For almost two decades, Mariah Carey has stood the tests of time. Through highly publicized failed relationships, rumors of emotional breakdowns, and speculation of a finished career due to declining album sales and unfavorable reviews concerning her acting endeavors, Mariah has proven to possess the most important attribute of any person who carries the label of diva... durability.

"Definition of a Diva" takes an in depth look into Mariah's adversity-filled journey to superstardom; from her tormented childhood, all the way up through her re-emergence as one of the most powerful and influential voices the world has ever known.
(Various)

"Don't Forget About Us" continues to drop down the Hot 100 rather rapidly due to a lack of decent digital sales. This week it falls all the way down to #37 in its 20th week. So if it is possible that this could be its last week on the Hot 100. If this occurs it will be the first time we haven't seen a Mariah title on the Hot 100 since late 2004 right before "U Make Me Wanna" debuted.

Meanwhile "We Belong Together" and "Shake It Off" continue to show incredible longevity as both stay on the R&B songs chart with "We Belong" clinging at #50. "Fly Like A Bird" continues to bubble under at R&B though it falters to #23. Back on the main R&B chart, "So Lonely" inches up a couple of spots to #75 and debuts on the corresponding airplay chart one spot higher at #74.

Leaving the top ten of Billboard 200 is Mariah's Mimi which drops to #15 and is sporting a new six times platinum certification. This is the highest cert a Mariah album has received since - and all together now - Daydream. Only three Mariah albums have higher certs. Besides the aforementioned Daydream there is also Mariah Carey and Music Box.
(The Mariah Network | Billboard)

Mariah's speech: "This is so nice. I've never received an MTV award of any sort and this means the most to me because it's from the voters, the fans, and that's what really matters. And I just have to thank God for all my blessings and thank everybody who helped me with this album and really mainly thank the fans because without you guys, I wouldn't be standing here right now. And thank you MTV for showing me the love always. It's great to be here. Lots of love. Godbless. Buh-bye!"

Mariah Carey was poised to keep her comeback going Saturday as her "Emancipation of Mimi" won best album at the 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards.

Carey, who was not at the ceremony when it began, was tied with Kanye West and Alicia Keys for four nominations each going into the awards honoring achievement by black artists in movies, television, music and literature. Terrence Howard led movie actors with two nominations for the films "Crash" and "Hustle & Flow." Two stars of the long-running soap opera "The Young and the Restless" won two awards in the early going Saturday, with Shemar Moore and Victoria Rowell winning actor and actress awards for daytime drama.

Moore talked about feeling moved after meeting Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. who died earlier this month. "I think she is sitting up there with her husband smiling as we continue to chase the dream," Moore said. "Crash," about racial tensions in Los Angeles, led movie contenders with six nominations, including best picture, four of the five supporting-actor slots for Howard, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Don Cheadle and Larenz Tate and for Thandie Newton as supporting actress. Other best-picture nominees included "Hustle & Flow," in which Howard plays a pimp and drug peddler trying to start a rap-music career, "Coach Carter," "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and "Hitch."

Carey's bid for four Image Awards came just weeks after she took home three Grammy Awards, out of eight nominations. Many were surprised she did not win more, given that her "Emancipation of Mimi" was one of the best-selling albums of the year.

Still, Carey's return to pop grace in 2005 astounded the music industry. Her platinum form of the 1990s had appeared lost for good after a series of debacles that included an emotional breakdown, a movie flop and the buy-out of her Virgin Records contract.
(ABC News)

It looks like soon there will be a new DVD. According to many sources, the Documentary "Definition of a Diva" will be released on April 25, 2006. However, this seems to be another unofficial video like last year's disappointing "Music Box" DVD.

According to the fans, the documentary "Music Box" had no new information and lacked of reliability. Moreover, the DVD didn't contain any musicals. Back in 2003, Honey B.Fly, the official Mariah Carey fanclub, informed that a new DVD was likely to be released, but that project seems to be forgotten.
(Mariah Hero)

Today, two brand new pictures emerged from the Internet. These have been added to the Mariah Hero photo galleries, which gathered hundreds of studio pictures!

Although she has never received a Moon Man - the coveted MTV Video Music Awards trophy - Mariah Carey is officially the First Lady of TRL. The singer received the honor at MTV's 4th Annual TRL Awards, which air today, Feb. 25 at 12 p.m. ET.

"This is from the voters, the viewers, the actual people who watch the channel so MTV should take note of that next time they're voting on the other award," Mariah told Teen People backstage at the MTV Studios where she accepted the prize. The singer then quickly added a very intentional "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," to indicate that she was only half serious about her suggestion.

Since fans determine the TRL countdown, it's only natural that their votes also determine the show's awards. Other winners include Man of the Year Kanye West and Best New Artist Fall Out Boy. Madonna was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Bono of U2 received the Most Inspired Artist Award.

Not all the awards are so standard. Chris Brown beat Daniel Radcliffe, Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff to pick up the Fake I.D. Award. "I like to sneak in places so I got to get a Fake I.D.," the "Run It" singer joked backstage. "It's just getting an award for being in the entertainment business so young."

Meanwhile, Amanda Bynes, the star of She's the Man, won another unique category, the Quit Your Day Job Award, which honors the best guest co-host. "I don't know if I should be offended as in, 'Please Amanda, quit your day job, stop acting,' but I was really excited," she said.

MTV VJs Damien Fahey, Vanessa Minnillo and Susie Castillo also presented Ashlee Simpson with the first ever Bounce Back Award. "It means I had some really tough things I went through this year and they said I came back strong," Ashlee said backstage. "I've definitely been thick-skinned and been a tough girl throughout the year and it's a new year and nothing has happened yet so hopefully it's smooth sailing."

Unlike other red carpet awards shows, the TRL Awards have a more casual atmosphere, which most of the artists seem to enjoy. "This one's different because it's a really kind of specific audience and you kind of feel like you're comfortable here. It's more fun. It's more relaxed. I don't want to say it's less serious, but it is less serious in it's own way," Mariah said. "It's fun to be able to come here in jeans and receive these awards and MTV obviously took a lot of time in making the show feel special and the awards be so beautifully done and stuff, so it was really cool."
(Teen People Magazine)

Mariah Carey was poised to keep her comeback going Saturday as a leading contender for the 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards, including best song and album.

Carey, Kanye West and Alicia Keys had four nominations each going into the awards honoring achievement by blacks in movies, television, music and literature, while Terrence Howard had two acting nominations for the films "Crash" and "Hustle & Flow." Carey's bid for four Image Awards came just weeks after she took home three Grammy Awards, out of eight nominations. Many were surprised she didn't win more, given that her "Emancipation of Mimi" was one of the best-selling albums of the year.

Still, Carey's return to pop grace in 2005 astounded the music industry. Her platinum form of the 1990s had appeared lost for good after a series of debacles that included an emotional breakdown, a movie flop and the buy-out of her Virgin Records contract. Best-album nominees at Saturday night's Image Awards include Carey ("The Emancipation of Mimi"), Keys ("Alicia Keys Unplugged") and West ("Late Registration"). All three also had best-song nominations Keys for "Unbreakable," Carey for "We Belong Together" and West for "Diamonds From Sierra Leone."

The 37th NAACP Image Awards tapes February 25 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA and airs Friday, March 3 at 8 p.m. on the Fox television network.
(Associated Press)

Now that Mariah Carey's comeback year is officially in the history books—complete with three Grammy Awards, two No. 1 singles and the best-selling album of 2005—it is time to get down to business. "The Emancipation of Mimi" spawns yet another career-redefining hit in the sweet, soulful "Fly Like a Bird," an honest-to-God religious mantra about redemption.

Set against a low-key, organ-spiced groove that recalls mid-'70s R&B, Carey opens with a pretty, wispy vocal and buoyant harmonies throughout the first chorus before she waves her arms, parts the clouds and wails to the heavens as a mile-high wall of gospel background vocals joins in for the crescendo. The flight of "Bird" from humble call for deliverance into a frenzied ecclesiastic hymn is utterly spine-tingling, a joyful noise - Producer(s): Mariah Carey, James Wright. Genre: R & B.
(Billboard)

Mariah Carey's new album "The Emancipation of Mimi" has been certified 6 times platinum in the United States. This achievement makes Mariah's "Emancipation" album one of her top selling albums in the United States, record only surpassed by the Diamond certified albums (10x Platinum) "Music Box" and "Daydream," and by Mariah's debut CD, which has been certified 9 times platinum.

"The Emancipation of Mimi" has left behind Mariah's previous albums "Merry Christmas," "Butterfly," and her "#1's" collection; these have been certified 5 times platinum. Overall, Mariah has received 63 platinum certifications, which takes her to the second spot for the female singer with the highest album sales in Billboard History, only surpassed by Barbra Streisand. “The Emancipation of Mimi” stays this week at #15, selling almost 60,000 units.
(Billboard)

Artists as different as Mariah Carey and Gretchen Wilson know words have never been more important to a song's success.

Musical trends come and go -- think disco in the 1970s and grunge in the '90s. Revolutions like jazz and swing, the Motown era and even the hard rock of Led Zeppelin have had lasting impressions. But as the people who watch the charts week in and week out, as we have for decades, we can tell you: Not since the dawn of rock 'n' roll has there been as huge a phenomenon in popular music as hip-hop.

