn't even say its name) and that this is not about her, but about the movie, and she's happy to be there for it. She also said about the song in the movie that it was a collaboration with Willie Nelson, but they collaborated by phone so it has to be determined how much of a collaboration it was. Lee Daniels said that she's gonna be in his new project, Push. Then we waited for her to come outside, and she signed stuff, including my movie ticket and then she said "they're making me go" and left.

Fan Photos & Videos - Red Carpet and Q&A

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Source: MariahDailyJournal | Rachel | Tiffany | Paolo | Danny | Robbie | Denny | New York Post | Jeane

United States (01)
Canada (01)
Taiwan [International] (01)
South Korea [International] (01)
Australia (02)
United Kingdom (03-05)
Switzerland (05)
France (06)
Germany (07)
Ireland (07-13)
Japan(07)
Austria (08)
Italy (09)
Netherlands (11-17)
Portugal (15)
Spain (16)
Denmark (18)
Norway (20)
Sweden (22)

E=MC² is now doing its second week of charting in some countries, such as; the United Kingdom (down to #5 from #3), Ireland (down to #13 from #7) and Netherlands (down to #17 from #11). E=MC² debuts at #2 in Australia, becoming her highest debuting and peaking album since Butterfly (#1)

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Tennessee is scheduled to premiere in the Marche du Film on May 16, 2008. The Marche du Film ("Film Market") is the business counterpart of the Cannes Film Festival and the largest film market in the world. It was created in 1959 and it is held annually since then, simultaneously to the Cannes Festival (France).

Tennessee Screening Schedule at the Marche du Film
• 5/16 20:00 Star 1
• 5/18 12:00 Star 1
• 5/20 10:00 Star 1

Source: Elephant Eye Films | Jeane

Below are high-quality photos of Mariah arriving at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Saturday, April 26th for the world premiere of her new movie, Tennessee.




[ View more photos in our Picture Gallery ]

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Tonight's Access Hollywood ran a segment about the Tribeca Film Festival and Mariah's new film, Tennessee got the "Tribeca Spotlight." Some new clips from the movie were shown! See video on right.

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Source: MariahDailyJournal | Jeane

Mariah Performs on Good Morning America, ABC, April 25, 2008
Type: Mpeg | Size: 162.4 MB

Download:
Part 1 - "Touch My Body" Part 2 - Interview	Part 3 - "I'm That Chick" Part 4 - "Bye Bye"

Bonus Video:

Download: Mariah TV Ad for GMA Appearance


Mariah on Live With Regis and Kelly, ABC, April 25, 2008
Type: Mpeg | Size: 111.0 MB
Download: [ Part I | Part II ]

Source: MariahDailyJournal

"Touch My Body" climbs one spot to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play Chart (issue date: May 10, 2008). This chart is published a week in advance of the other Billboard charts.

This is Mariah's 13th #1 on the chart, and she is now tied at #3 with Donna Summers as the artist with the most #1s on this chart.

Source: Joao

Mariah attended the lighting ceremony at the Empire State Building in New York City where the tower will be lit in pink, lavender and white this weekend in honor of her new album E=MC². Click on each of the thumbnails below to view high-quality pictures from the event.





[ View all 178 photos in our Picture Gallery ]

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To the right, watch Mariah as she addresses the crowd before lighting up the Empire State Building in her signature colors. Mariah is the first artist to have the iconic structure lit up in their honor.

Speech:
"This is the epitomy of festive. I'm so excited to be here. I never ever thought when I was a little girl growing up here in New York, which I think is the best place in the world, that I would ever, ever, ever be able to achieve something like this and I just... I'm very, very excited. I feel very blessed and very grateful to God so here I am. And I guess I'm about to... just first of all thank you everybody and second of all, light it on up! Are we ready to do that?"

Source: MariahDailyJournal | perez92680 | Julio

We are happy and excited to be sending 12 lucky Mariah fans to the anticipated world premiere of Tennessee, tomorrow at the Tribeca Film Festival. This special event which Mariah herself will be attending is completely sold out!

Congratulations,

Daniel Foglia
Rachel Garcia
Kristen McKeon
Leigh Merrill
Davidia Ross Hu
Jeffrey Rivera
Michelle Ramos
Zac Szoke
Matthew St. Amand
Kristi Spencer
Tiffany Chunat
Paolo Romero

E-mails have been sent to you, please confirm your attendance by replying ASAP!

Stay tuned for further reports from the Tennessee movie premiere tomorrow!

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Join Mariah at the premiere of her new movie, Tennessee at the Tribeca Film Festival tomorrow!

Mariah Daily Journal is sending five (5) lucky fans to the Tennessee Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival!

Each winner will win a pair (2) of tickets, but if you don't have a guest - we'll be accepting individual entries as well. All you have to do is e-mail tennessee@mariahdaily.com and tell us why you think you should win the tickets. Please be sure to indicate your FULL NAME as well as your GUEST'S FULL NAME. Transportation to the event is not included so please be sure to enter only if you're able to arrive at the location by yourself.

Contest ends tonight, April 25th at 11:00pm ET.