Today, we see hip-hop and rap forging a new revolution, bringing the harsh realities of poverty and racism into cleverly spun verses. And by creating a genre dominated by words that now tops the charts, hip-hop lyricists have raised the bar for storytelling across all styles. "Lyrics these days are more a reflection of what is really going on," says songwriter/producer Sean Garrett, who has worked with recent Billboard chart-toppers Mary J. Blige and Jamie Foxx. "The blend of hip-hop and pop has done that for mainstream music."

Hip-hop and rap also have made personal revelations standard radio fare. "In the last five years, lyrics have resembled diaries of those who write them," says songwriter/producer Jermaine Dupri, who has generated hit singles for such artists as Mariah Carey and Bow Wow. "I think the fans like the records that seem closer to life."

Carey's "We Belong Together" stayed at No. 1 for weeks with a gut-wrenching, stream-of-consciousness ramble about lost love: "I can't sleep at night/When you are on my mind/Bobby Womack's on the radio/Singing to me: 'If you think you're lonely now'/Wait a minute, this is too deep/I gotta change the station." Who would have thought a style with such a silly-sounding name would come to be taken so seriously.
(USA Today)

Hey Fred, I'm a new fan of your column and this is my first time asking you a question. I counted the number of weeks Mariah Carey has spent at No. 1 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and I counted 81 weeks. Is there anyone regardless of gender who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than her ot the airplay chart? If not, then should this be counted as a record for her? Thank you for providing a lot of helpful information! Sincerely, Clarence Cabanero - Bronx, New York

Dear Clarence, You have indeed uncovered another chart record set by Mariah Carey and before I forget, I'm glad to welcome a new "Chart Beat" fan to "Chart Beat Chat." Only two artists have spent 50 weeks or more at No. 1 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The other act is Boyz II Men, with 50 weeks in pole position.

The Hot 100 Airplay chart was first published in the Dec. 8, 1990 issue of Billboard. That means that Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love" never appeared on this tally, because it was a hit before the chart existed. The chart's first No. 1 was "Love Takes Time," which would have had two more weeks at No. 1 had the chart been published earlier. Despite this, Mariah has racked up 89 weeks in the lead position. Here's how it all adds up:

"Love Takes Time," 1990 (two weeks)
"Someday," 1991 (10 weeks)
"Emotions," 1991 (four weeks)
"I'll Be There," 1992 (eight weeks)
"Dreamlover," 1993 (11 weeks)
"Hero," 1993 (10 weeks)
"Fantasy," 1995 (seven weeks)
"One Sweet Day," 1995 (13 weeks) [Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men]
"We Belong Together," 2005 (16 weeks)
"Shake It Off," 2005 (three weeks)
"Don't Forget About Us," 2005 (five weeks)
(Ask Billboard)

"Hi! Okay yeah, we're sitting down at the table. First of all, I wanna say 'Hey!' to everyone out there. But you know that I've missed you and I haven't even left a message since the Grammys and all that stuff 'cause I've been working really hard and you know, totally focused on that stuff.

But now, I took a little vacation. I went to a beautiful island, I came back and I'm sitting here at the table with the contest winner from the "Shake It Off Remix Contest" and I just wanted you guys to know that... and also Rachel ("I miss you guys!") is here. Yes, one of the festive troop. Even Gina's here. Why don't you say "Hi" to the people ("Hi!") Oh that was festive!

Now listen, Melissa's gonna say how she won the contest just so you guys know that it's real, it's not a scam. No, this is the reality and you too could win the contest 'cause we really had a good dinner like we sat here literally talking nonsense for like hours. Rachel told us about her days with Shaba Ranks, yes sir! We just learned all different things about Melissa's family life and what-not, hold on. ("It's Melissa. It's real and Mariah's hot.") Thank you, we don't even know what to say.

No, but we just had a really good day. The TRL Awards are gonna be on Saturday so make sure you guys tune in and hold on one second, and just even to verify what we have, one more person we're gonna put on the phone, the real deal - Melissa's mama. Hold on. ("Hello, this is Melissa's mom, Wanda, having a great time, sitting here with Mariah, just talking girl stuff. Having a ball, typical Aries. Talk to you soon.")

Anyway, we love you guys. We appreciate you and enjoy you."

Listen to the audio in the -->official website<--.
(Mariah Hero MB)

Mariah Carey attended the taping of MTV's "Total Request Live Awards" show at the MTV Times Square Studios to receive the award "TRL's 1st Lady"; in the same catogory, Mariah was nominated along with Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani. All of the emancipation videos reached the #1 spot: "It's Like That," "We Belong Together," "Shake it Off," and "Don't Forget About Us," the last three videos had top retirements.

The ceremony was took place on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 in New York City. However, the 4th Annual TRL Awards show will air on Saturday, February 25, 2006, 12:00pm ET on MTV. The show will include appearances by Mariah Carey, Bono, Madonna, Kanye West, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Ashlee Simpson, Amanda Bynes, Jessica Alba, Stephen Colletti from Laguna Beach and a special performance by Chris Brown.
(Yahoo!)

In an interview with Christianity Today, gospel singer Karen Clark talks about her new album, "It's Not Over," her growth as a writer, her interaction with mainstream artists particularly Mariah Carey. "A lot of mainstream artists mention you as an influence. And you've had the opportunity to collaborate, to sing onstage or to minister. Would you share about that?

Sheard: It's really an honor to be recognized by such mega-artists. I was asked to sing one of Mariah Carey's inspirational songs on a tribute album for her, and I thought that was so awesome. I felt like it was so major just to have been asked. I was told that when she heard that I'd be part of the project, she was jumpin' up like I was a mega-star!

When I finally got a chance to talk with her, she began to cry and told me that she'd admired me from afar. That was really encouraging, because I've been criticized for locking arms with secular artists. But I know that I'm ministering to those artists as well as having a good time together. When I hear that someone was blessed by my music, or helped out of a difficult situation, that lets me know that I'm doing what God called me to do. So if I have to be talked about and criticized, so be it, as long as God gets the glory."
(Christianity Today)

The Tyra Banks Show correspondent Rachel Gold caught up with Mariah as she welcomed guests to her post-Grammy party on February 8, 2006.

Rachel: Isn't it amazing that you're having this party and this kind of people are here?
Mariah: It's incredible. You know, it's such an honor when somebody of that stature...

Rachel: That they're all here to support you.
Mariah: Exactly. Oh my goodness. Look at the Grammy legends. This is Quincy Jones. How do we get any bigger of an honor than this?

Quincy: Did you have a good night? You good?
Mariah: Yes, I did. There's three.
(The Mariah Carey Archives)

Mariah has never been a Grammy favourite. In her career, she only received two Grammys, for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Performance. That was in 1991, 15 years ago. In 1996, she received 6 nominations, but did not win a single one. So it was a big surprise that Mariah helped to announce the nominations for the 48th annual Grammy Awards at a New York news conference on Thursday December 8, 2005.

The surprise was even bigger when she received eight nominations, three of them in the top Grammy categories: Record, Song and Album of the Year. Mariah was also up for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (for "Mine Again"), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("It's Like That"), Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (both for "We Belong Together"). The complete article is included on the first issue of the "All Mariah Magazine"; Order your copy now!

Table of contents
02 Mariah taking a holiday in France
03 Editorial
04 Mariah wins big
06 Mariah snubbed at the American Music Awards
08 Mariah mania in London
09 The year of the emancipation
11 The Mariah Carey Catalogue
12 Mariah scoops five Billboard Awards
14 Radio Music Awards
15 New Year's Rockin' Eve
16 Golden Globe Awards
17 Injustice at the Grammys.
(The Mariah Carey Archives)

You know those screaming kids who stand outside of 1515 Broadway in Times Square when they should really be in school? They have signs declaring their love for someone we've never heard of and their high pitched shrills are often heard below 14th. They are there because of MTV's TRL (Total Request Live), today's version of what we used to call the Top 5 at 5 (when we actually had to call in to place our vote, because there was no texting or online voting yet).

Well, tomorrow the 4th Annual TRL Awards are taking place... and guess who got invited? We'll be the one's wearing earplugs and asking Stephen from Laguna Beach some hard hitting questions. Want to know who else will be there? Mariah Carey, Ashlee Simpson, Chris Brown, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Ne Yo and Amanda Bynes.

So make a sign for one of them and bring your outdoor voices so you can scream for the red carpet arrivals at 1:30pm. Seriously, we'd like to see some people our own age out there. And by all means, let us know if you have any questions we should ask out on the red carpet...
(The Mariah Carey Archives)

All Access Pass" takes us to a sneak peek into Mariah's post-Grammy party on The Tyra Banks Show Monday, February 20th. Be sure to catch Mariah's interview from the party!

In their official site you can watch a preview of Monday's show and to check your local listings for specific airing time!
(Mariah Daily)

Mariah Carey sits down and laughs, "I could use a couple of days off." We're not surprised. The huge workload with a multi-platinum album like The Emancipation of Mimi has meant a frighteningly hectic schedule for this 35-year-old in the last six months. No wonder she's exhausted. "I love what I do, but it's like being an athlete: If you sprain your ankle, you're out for the season so I have to be careful. I have to sleep a lot of hours and look after my voice." She adds with a giggle: "I'm happy."

It had seemed that after the hard times following the termination of her record-breaking music contract with EMI in 2002, Mariah's career might have trouble recovering. But her talent and professionalism have taken her right to the top, resulting in three Grammy awards on February 8. "I feel that every day I'm here on this earth, I'm going to learn something," she gives as the reason for her renaissance. "You can't let the hurt turn to hate and bitterness."

Mariah has found a fresh confidence, largely due to the undying loyalty of her fans, who are some of the most passionate in music. "My fans are devoted," says Mariah. "People probably think I'm exaggerating, but I mean it. I guess that's why I wanted to become famous: a desire to make music and to get out of what was a difficult childhood. I think it also came from not feeling pretty."

There was a time when she didn't feel pretty? "It's difficult when you're ethnically mixed as a person," she explains. "My father is black and part Spanish, and my mother is white. Not everybody can relate to that. When I was a little kid, moving around 13 times with my mother, we didn't have much money."

Mariah says her mom, Patricia, a one-time opera singer, has been crucial in her success and in her understanding of the word that is often used to describe Mariah: diva. "That's how I learned the word diva when most people probably didn't know what it meant. I know the real word 'diva'. The true diva. My mom worked very hard to support us after she got divorced. She could have gone further in her career as an opera singer, but she encountered a lot of racism because of her marriage."

Mariah was married to former Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola for five years, ending in divorce in 1998. Speaking of her own love life, Mariah's answers are not free-flowing. What does she find romantic? "Music Is very romantic. Also roses. I like to give flowers too. But some men don't get it when you give them flowers." What quality would her perfect man have? "A sense of humor is really important to me." Why doesn't she talk about the men in her life? "I feel like if there are things that can remain private - keep 'em." Are rumors that she no love life true? "Well, people can think that."

She then opens up about her failed marriage. "I feel like I got married before I was ready because I was pressured," she says. "I felt if I did that then, he would stop thinking that I was trying to go or have an affair - that is so not me. Some of my friends just want to shock me with their stories of sexcapades. They laugh at me because they know I'm a prude." When we've seen her perform so sexily on stage in eye-popping costumes, it's hard to think of Mariah Carey as a prude, but she insists that she is. "Yeah, because of childhood traumatic stuff. Like seeing things and not wanting to have a baby. I never wanted to feel violated, and I know that's kind of a weird thing to say, but that's how I am." But what about those naughty stage outfits? "It's a dichotomy. That's like dressing up and playing Barbie: It's all for show. In reality, I'm very protective of myself. I feel that I should have known better but I was young and naive. I'm healed now, but there will always be defensiveness in me when I think someone is trying to be too controlling."

Talk turns to vacations, and Mariah bursts into smiles and admits she spends most of her money on secluded getaways to foreign locales. "When you're out in public and you're a celebrity, you're working," she says. "You're at dinner, and there's a little kid who comes up to you and asks for an autograph. Are you going to say no? You'd think their parents would tell them: 'Not now. She's eating.' But they don't. It's part of the gig. If you don't want to deal with people, then don't go out that night. On vacation, I go to an island that no one will be on and get a yacht. I really, really love going for a vacation in the warm weather with beautiful, blue water."

Mariah's essential travel items are her Jack Russell dog, Jack, and comfy cushions. "I take my comforter and my pillow because they remind me of home," she giggles. "Even if it's a private plane, the pillows they have are so big, and mine are so cushy and soft."

She's also pretty picky about her microphone, a trait she describes as "bizarrely healthy." She adds, "I have to be overly aware of people holding the microphones. We singers know that if someone touches your microphone, you have to sterilize it. Some opera singers won't even leave their house unless they cover their face because it's their instrument." If Mariah couldn't sing, you get the feeling she wouldn't know what to do with herself. Even if she retired tomorrow (don't worry, it's not going to happen), she admits, "I'd still sing for fun. That's what I love."
(OK! magazine)

Mariah Carey may be the comeback queen when it comes to pop music. But she reveals that she's still spinning her wheels in the romance department because she doesn't trust men - especially celebrities.

"The thing is, I have trust issues," confesses the 35-year-old singer, whose album The Emancipation of Mimi earned her eight Grammy nominations and three statuettes. "If I'm with another famous person, he's likely to have groupies and cheat on me. This is why I can still count the number of men I've slept with on one hand. It's out of insecurity and a fear of being used."

The buxom diva was wed to music mogul Tommy Mottola, but she divorced him in 1998 "to save my sanity" after the bitter five-year marriage. She's also believed to have slept with Latin crooner Luis Miguel, rapper Eminem and Yankees baseball hunk Derek Jeter. Mariah has angrily denied Eminem's claims that he bedded her. Despite her romantic failures, the sexy superstar has done well professionally, selling 150 million albums worldwide and piling up more No. 1 hits than any other female artist in history.

But while her career has soared, her love life has tanked. Most recently, she's been linked to dashing record exec Mark Sudack, 29, who helped her produce her comeback album. But Mariah dashes rumors that they are on the verge of walking down the aisle. "I feel an unconditional love with my fans that I don't feel in any other part of my life, which I guess is a sad thing to say," she admits. "But, in a way, it's also a nice thing to say."
(Globe | Mariah Daily)

This week "Fly Like A Bird" bubbles under on the R&B chart at #21. If "Fly" makes it onto the R&B chart it could potentially give Mariah an amazing five concurrent entries on the R&B chart. To do so "Shake It Off" and "We Belong Together" will need to hang on and this week they make a strong move in doing so as both songs regain their bullets with "Shake It Off" even re-entering the top 40.

"We Belong Together" also rebounds on the Hot 100 Singles Recurrent to #2, a new peak on that chart for the song. Mariah is prevented from a #1 on this chart by Kelly Clarkson as her "Since U Been Gone" occupies the top slot. Of course all of this resurgence by Mariah's older singles is due to the recent airing of the Grammy Awards. And as expected, "The Emancipation Of Mimi" also benefits from the awards show as it re-enters the top ten at #7.

Over on the Hot 100, "Don't Forget About Us" continues to slip down the chart, this week at #29. Beyonce holds on at #1 for the fourth straight week, the longest stay at #1 so far this year. James Blunt could overtake her at some point as his digital sales are pretty impressive. However his #19 position on Hot 100 Airplay is what is holding him back. While the song is high up at #2 on both the Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40 chart it is still climbing up the Pop 100 Airplay chart where it currently sits at #23.
(The Mariah Network)

In March 2006, the Mariah Carey Archives will release the first issue of its All Mariah magazine. All Mariah will be entirely dedicated to Mariah Carey, with many articles and of course high-quality pictures. The magazine will be a 20-page full colour glossy magazine and its format is 24x17 cm.

For the first issue, only 1000 copies will be made. You can already pre-order a copy for just 12.00 US dollars (or 10.00 euro or 7.00 British pounds), shipping and handling are included. The first issue, which will come out in March, will contain pictures and exclusive articles. Visit The Mariah Carey Archives for more information.
(The Mariah Carey Archives)

It appears that "Fly Like A Bird" will be Mariah's fifth single from "The Emancipation of Mimi." According to All Access, the official radio impact for "Fly Like A Bird" is set for different dates in the different radio formats. On March 14, 2006 the song will impact the Top 40 Rhythmic-Crossover, and on April 4, 2006, it will impact the Top 40 Mainstream.

In addition, we are able to reveal that the song will primarily be sent to Urban and Gospel radio stations. At the moment, no information is available about a music video for the song. Mariah performed a rousing rendition of "Fly Like A Bird" and earned a standing ovation at the recently-held Grammy Awards. In the February 25th issue of Billboard magazine, the song debuts at #21 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-hop Singles.
(Mariah Daily)

"We’re going to drop two albums this year," Krayzie said. "One of them is with Swiss Beats (a hip-hop producer) and one is something we’re doing ourselves. We’ve been in the studio, and we’ve got a lot of star producers like Dr. Dre, Three 6 Mafia, Kanye West, from Lil’ John and Big Boi from Outkast, and that’s just in productions."

Krayzie said the new Bone albums, which have not yet been titled, will also feature guest spots by industry stars like Mariah Carey and Petey Pablo. That’s a change of pace from the old Bone-Thugs, whose only visiting artist on previous albums was Tupac Shakur.
(The Monitor)

Mariah Carey can't be keen on borrowing another Karl Lagerfeld creation - she's blaming the designer for her widely-noted Golden Globe awards fashion faux pas.

The singer's dress "looked like a wine bottle opener" according to one US fashion critic.

Mariah says that's not her fault.
"Satin is very unforgiving. What was I going to do? Call Karl Lagerfeld and say, 'Can you please make it out of matte jersey instead?'"
(ABC.Net)

Keith, I have a question regarding Mariah Carey’s "The Emancipation of Mimi," which was a Grammy nominee for album of the year. It was released on April 12, 2005, and was therefore eligible for the recent Grammy Awards’ since an album must be released between October 1, 2004, and September 30, 2005.

However, the album was re-issued in November 2005 with four bonus tracks, including the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 "Don’t Forget About Us." Would this song, as well as the other three additional tracks on the re-release, help in determining whether this album would have won album of the year? Thanks.

Hi Thomas, No, they would not. Since the revamped edition of "The Emancipation of Mimi" came out after the cut off date of the eligibility period, the version of "Mimi" that was up for album of the year was the original edition.