Tennessee will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival tomorrow, April 26th, 6:00pm at BMCC Tribeca PAC, 199 Chambers Street, New York City. Good Luck!

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Mariah Carey didn't just perform for audiences in New York. Her concert for Good Morning America was broadcast in Boston and Atlanta, where fans gathered to watch live simulcasts. In mid-May, Carey will jet off to the Middle East, performing a "private concert" in Dubai.

According to MTV Japan, Mariah will be a performer in this year's MTV Video Music Awards Japan. The awards show is scheduled to take place on May 31, 2008.

Source: ABC News | Natalia | MTV Japan | Camila

United States (01)
Canada (01)
Taiwan [International] (01)
South Korea [International] (01)
United Kingdom(03)
Switzerland (05)
France (06)
Germany (07-10)
Ireland (07-13)
Japan(07)
Austria (08)
Italy (09)
Netherlands (11-17)
Portugal (15)
Spain (16)
Denmark (18)
Norway (20)
Sweden (22)

E=MC² is now doing its second week of charting in some countries, such as; Germany (down to #10 from #7 - as indicated in brackets), Ireland (down to #13 from #7) and Netherlands (down to #17 from #11). Stay tuned for second week chart positions in the other countries.

Source: MariahDailyJournal | Gui | Stevvy

Mariah kicked off Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series with three songs from her latest album, E=MC²: "Touch My Body," "Bye Bye," and "I'm That Chick" on Friday, April 25th in Times Square, New York. Click on each of the thumbnails below to view high-quality pictures of Mariah performing on stage.




[ View all 115 photos in our Gallery ]

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Mariah was in-studio with Angie Martinez on Hot 97 in New York City to promote her new album, E=MC² on Monday, April 21st. Watch a video of Mariah's visit to the radio station to the right.

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Source: Hot 97 | hotlikewhoa310 | MariahDailyJournal

One thing we can say with certainty is that Mariah Carey will stay at #1 in week two. The Island/IDJ release is projecting 185-190k as we head into the weekend. Another thing we're sure about is that Leona Lewis has legs. We're putting the J/RMG album from Clive's latest diva at 90-95k, contingent on a bump from Wednesday night's Idol performance, which is already moving the needle on the digital side. Geffen's Ashlee Simpson is looking like next week's top debut with 50-55k, followed by the widely adored Kiwi duo Flight of the Conchords, whose first full-length will likely give Sub Pop its first Top 5 debut since The Shins last year with an estimated 40-45k, but it could go higher.

Source: Hits Daily Double

A MariahDailyJournal Exclusive
Mariah Daily Journal is pleased to bring you an exclusive interview with Russell Schaumburg, the screenwriter for Mariah's upcoming film Tennessee which premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday. A project several years in the making, Schaumburg tells MariahDaily.com about how Tennessee came to life, his work with Mariah Carey on the film, and some of the ins and outs of being a screenwriter.

Born in St. Louis, MO but raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, it's no surprise that Russell Schaumburg decided to set the film in the quiet simplicity of his home state.

Schaumburg majored in anthropology/ pre-med at Northwestern University, but nurtured a passion for theater and entertainment and headed to Los Angeles after graduation. While attending law school in LA, he spent many classes sketching out ideas for screenplays, including what he says was "a large chunk" of Tennessee. Knowing his passions lied elsewhere and after being voted "Least Likely to Practice Law", Schaumburg skipped the bar exam to become a full time writer.

He has worked on a variety of projects for both the big and small screen, picking up several writing accolades along the way like being placed in the Top 50 Finalists in the Chesterfield Writer's Film Project for his screenplay The Man In the Woods and being a Semi-Finalist in the AMPAS Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting for Noah's Light.

Tennessee is Schaumburg's first produced screenplay. What may have been luck at first - Producer Lee Daniels (Monster's Ball, The Woodsman) received the screenplay from their mutual manager, Brad Kaplan - has turned into a full feature film with a promising young director, Aaron Woodley (Winner of the 2003 Discovery Award at the Toronto Film Festival for Rhinoceros Eyes), and a prestigious premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.


Like many independent film projects, Tennessee took time to get the right mix of cast, crew, and funding (not to mention trying to fit a schedule around Mariah's North American tour) before it even got off the ground. Announced in early 2006 and scheduled to begin shooting that spring, the project didn't begin filming until mid-2007 after several delays, a few rumored actors (James D'Arcy, Bernie Mac), and a promised September '07 premiere. September came and went, but Schaumburg tells us he never doubted the film would be released.


The decision to cast Mariah in the film was made by the casting directors, Lee Daniels and Aaron Woodley. Mariah's involvement with the film became public in February 27, 2006 when Variety reported Daniels got the idea to cast her after being impressed with her work in 2002's WiseGirls.


In a July 2006 interview, Schaumburg described his Mariah-related dream: "Well, I'd like for her to do a private concert at the Tennessee Theatre for me and 1,000 of my closest friends," he says with a laugh. Less than a year later, the dream became a reality and Russell found himself on stage with Mariah.