I posed this question to the Recording Academy, which said that if both versions had come out during the eligibility period, then it would have been the label’s choice which version they ultimately submitted, but noted it could not submit both for consideration.

The Academy also went on to say that the re-issued album would not eligible for next year’s awards -- although the new tracks would eligible in the single/track categories along with other album tracks that were not previously submitted for consideration.

But, since "The Emancipation of Mimi" won for best contemporary R&B album, all of its singles and tracks are no longer eligible for any of the single/track categories in the genre categories in the future. However, a single or track from the album could still be considered for the record and song of the year categories.

This is what happened with Green Day’s "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" this year. The song was up for record of the year, but not eligible in any of the genre categories. Why? The song’s parent album, "American Idiot," won the best rock album award a year ago. That’s also why "Holiday," another hit album track from "Idiot," wasn’t nominated in any of the rock categories this year.

OK, so, what does all of that mean for a song like "Don’t Forget About Us?" Because it was on the "Platinum Edition" of "Mimi" (which is not the version of the album that was nominated and won this year), "Don’t Forget About Us" can be submitted into all of the appropriate single/track categories for next year’s awards. Whew! Hopefully I’ve explained this well enough - it can be somewhat confusing.
(Billboard)

Mariah has a new range called "Glamorized" out to buy at Claire’s. The range currently consists of ear rings, rings, necklaces, hair clips & purses:

  

With all those incredible performances at last Wednesday's Grammy Awards, you'd think there would have been a subsequent sales bonanza in record stores (or do we call them CD stores?). But the way things looked yesterday on the hitsdailydouble Web site, fans did not run to pick up CDs by the artists who appeared on the show. In fact, with 37 percent of retail stores accounted for, the hits site shows only Kelly Clarkson getting any kind of decided boost from her appearance and double Grammy win.

Right now, U2 and Kanye West aren't even making the hits chart, although that's sure to change today. Over at Amazon.com, U2's Grammy-winning "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is No. 8. Kanye's "Late Registration" is No. 45, but that doesn't mean anything since Amazon seems to not have many R&B customers. Their CD sales tend to the mainstream (and that's an understatement).

If "hits" is correct, the big winner from last week is still... Barry Manilow. His "Songs from the Fifties" may repeat at No. 1, with another 150,000 copies sold. Manilow is so happy about his re-found fame that over the weekend he entertained his label chief, Clive Davis, and several friends at his Palm Springs estate.

Evidently, Manilow has calmed down some: right before Davis' pre-Grammy celebration began last week, Manilow - having just arrived at the Beverly Hilton - had what was described to me as a "meltdown." Others called it a "hissy fit." The word was he thought he was supposed to close Clive's show, a distinction that went more appropriately to Jamie Foxx.

But Barry pulled himself together and put on a fine medley of his hits before Foxx came on. Look, Barry Manilow certainly was never hip, ever. The fact that he's on the charts and at No. 1 in 2006 - this is unbelievable. He should be carrying Clive around in a sedan chair.

And one other thing about Clive's party, while we're on the subject. Reports yesterday that Mary J. Blige wouldn't sing with Jamie Foxx because she felt slighted - they were wrong. When the party began that night, Davis said from the stage: "Mary J. Blige begged me to get her on earlier tonight than in the past."

A few years ago, Mary J. came with Whitney Houston and waited all night to get on stage. This year, she had to get up early the next day. When it was certain that the evening was running late, she simply left. You couldn't blame her. And Fantasia's impromptu performance with Foxx was thrilling.

But what to do if CD sales from the Grammy's really turn out to be lifeless? Personally, I thought when Mariah Carey did her "Fly Like a Bird" number, a million CDs would be sold. It looks like the real total will about a tenth of that. Of course, maybe that's because nearly everyone in the US of A has Mariah's album by now, in two different configurations.

The real reason CDs aren't selling? Maybe it's time to start looking at radio monopolies, and how they're stifling interest in pop music.
(Fox 411)

MTV Music Television today announced the nominees for the 4th Annual TRL Awards, set to air on Saturday, February 25th at 12PM ET/PT. MTV's "TRL Awards" will recognize and honor the people that make TRL one of the most diverse and dynamic live shows today. This year's edition will be the most star-studded show to date with some of today's hottest celebrities accepting and presenting awards, live performances by some of your favorite TRL artists and a few more surprises along the way.

Hosted by MTV VJs Damien Fahey, Vanessa Minnillo and Susie Castillo the "TRL Awards" will celebrate some of the most exciting artists and moments. The awards special will include appearances by Mariah Carey, Bono, Madonna, Kanye West, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Ashlee Simpson, Amanda Bynes, Jessica Alba, Stephen Colletti from Laguna Beach and a special performance by Chris Brown. We also go exclusive in the studio with Christina Aguilera and talk to her about her new album and more.

Viewers can vote to determine the outcome of the "TRL Awards" on MTV.com starting February 13th through February 21st. In addition, fans can log onto MTV.com to watch select clips of the nominees, and other streaming videos leading up to the big February 25th show.

Mariah has received a nomination for TRL's 1st Lady. The other nominees are Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani and Shakira.
(The Mariah Carey Archives)

Forbes magazine has released its list of the biggest money makers in music during 2005. This year, the legendary band The Rolling Stones topped the list. The Rolling Stones generated around $168 million in record and concert sales. The second place belongs to the Irish band U2; they generated close to $150 million from album sales and concert tickets. Other musicians in the list include 50 Cent and Paul McCartney.

According to the same source, Mariah’s revenue was affected given that she did not hit the road on a new tour. However, she reported earnings for the sales of some 5 million CDs sold last year. An artist who tours has more potential to gain more profit, “The average ticket price for a top act can easily dwarf $100 a pop--an evening with the Eagles cost an average of $108 a ticket last year--and this lets the biggest touring acts gross millions per night.”

The list gathered information from Pollster’s list of top-grossing U.S. tours and U.S. sales information from tracking service Nielsen SoundScan. However, this list does not count international revenue.
(Mariah Hero | Yahoo!)

Throughout last year, we've seen Mariah Carey emerge from the dark and almost lowly place where she's been for the past 4 years, to the sunshiny and spotless beacon where "the" Mariah Carey has always been since her 90s debut. No artist in history has ever had the grander comeback than Mariah Carey has as Mimi. No artist has ever swept almost every other award show than Mariah has. With "The Emancipation of Mimi," she has received no less than 35 awards, awards which she receive from various groups: music-loving people, consumers, various magazines, worldwide music organizations, teens, and the ever-hard to please Grammys.

It's true that Mariah has had a gloomy 15 years of Grammy dearth, but in all those years, she's been nominated for every album that she's put out, with the exception of the infamous Glitter and Charmbracelet. She's the only artist in the last 2 decades to be nominated 3x for Album of the Year and Record of the Year, and 2x for Song of the Year. She's the 2nd most nominated female artist in Grammy history, and one of the most nominated artists for the top awards. I think that speaks for the quality of music that she has put out. She may not be the best always, but as a multiple nominee (and winner), she's proven that she's one of music's bests. And in all those years that she's lost to people who are now forgotten by time, she's never lost her faith in God as she sings about Him in almost every album, and she's never lost her smile which never left her even in those years when the world she once dominated turned its back on her.

What does Mariah Carey really represent? Mariah represents pop's guiltiest pleasures. She makes the tastiest music, with the catchiest lyrics, and the most inviting music videos. She makes the music that the majority loves (or secretly love), write lyrics for the people, and sing them with a voice that, for 16 years, ruled the airwaves. She has supported almost every movement in pop, from the early roots of pop/r&b to the fusion of pop and hiphop. She was pop's defender when the early 90s was ruled by rock and alternative music. She is pop music's chicken soup, all served with a smile. It is because of this accessibility that she's loved and loathed by many people. I mean, not everybody loves chicken soup, right? But I'm sure at one point in our lives (be it hater or fan), we've been touched by a Mariah Carey song and tasted chicken soup.

Many people would convince themselves that Mariah's music is one of music's most superficial, forgetting that she's actually the 2nd most nominated female artist in Grammy history. Many would also convince themselves that Mariah's career is all about Glitter, forgetting that she was Artist of the Decade, and one of the most awarded musicians of the 1990s. Many would further convince themselves that she will be forgotten, forgetting that she has been in the industry for 16 years, and in all those years she's had a track record almost equivalent to that of Elvis Presley (who won just 2 Grammys in his lifetime), with total awards surpassing some of the most successful artists in history. Many would convince themselves that they hate Mariah so much but actually devote their life and energy hating her, for those people, pass on some chicken soup.

Mariah's comeback is a testament that no one can hold any talent down, especially if it's one as good and mass appealing as Mariah's. She will continue to make records, and single-handedly take on the world that has not completely and fully welcomed her return. With her level of achievements, I'm not sure what she's aiming for next. She's only 36, a bit too young to become a legend. I mean, most legends we know reach that status by way of influence, hit songs, amount of awards, and longevity, she has a bit of all. But while she's cooking up her next scheme for domination, pass on that chicken soup, Mariah, and serve it with a spotless smile.
(Popdirt)

"Don't Forget About Us" continues to drop on the Hot 100 as it hangs onto the top 20 in its 18th week. Mariah's 17th #1 is doing better on the R&B singles chart where it maintains its top ten status at #10. On the Hot 100 the #1 slot belongs to Beyonce's "Check On It" featuring Slim Thug and on the R&B singles chart the honor goes to Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You." Both songs have considerable leads on the runner-up songs and look to likely hold on for some time longer. Also on the R&B chart we see "So Lonely" finally debut. This now gives Mariah four songs charting on the R&B chart as "We Belong Together" still holds on refusing to retire from the chart.

Things look a bit better for Mariah on the Billboard 200 as her Mimi makes a bulleted move to #14 in its 43rd week on the chart. Though Mariah's Grammy wins weren't televised she should see an increase in album sales for the next chart on the strength of her performance. Mary J. Blige almost returns to #1 but settles for #2 as Barry Manilow debuts at #1 with The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties. Of course Rod Stewart has experienced success with his various collections of standards.
(The Mariah Network)

The nominations for the 2nd Annual MTV Australia Video Music Awards were announced and Mariah scored nominations in the following categories: Best Female Artist and Best RnB Video - Shake It Off. Click here to find out more.

The 2006 MTV AVMAs will be staged at the Sydney SuperDome on April 12, 2006 and will be seen exclusively live on the FOXTEL, AUSTAR and OPTUS platforms. The live broadcast will be complimented by programming on MTV and sister channel VH1.
(Honey B.fly)

As previously mentioned, Mariah appears on the cover of the February 23, 2006 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. Download an exclusive audio clip from the interview in which Mariah explains the creative process behind "Shake It Off" and the Grammy award-winning "We Belong Together," as well as what it is like to work with Jermaine Dupri. Below is an excerpt taken from the clip:

Rolling Stone: Particularly, from "We Belong Together" and then to "Shake It Off" it's like a drastic change in mood, from like, this whole like, "I can't be without you, to like, I just gotta be without you." But, there definitely seems to be a mix, especially in the love songs, of a sense of empowerment and then a sense of like, mournfulness. Where does that stuff usually come from for you?

Mariah: You know, I think it depends on the song. Like, the two songs you mentioned...when I went down to JD's for the first time for this record to Atlanta, I was like, 'I wanna do a thugged-out ballad, let's do that.'

And, that's when "Shake It Off" was born. So, it started with a beat and the "oooo, oooo's." And then, Jermaine was singing, 'I gotta get away...' And I was like, 'Ooookay.' Then he started saying something about the Calgon commercial, and I was like, 'I don't think I gotta get away is as strong as we could get.' So, we ended up with "Shake It Off" and it became my freakin' anthem... It's like I look at the past. A lot of times it's stuff from the past. Sometimes it's like fairytale moments and sometimes it's complete 'truth' like when we're talking about "Close My Eyes" or "Petals." Usually the songs that don't get released are more the complete 'truth' moments.

I never used to collaborate on lyrics but I love collaborating with Jermaine, we work together really well because he has an approach... I was like, 'Who's gonna know what Calgon is, Jermaine?' That's really from 1901 and he said, 'No, we're going to bring it back.' Bow Wow was out in the studio, I was like, 'Bow Wow, do you know what Calgon is?' and he's like, 'No, but wait a minute, Snoop said it in a rhyme one time.' And it's true. It's fun to be able to mix elements that would normally be on a rap song into a song that I'm singing. I feel I've earned the right to do that at this point. It's like 'no I don't wanna spend 36 hours figuring out whether to say like 'I'd be labored dadada...' not that my big "biggest hits" from the past and so we had that, but the songs that I really took my time with, I tried to not repeat myself over and over and over again. Certain things obviously come back a lot but the question was, where are these songs based from. The answer is, maybe it's 80% real experience, 20% let's-figure-out-how-to-say-this-in-a clever-way.
(Rolling Stone | Mariah Daily)

"Let's drink from festive glasses," announces Mariah Carey, a bejeweled champagne flute in each hand as she tiptoes barefoot into "the Moroccan Lounge" - a sitting room on the top floor of her three-story New York apartment that is decorated like a Marrakesh hash parlor, minus the hash. She sets the flutes down on a table alongside the less festive glasses from which we'd already been drinking and then reassumes her position curled up in the corner of the couch. Her personal assistant brings in a tray that carries a large bottle of water for Mariah and a can of Diet Coke for me, and she hands each of us a small linen napkin. It's past midnight, and Mariah doesn't usually allow herself caffeine at this hour, because she's an insomniac and has a very low tolerance for "things that make you speedy." Still, she asks if I mind sharing a splash of my Diet Coke, reasoning that she's in an "awake moment" anyway.

Among her assorted Mariah-isms, the concept of "moments" looms large. In the course of the evening, she refers to precisely forty-nine different kinds: analytical moments, schmaltz moments, fairy-tale moments, complete-truth moments, celebratory moments, Biblical moments and, yes, diva moments. In 2001, following an embarrassing "TRL moment," Mariah says she had her share of "bleak moments" and even a couple of "woe-is-me moments." Her favorite canary-colored bathing suit from when she was nine, she says, was a "clingy-to-the-body moment." As is her current ensemble: painted-on jeans and an itty-bitty white tank top with the number seventeen ironed on the front in bold black digits. Seventeen, no doubt, as in how many Number One singles Mariah has amassed in the past decade and a half. In December, when "Don't Forget About Us," the latest cut from her five-times-platinum The Emancipation of Mimi, reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Mariah tied Elvis Presley's record for Number Ones; four more top singles and she'll outpace the Beatles.

The thirty-five-year-old singer has had a momentous year and one that is all the sweeter because it came on the heels of a momentary - though devastating - slump. Released last spring, The Emancipation of Mimi surpassed the low expectations with which it was greeted to become the best-selling album of 2005. Mariah says that Mimi, her tenth studio album, is a product of her newfound creative freedom. "In the past, I knew people wanted certain formulaic things from me," she says. "By 'people', I mean executives."

But Mimi incorporates Mariah's cherished hip-hop influences in greater proportion than ever. She brought the Neptunes and her old friend Snoop Dogg in for "Say Somethin'," traded verses with Twista on "So Lonely," duetted with longtime producer Jermaine Dupri on "Get Your Number" and teamed with Nelly on "To the Floor." Though there are still the belt-it-out ballads, they're R&B slow jams with a bangin' bottom end that often rivals Mariah's own bangin' bottom end. "The funny thing is, I've always known that what I really loved would be commercially successful," she says. Her instincts proved correct: The record has already spawned three hits - "Don't Forget About Us," "Shake It Off" and "We Belong Together" - and has earned her eight Grammy nominations, including for Album of the Year. When we met just a few weeks before the awards, it was clear that - no matter how many Grammys she would or would not collect - Mariah had safely reassumed her pop-diva throne.

"People ask me, "Isn't this really the vindication of Mariah Carey?'" she says. "Not really, because my whole life has been a series of overcoming obstacles. Since I've always had to struggle, I've always expected that I will have to struggle."

"She's on the third chapter of her career," says Island Def Jam chairman Antonio "LA" Reid. "The first chapter had major successes. The second chapter had some major disappointments. Now, she's at the point where she has the wherewithal to stay in the game for as long as it takes, to withstand the ups and downs. It's like Muhammad Ali or Frank Sinatra. And I think her fans have a real love for her because she has had those ups and downs and she's still here."

Mariah arrives characteristically late for dinner at a Brazilian restaurant around the corner from her apartment, but she is also characteristically apologetic about it. Affecting exaggerated fabulosity, she purrs, "Sorry, darling. The pedicurist fell on her orange stick. Stitches were required." And then, without missing a beat: "What are we drinking? Wine? Vodka has fewer calories. All right, you twisted my arm. I'll have a glass of wine."

Tonight is the singer's last night of indulgence before her personal trainer Patricia comes back on duty to whip her into shape for the Grammys. She's especially concerned about looking her best because of the jabs she took about the low-cut black number she wore a week earlier at the Golden Globes, custom-designed for her by Karl Lagerfeld. "The winner for the too-tight dress... goes to Mariah Carey," wrote one critic. "She takes the cake, and eats it too." Said another, "Carey, according to my seven-year-old, 'blew up like a truck tire'." "Satin is a very unforgiving fabric," Mariah notes. "And what was I gonna do? Call frickin' Karl Lagerfeld and say, 'Can you please make it out of matte jersey instead?'" Of course, Mariah is used to having her outfits panned: She made Mr. Blackwell's worst-dressed list last year ("The world applauds your musical emancipation... but please - leave that body to our imagination") and she often - let's face it - wears clothes tighter, tinier and generally more hooched-out than most thirty-five-year-old women. Still, though not a Zellwegerian stick figure by any stretch of the matte jersey, the five-foot-eight Mariah is considerably leaner than you might expect: not so much full-figured as sturdy. She says she has always tended to be muscular and notes that, in seventh grade, she beat every boy in her class at arm wrestling.

"I can't try to compete with people that weigh eighty pounds soaking wet when, look, I'm ethnic," she says. "I've got a butt, and I want to keep it because I like it. Yeah, it grows and it shrinks and it grows. That's what it does! I'm gonna pull it together and be as thin as I can be for the Grammys, but there's only a certain amount of weight that I wanna lose. The weight-obsessed workout monger is not my role model as a singer. They might be pop stars and icons, but they're not necessarily what I like to call a saaaanger. They ain't saaangin'."