What's next for Russell? "In general, I lean toward dramas. But I have dabbled in romantic comedy." He says there are plenty of other actors and directors he'd like to work with in the future: Billy Bob Thornton, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Walter Salles, Catherine Hardwicke, Niki Caro, Clint Eastwood, Peter Hedges, Gus Van Sant, Thandie Newton and Jodie Foster, just to name a few. "Of course," he adds, "the Tennessee gang: Mariah, Adam Rothenberg, Ethan Peck, and Lance Reddick."

With Tennessee, Russell Schaumburg promises to bring the subtle mystery of the south to life alongside an emotional journey. Early reviews have already praised his "touching story" (Liz Smith, The NY Post) and we wish him and the film the best of luck at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Thank you again to Russell for the interview and his manager Chris Ridenhour for the arrangements.

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Below is an advanced copy of Liz Smith's column in tomorrow's edition of the New York Post. Your first look right here on Mariah Daily Journal!



MARIAH CAREY survived her childhood, but it wasn't easy. A miraculous singing talent saved her from humdrum obscurity and possibly much worse.

Today, Mariah is at the pinnacle of a career that has seen some amazing pinnacles already. Her new album, "E=MC2" has rocketed to no. 1 on the charts. This is her sixth no. 1 album. She now ties with Madonna and Janet Jackson. (The grand diva deluxe, Barbra Streisand, has eight no. 1 albums.) And Carey has racked up more no. 1 singles than Elvis -- 18!

Mariah is 38, though you'd never guess it to look at her. She could be in her 20s, still lush and juicy. The statuesque stunner loves her sky-high heels her miniskirts, her bosom-baring blouses, her beaded and feathered gowns; all the accoutrements of her long-ago, little-girl idea of what being a big star is all about. (Once she dumped her discoverer, Tommy Mottola, Mariah "got down" with her sex appeal and funk factor. He preferred her more demure.) Still, she insists her hot displays disguise a "buttoned-up girl. I'm a freaking prude. I've never had a one-night stand!"

And for all the flash, Mariah is a private person. After the gilded cage Tommy provided, she hasn't married again. She dates, one assumes, but rarely speaks of that side of her life. A few years ago, she had some career problems and what the press described as a "crackup." But Miss Carey overcame a weak album, a flop movie (the unintentionally hilarious "Glitter") and put herself back together again. In the end, all the sensational headlines and doomsaying amounted to a barely discernible blip on her radar.

I KNOW Mariah. She is sweet and funny. She used to be the girl next door, before fame came knocking, but now she doesn't try to pretend she's not, as she puts it, "the diva next door." She enjoys her perks and privileges, and she adores her fans. For her, making those millions of people happy is the goal of her life. Love on a mass scale means more to her than one person's ardor.

And she is honest. Recently she spoke about the possibility of having children, and said that even the idea of giving birth, would leave her "feeling violated." She cites her upbringing, her parents constant fighting. And she added, "I don't think I could properly educate a child right now. Maybe in the future, but I actually haven't thought about it."

Lots of people -- including celebrities -- have children for the wrong reasons. And one of them is societal pressure -- "what's the matter with you, that you don't want kids?!" So Mariah Carey has the money to raise children who wouldn't want for material things. But Mariah, having grown up insecure, unsure, watching the adults around her mess it up, won't bring a child into the world without some surety that she'll do better. You should put ego and a lot of your own life aside, to have children.

Mariah, still immature in certain ways, knows children shouldn't have children.

TOMORROW, at the Tribeca Film Festival in Manhattan, Mariah's new movie, "Tennessee" bows. Produced by the "Monster's Ball" maestro Lee Daniels and directed by Aaron Woodley, this is a touching tale of two young brothers -- Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Peck -- trying to re-connect with their father. (Ethan is the grandson of film legend Gregory Peck.) And this indie puts Mariah back where she was before "Glitter" pulled her down. Carey had displayed considerable promise in her first film, "WiseGirls" with Mira Sorvino, but the big-budget, overwrought "Glitter" shoehorned her in a typical high-camp showbiz rise and fall story.

In "Tennessee," Mariah plays against type as a drab waitress with musical aspirations who joins up with the boys on their road trip. She is also escaping an abusive marriage. This is a natural, effortless performance, nothing grand or showy. She makes her effects quietly. It is completely believable. And not until she sings, in a ratty bar, toward the end of the movie, are you reminded -- and with a jolt -- that this actress is indeed the famous, sexy and glamorous Mariah Carey. That's how well she inhabits her role. (And the song is quiet; she strums a guitar. Mariah doesn't go all five octaves on us!)

This is character study, modest, yet totally assured. I don't know if Mariah wants to be a "big movie star." Probably not. She has a successful day job! I think she just wants to be a good little actress who can connect emotionally with an audience; to make people love her in a different way.

When pressed about marrying again, Carey says: "It would have to be somebody who would take care of me emotionally and make the effort to understand me deep down. To know who I am, not what I am."

I suggest prospective suitors for Mariah's affections go see "Tennessee" when it opens. You'll find more than the pop queen who wears high-heels in the snow. You'll see a real woman.

Source: Liz Smith - New York Post | Daniel | MariahDailyJournal

New York Landmark To Shine in Lavender, Pink and White in Honor of a Great New Yorker and her #1 album E=MC2