Mariah's big voice may be her greatest source of pride - it is, in her words, her "instrument" - but she is equally keen to be known as one of the few pop stars who has had a hand in the writing and/or production of nearly every song she's ever recorded. "Even from the beginning, I said, 'If you want to put me with people to write with and collaborate, that's fine, but don't try to force me to record someone else's song.' I'm not saying I'm friggin' William Shakespeare. But even writing a melody, it's a release. And I really have a need to express myself."

Of course, there was a time when expressing herself was an uphill battle for Mariah. "They laughed at me at the label when I played them my 'Fantasy' remix with Ol' Dirty Bastard," she says. "They - one person - was like, `What the hell is this? I could do that.' But you can't explain to someone who didn't grow up on hip-hop and who's wanting to listen to the GoodFellas soundtrack exclusively that this is hot and it will be a classic."

It's not Mariah's style to name names, whether she's dishing about a certain female artist who got skinny with the help of illegal pharmaceuticals or whether she's referring less than obliquely to her ex-husband, former Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola. It was Mottola who discovered Mariah and signed her to Columbia Records after a friend of Mariah's passed him a demo tape at a party in 1988. Mottola and Mariah became romantically involved shortly thereafter, and - once he had divorced his wife - the pair married in 1993. But, as is well-known by now, Mariah was miserable in the relationship, which she calls "abusive" and one that "purposely preyed on every insecurity I have." The couple divorced five years later, when Mariah still had a couple of albums remaining in her contract with Sony.

"It was a real struggle being there while still having a certain person in power and being divorced from him," she says. "Things get a little awkward when you're dealing with someone who's obsessed, and angry, and powerful. Leaving him was one of the toughest things I've ever done. It's very easy to manipulate someone when you're twenty-plus years older than them. Whatever. I'm not placing blame. Nobody held a gun to my head." She pauses and smiles. "At least I don't think anybody held a gun to my head."
(Rolling Stone)

When she released “The Emancipation of Mimi” last spring, Mariah Carey was hoping to reverse years of negative trends. Her previous two albums were critical failures and commercial duds; so was her feature movie, “Glitter.” Meanwhile Carey suffered through the kinds of public breakdowns and embarrassing crises that typically signify a career in sharp decline.

Yet 10 months after “Mimi” hit the album charts at No. 1, Carey is ready to become the big story of tonight’s Grammy Awards show, which could go down as “The Resurrection of Mariah.”

Along with Kanye West and John Legend, Carey has been nominated for eight Grammys, crowning one of the most commercially successful years in her 15-year career. “Mimi” was the best-selling record of 2005 (almost 5 million sold); and when “We Belong Together” topped the singles charts last year, it gave Carey more No. 1 hits than any performer except Elvis Presley.

Carey navigated that hairpin turnaround, observers say, by waiting long enough to put out a record ripe with radio hits. “She did have an image problem when ‘Glitter’ came out,” said Geoff Mayfield, director of charts for Billboard magazine. “The best thing for her to have done was to go away long enough to be forgotten and then come back with a great record.”

Whether “Mimi” is a “great” record is a wide-open debate. In the annual survey of music critics by The Village Voice, the album finished No. 54, getting votes from only 21 critics. Commercially, though, it was a juggernaut, which could be why the Grammy system honored it with so many nominations, including album of the year.

On a recent episode of “All Songs Considered” on National Public Radio, Spin magazine writer/editor Will Hermes suggested that Carey was rewarded by an industry that needs her success as much as she does. “Grammy voters love comebacks,” he said, “especially by artists who have been cash cows. It makes them think that maybe the next quarter will be better.”

Record sales aren’t the primary reason Carey got eight nominations, according to Ron Roecker, vice president of communications and media relations for the Recording Academy (and a University of Kansas graduate). “It’s a great album,” he said, “beautiful from front to back with lots of singles on it. I think people forget just how talented she is. From the beginning of her career, she’s written her own songs and produced her own albums. I think people pull for artists like that. “But she doesn’t see it as a comeback, and neither do I. People called Madonna’s new record a comeback, too. But I’m not sure people like Madonna or Mariah Carey ever go away.”

Fading "Glitter" Carey, though, did fade into the background for a while, intentionally and almost out of necessity. Four years ago news about her was more about her personal life, including her divorce from record executive Tommy Mottola, than about her music. “For so long she’d had regular appointments with her fans,” Mayfield said. “Look over the decade-plus she put out nearly an album a year. Early on, that was fine. But things started going bad for her around Sept. 11, 2001. That’s when the headlines about her were about whether or not she was happy. And when people were dealing with the heaviness of 9/11, the woes of one petulant star seemed very small.”

In her absence, several divas stood up to take her place, such as Beyonce and Gwen Stefani. Plus “American Idol” produced divas like Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia and now Carrie Underwood. So when it hit stores last April, “Mimi” and Carey, now in her 30s, had to fight for relevancy in a music world that rewards youth.

To her credit, Carey revived the sounds of her early albums and put out a stone-cold pop record that sounded more like her than anything she’d produced in years. “This is her most pop-oriented album in a long time,” Mayfield said. “Go back and listen to what she did in the lead single on ‘Glitter.’ It heavily samples a Cameo song — so the singer with an incredible voice became a background singer on her own song.”

Kid Kelly, senior director of programming at Sirius Satellite Radio, said, “The way she sings (on ‘Mimi’) is a throwback to the way she sang when she first broke out. She returned to what she does best vocally. Plus she surrounded herself with the right people, and apparently she listened to what they had to say. “You get six cuts into it and you hear at least four hits right away. It fits into a lot of (radio) formats, which is why it gets so much airplay.” Radio certainly helped Carey’s cause. U.S. radio stations in several formats played “We Belong Together” nearly 500,000 times in 2005, making it the most-played song of the year.

But if you think radio airplay signifies award-winning excellence, then Kanye West begs to differ. He thinks that a good comeback story like Carey’s isn’t necessarily worth an armful of trophies.

West’s eight Grammy nominations include several for his “Late Registration” album, which produced the hit single “Gold Digger,” a duet with Jamie Foxx. West recently appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine fashioned as Jesus in a crown of thorns, above a cover line that reads, “The Passion of Kanye West.” Five months after he stirred up a fuss with an unscripted comment about President Bush on national TV, West isn’t backing away from saying what he really thinks about Carey and her story.

“I think a lot of people are gonna get behind Mariah because of the comeback story,” he said in a recent Grammy roundup at rollingstone.com. “Not to discredit her at all, but I think I deserve it over her because ‘Gold Digger’ sounds like nothing you’ve heard before. “And statements like that could be the very reason why she possibly could win over me.”

So if drama is set to unfold at tonight’s awards ceremony, it will probably emerge between one artist willing to portray himself as a martyr and another in the throes of her own resurrection.
(Kansas City Star)

In the February 23 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, Mariah dishes on everything from her body to her difficult childhood to her tremendous stardom.

On her curves I can't try to compete with people that weigh 80 pounds soaking wet - look, I'm ethnic. Iv'e got a butt, and I want to keep it because I like it!

On her childhood and her stardom I have so much gratitude about where I’m at personally and professionally that I don’t think I’ve even expressed it to anybody fully - You think I don’t get down on my knees and thank God for every single thing that I have? I could have been somewhere in a gutter the way my life was going, at twelve. I was in some very dangerous situations, and it’s only by the grace of God that I survived. People can say whatever they want, but ultimately I’m the same person I was before I became famous.
(Mariah Carey.com)

Everybody knows the Grammy telecast is about as spontaneous as Mariah Carey lying motionless on a four-post bed with her hair extensions placed strategically across her body in a softly-lit music video. Usually the producers of the show shrewdly cherry-pick categories to be presented so that every big artist has the opportunity to take to the podium and thank Jesus or their manager.

So what was up with Mariah's three wins—Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best R&B Song, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance—not being televised? Sure, they've switched things up in recent years, keeping us on our toes for three-and-a-half hours by no longer presenting trophies to artists immediately following their live performances, but not letting Mariah accept an award on stage is a blatant slap in the face to the female artist with the most nominations this year and whose last CD was the biggest selling album of 2005. Hell, even Kanye West—whose massive ego is clearly an obstacle in the way of a major win—got to go up there once. Is it confirmation that Mariah isn't respected in the industry? Did they think the meds dried up her tear ducts? Maybe that's just how the chips fell…but probably not.

Mariah did eventually take to the stage for her performance of the Grammy-winning "We Belong Together" and the rousing "Fly Like A Bird." Her voice, though not what it once was, sounded better than it has in a long time, and the electric medley—complete with sermonizing pastor and gospel choir—would have stolen the show if performances by successors like Kelly Clarkson and Christina Aguilera hadn't proven that Mimi isn't the only one who can blow.

Mariah was also upstaged by a few surprise wins. For a while the singer seemed poised to snag at least one of the top prizes she was up for after winning three before the show even started, but emerging frontrunners Green Day won the trophy for Record Of The Year for their ballad "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" (as we predicted last month), and U2, the biggest winners of the night with five awards, added Song and Album Of The Year—one of two times I gasped last night—to their tally, upsetting no one and Kanye West, respectively.

All in all, our predictions were pretty lousy this year: We got less than half right, but we did predict Mariah would lose out on the night's biggest awards. In the end, it's probably for the best, though; if she gets one more #1 single or one more award for The Emancipation Of Mimi, I'm seriously concerned that her clothes might fall off completely.
(Slant Magazine)

Mariah Carey wins three Grammy Awards, including best female R&B Vocal performance and Best R&B Song for "We Belong Together," and Best Contemporary R&B Album for The Emancipation of Mimi. Mariah's return to Grammy winners circle follows sweeps at American Music Awards, Vibe Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Radio Music Awards.

Performer and songwriter Mariah Carey returns to the arms of Grammy, winning awards last night for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "We Belong Together," and Best Contemporary R&B Album for The Emancipation Of Mimi.

"This is a momentous and well-deserved confirmation of Mariah's artistry and devotion to her music," said Antonio "L.A." Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group. Mariah's appearance at the Grammy Awards worldwide broadcast was highlighted by a stirring live performance of "We Belong Together," with full gospel church choir.

The Emancipation Of Mimi, named the biggest-selling album of 2005, generated an all-time career-high 8 Grammy nominations for Mariah. The album includes Mariah's 16th and 17th #1 career singles, "We Belong Together" and "Don't Forget About Us," respectively - which tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley's 17 #1's. Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 47 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to match or surpass the Beatles' all-time high 20 #1 hits.

The Grammy triumph caps an extraordinary season of awards for Mariah, which began in November with the 33rd annual American Music Awards, where was voted Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Female Artist by the 20,000 record-buyers whose votes determine the winners. At the 3rd annual VIBE Awards (on UPN), Mariah led the pack for a single album with four wins generated by The Emancipation of Mimi: Artist Of The Year, Album Of The Year, R&B Voice Of The Year, and Best R&B Song for "We Belong Together."

Three weeks later at the 2005 Billboard Music Awards, Mariah she was named Top R&B Singles Artist - Female, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist - Female, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Artist - Female, and Top Overall Albums Artist - Female, with "We Belong Together" named the #1 Hot 100 Single Of the Year. Later in December, at the annual Radio Music Awards broadcast live on NBC from Las Vegas, Mariah was honored with the Legend Award and was named Artist of the Year/Urban and Rhythmic Radio, in addition to "We Belong Together" winning both Song of the Year/Main Stream Hit Radio and Song of the Year/Urban and Rhythmic Radio.

In its 43rd week on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, The Emancipation Of Mimi has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, bringing Mariah's career sales over 160 million units worldwide. Ultra Platinum Edition (which arrived in stores November 15th), the expanded new configuration of the album, recaps all 14 tracks on Mimi and adds four new tracks: "Don't Forget About Us," #1 most-added at Pop, Rhythm and Urban radio formats as it moves to the top of the charts; "So Lonely (One and Only Part 2)," Mariah's collaboration with Twista (with a new extra verse written by Mariah); the remix of "We Belong Together" featuring Jadakiss and Styles P. (previously only available digitally online); and "Makin' It Last All Night (What It Do)," featuring Jermaine Dupri.

Ultra Platinum Edition is also available as a special deluxe limited edition two-disc (CD + DVD) package. The exclusive DVD contains full-length video clips for "It's Like That," "We Belong Together," "Shake It Off," and "Get Your Number" (featuring Jermaine Dupri, making its U.S. debut here); a never-before-seen interview - "Mariah: In Her Own Words," plus a link to access the brand new video for "Don't Forget About Us."
(Mariah Carey.com)

Mariah Carey's Grammy after party last night was one of several around Hollywood that was shut down by the Los Angeles Fire Marshal and the police department. Yes, this is a town quite unlike New York, and the marshal is always waiting to shut something down early. Call it retribution from the unions to the celebrities who run wild all over the place here. It's as regular as the smog.

Mariah's party was a private one at the unbelievably magnificent Beverly Hills mansion/estate of grocery magnate Ron Burkle. High in the hills above the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Burkle castle once belonged to legendary comic actor Harold Lloyd.

It was on 18 acres then, but it's whittled down to six by now. The place looks like something out of Jackie Collins meets F. Scott Fitzgerald. And among the principal guests in the last couple of years: Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson.

Last night, Mariah and Jermaine Dupri, her co-host, overbooked. The result was over 600 people trying to go up a long and winding driveway. Some went by foot, others by fancy golf cart. Shuttle buses brought people to the foot of the drive from a gathering place near the Beverly Hills Civic Center. One hundred or so private cars went directly to the house, even though only the permit was only for 50. And so on.

The problem, we heard, was that Burkle's staff had only applied for a permit for a temporary structure they'd erected on his tennis courts. The permit didn't cover the whole estate. The marshal seized on this mistake like Paris Hilton in a swag tent.

Who got in? Well, Rob Thomas and his wife Marisol made it, and they got to meet Joaquin Phoenix. Quincy Jones was turned away initially, but eventually found a way past increasingly agitated cops who'd gotten irate calls from Burkle's neighbors to shut off the loud music and untangle the traffic in front of their homes.

When one of the party's planners came down the drive to rescue Kelly Clarkson from the melee, he himself was barred from returning by the police. Mariah's back-up singers waited an hour before they were rescued. You get the picture. Part of Stevie Wonder's 30-member entourage got sidelined, but Tyra Banks was smart enough to arrive on the early side.

Producer David Foster got in and out without any trouble, as did musicians Alex Orbison, Roy Orbison Jr., Cisco Adler and his girlfriend Mischa Barton. Once we managed to overcome all the obstacles - thanks to Benny Medina's super-smart friend and business associate Ken Starr (not the Whitewater guy) - we got quite an eyeful.

Burkle's home is a lot like Hearst Castle, except it doesn't have a ticket booth or souvenirs. It does boast a gorgeous full-size carousel, however, and an art collection that would make the curators at the Louvre in Paris trade their favorite espresso for an exhibit. But don't think my mentioning this could be trouble for Burkle. His security team is composed of former Secret Service agents who were incredibly nice to us, but I think mean business if the time comes.

Mariah's party was not the only shut down by the fire marshal. Warner Music Group's shindig at the Pacific Design Center was so overpacked that honcho Lyor Cohen couldn't get in when he arrived. The same was heard about Kanye West's Entertainment Weekly-sponsored rap fest at The Loft in Hollywood featuring Jamie Foxx. Everywhere: pushing, shoving, name-calling and promises of lawsuits.

You know, the LAPD just loves to hear that, especially while writing tickets for jaywalking. New York's Bill Bratton may be the police chief, but this is still "Chinatown," if you know what I mean.

And yet Mariah looked lovely, and was excited about her three Grammy wins. Medina, her manager, was over the moon about her performance at the show, especially "Fly Like a Bird," the number that sent the audience into a frenzy. "Three Grammys and that performance?" Benny said to me backstage. "We don't have anything to complain about." That and the fact that Mariah's voice and fashion were as good as you can get. Believe me, she sold more copies of her "Mimi" album last night to put it back in next week's top 5.

Meanwhile, two other parties didn't get the marshal, and still had plenty of celebs. At The Palm in West Hollywood, Universal Music Group welcomed Sting, Elvis Costello, U2, Kanye West, and all their winners as well as Doug Morris and L.A. Reid.

But the real action of the night was over at the Roosevelt Hotel, where Sony BMG threw a gorgeous outdoor by the pool event under a moonlit sky. Bruce Springsteen - fresh from his triumphant show ending "In the Midnight Hour" with "Soul Man" Sam Moore - held court, but I don't think he met Britney and Kevin Federline. At least, I hope not.

John Legend, Randy Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, Mischa Barton and the guys from Maroon 5 were all there, as were "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett and his fiancée, actress Roma Downey, two of my favorite people. There was also a big executive presence, with BMG's Clive Davis and Charles Goldstuck, Sony's Andy Lack and Donnie Ienner, and in the middle - Rolf Schmidt-Holtz. And the word, from all involved, is that Lack is staying, happy to have a revised role, and Rolf now steps in to run things on a daily basis. They all seemed happy. No one got pushed into the pool.
(Fox 411)

Intel has managed to keep Mariah Carey on message for 30 seconds in order to produce the singer's first television ad, a new spot for Intel's Centrino Duo technology.

Carey, nominated for eight Grammy awards, will show off her vocal range in an ad that will appear first during Wednesday's showing of the Grammys. The ad will show Mariah sitting on the lap of a lucky library patron as part of Intel's new campaign showing off the entertainment possibilities of laptop computers with the Centrino Duo package of chips.

Carey's career appeared as dead as Intel's ill-fated Whitefield server chip just a few years ago, after a bizarre appearance on MTV and the traditional celebrity hospitalization for reasons of "exhaustion." But her 2005 album "The Emancipation of Mimi" is up for Album of the Year during the award show, where she will also perform.
(CNT News)

If you were to believe various awards-show pundits (and yes, they do exist), there were only two storylines coming into the 48th annual Grammy Awards. First, would Mariah Carey top off an incredible 12 months by taking home her first Grammy in more than 15 years? And second, would Kanye West be able to top last year's hijinks, which included an over-the-top performance (that ended with him decked out in a white suit and angel wings) and an acceptance speech that left many with a bad taste in their mouths?

The short answers? Yes and, oh, Lord, yes. Carey ended her decade-and-a-half Grammy drought by winning three awards during the night, for Best R&B Song, Contemporary Album and Female Vocal Performance. And West surprised everyone - and no one - with his wardrobe (shirt open to his navel, wraparound shades, inexplicable driving gloves), his relatively humble acceptance speech and a high-stepping performance that was equal parts college pep rally and pyrotechnic arena-rock spectacle.

But if Carey and West were the two big stories heading into the Grammys, they certainly weren't coming out of them. Rather, it was the impressive number of curveballs thrown at us by the Recording Academy that'll more than likely have people talking tomorrow.

Like U2, who at the end of the night walked away with more awards - five, including the big one for Album of the Year - than anyone else. Or John Legend, who tied with Carey and West with eight nominations, and took home three gramophones, including one for Best New Artist. Kelly Clarkson scored two wins and pretty much proved herself the anti-Kanye with her humility and her blubbering, strangely sweet acceptance speeches. Or Green Day, who somehow took home the Record of the Year award for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

There were also unexpectedly somber (and great) performances from Bruce Springsteen, who concluded his acoustic version of "Devils & Dust" with a defiant "Bring 'em home" (a not-so-subtle plea to get our troops out of Iraq); and Legend, who brought the crowd to its feet with an orchestral version of his hit "Ordinary People."

But the biggest curveball of them all was the "will-he-or-won't-he" appearance by the reclusive Sly Stone. While the notoriously eccentric artist was receiving a musical tribute during the show for the groundbreaking music he made with Sly and the Family Stone in the 1960s and '70s - a dynamic fusion of rock, funk and soul that has informed and influenced all three genres ever since - his career largely dissipated in a whirl of substance abuse and erratic behaviour. In fact, mere hours before the live telecast began, Grammy organizers weren't even sure he'd show. But when he did - dressed in a gold lamé suit and sporting a mile-high platinum Mohawk - and performed (er, sort of performed) alongside artists like Fantasia, Maroon 5 and the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am, it was a weird, wonderful moment.

Of course, this being the Grammys, there were also some completely expected moments that delivered big time. Carey's soulful medley of her hits "We Belong Together" and "Fly Like a Bird" packed a powerful vocal wallop, increased 30-fold by the addition of a full-blown gospel choir. Linkin Park and Jay-Z were joined onstage by a somewhat bewildered Paul McCartney (who, in his unbuttoned dress shirt and white undershirt looked somewhat like a high schooler unwinding after his senior prom), and U2 and Mary J. Blige earned a much-deserved standing ovation with their version of "One."

And then there was Kanye. Topping last year's death-and-resurrection performance/melodrama would be tough, but, joined by Jamie Foxx (and a marching band) for a medley of "Gold Digger" and "Touch the Sky," he managed to at least equal his previous effort. The whole thing was dubbed the "Grammy halftime show" and started off with West and Foxx - dressed as bandleaders representing "KW State" and "JFU," respectively - leading their bands onstage for a fabulous pep-rally/step-show that somehow managed to end in pyro (as all pep rally/step-shows ought to).

But at the end of the night, not even West's fiery performance and faux humility (earlier in the telecast, while accepting his Best Rap Album award, he produced his "first-ever" thank-you list - though the gesture was somewhat lessened by the fact that the list had "THANK YOU LIST" printed in giant letters on the back) could help him take home the much-coveted Best Album Grammy. When U2 were announced as the winners, West lowered his head into his hands, and when the Irish stalwarts stepped up to accept the award, they looked at him and promised him that "next year, it's yours."

And all Kanye could do was smile. After all, when an awards show is this unpredictable, there's not much else you can do besides grin and bear it.
(MTV)

It was spring 1987. Mariah Carey and her Harborfields High School classmates were gathered for a graduation party at a friend's house. A student band, Squid, was playing in the background. And between sets, Carey nervously asked if she could sing a song.

Mark Brummer, one of the band members, recalled how he had written out the lyrics to the U2 song "With or Without You" and held them beside her for reference. "She was very eager and energetic to be given a chance like that," Brummer wrote in an e-mail interview. "We struggled through it a bit, but she did quite well considering that none of us rehearsed it."

That performance marked the first time many of her classmates would become aware that Carey had her eyes set on the stars. Now those former classmates say they will be rooting tonight for the eight Grammy nominee -- even if they haven't kept in touch.

"I want her to win every single Grammy," said Jeanmarie Sarro, a high school friend who lives in East Rockaway. "I listen to her music. My kids listen to her music. My 7-year-old thinks she's the diva to end all divas."

Sarro described Carey as a popular, pretty student who never boasted about her talents. "Did she ever break out in song? Never," she said. "She would go to a party and did not dance. It was the '80s. There was no way she was going to funk out to Duran Duran."

Raised by a single mother, Carey reportedly moved 14 times before finishing high school, and was one of the school's few minority students.

"Now that I'm an adult looking back, I don't think that she had all the financial advantages that we all had," Sarro said. "I think she had a nice high school experience because she had friends and we all loved each other. I wish her nothing but the best."

Former teacher .Edward Hartling recalled when some faculty members first heard Carey on the radio. "We were shocked," he said. "No one in the high school even knew she had that interest."

Neither Sarro nor Brummer have kept in touch with Carey. "We've been trying to get in touch with her for some professional pointers and suggestions in the realm of the music world," Brummer wrote. "We've even tried sending her some of our band's CDs, but as one might imagine, it's .extremely difficult .contacting her.

"I can but only hope that someday she returns the favor and allows my current band a chance to perform at one of her shows," he added. "Tongue in cheek but a man can dream can't he?"
(Newsday)

The last time Mariah Carey received a batch of Grammy nominations, she endured one of the most humiliating experiences of her career as she was shut out all six times while a worldwide television audience watched her mood darken throughout the ceremony.

Ten years on, and with eight Grammy nominations this year, the comeback queen of 2005 should have a more enjoyable time at the music industry's biggest night of the year on Wednesday, music industry experts say. She has collected only two Grammys to date, winning in 1991 for best new artist and her breakthrough single "Vision of Love."

Carey shares the lead with rapper Kanye West and soul singer John Legend, and is the only person nominated in all three key categories of record, album and song of the year. Four acts have six nominations: rapper 50 Cent, R&B singer Beyonce Knowles, funk musician William Adams of the Black Eyed Peas, and Motown icon Stevie Wonder.

The Grammys are voted on by 12,000 people in the music industry. The awards are designed to honor creative excellence, but the voters have often been swayed by commercial success, nostalgia or an artist's back story.

Carey fits many of the bills for Grammy success. Four years ago, the New Yorker was music industry poison. She suffered a breakdown, released a flop album and was dumped by her label with a $28 million payoff. It was a disastrous turn of events for a singer with more No. 1 hits than anyone but Elvis Presley and the Beatles.

Fast-forward to 2005: Carey's eighth studio album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," was the biggest release of the year, with U.S. sales to date of 5.2 million copies. Grammy voters will be hard-pressed to ignore the resurgence.

"In an age of music where there are just so few real singers, people who not only sing well but have this amazing passion and range and raw emotion, I feel they're going to give her her just due," said Mimi Valdes, editor in chief at hip-hop magazine Vibe.

West's "Gold Digger" will offer stiff competition for record of the year - which goes to the artist and producers - but Carey should have the edge with "We Belong Together," which topped the U.S. singles chart for 14 weeks. "The production is very contemporary and feels right at home for a lot of people in the R&B world now," said Dave Tozer, a producer and songwriter who worked on both West's and Legend's albums. "And then you bring Mariah in. She really nailed that one."

Valdes said pop star Gwen Stefani could be a dark-horse contender with "Hollaback Girl," which she termed "a nice beautiful blend of rock and hip-hop and it didn't sound like anything else on the radio."

Carey would appear to be the front-runner for album of the year, but Paul McCartney could score the biggest upset in this category since Steely Dan beat Eminem in 2001. Also nominated are Stefani, U2 and West. "I sense a frightening surprise in that category," said Joe Levy, deputy managing editor at Rolling Stone magazine. "It's a very tough category. Each of those artists have their constituency with the voters, and none of them are going to be big enough to steal the constituency of someone else."

Indeed, the Grammys are rarely predictable, as evidenced by last year's song-of-the-year win for singer John Mayer and best-new-artist win for pop band Maroon5. Carey's "We Belong Together" should win song of the year, a songwriter's award, unless best-new-artist favorite Legend sneaks up from behind with "Ordinary People," experts say.

Where does that leave West, the outspoken rapper who won three Grammys last year but was very annoyed to lose best new artist? The experts say he will sweep the rap categories, to the detriment of 50 Cent. But Valdes said West's new album, "Late Registration" was not as good as his previous effort, "The College Dropout," while Levy said West had a "remarkable ability to turn people off with his attitude every bit as much as his music turns them on."
(Reuters)

Mariah Hero.com is ready to start its first competition of the year! We present the Mariah Hero LM Awards. The contestants are members of our community. The categories are best uploader lamb, best Karma lamb, and best thread maker lamb. The three winners will go into the competition for winning one of our prizes, which include CDs and posters!

To vote for your favorite, send a Private Message to B.S in our community explaining who is your nominee and the category in which he/she deserves to win. Then, you will vote for the finalists in a poll, which will be located in our new board "Lobby." Winners are to be announced in this page; you have until February 15th to suggest the nominees! Go to Mariah Hero MB to vote!
(Mariah Hero)