RUMOR: MARIAH'S MISCARRIAGE CRISIS August 31, 2009 A report indicated that Mariah Carey is dealing a miscarriage crisis that left her fearing she’d never have a baby. The rumors of singer’s condition had sparked after she canceled major events in August. The singer and her husband had been trying for a baby but without any luck. The singer feared that she miscarried Nick’s baby when she had heavier than normal period, claimed by a pal. Friends said that stress is the reason why the singer canceled public appearances and delays in completing her latest album. The singer is said to be desperate to have a baby and the fear made her miserable. (Sponki)

NEW MUSIC: MARIAH CAREY - I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS August 28, 2009 Ladies and gentlemen, Mariah Carey is back! After the not-so-warm reception of her “buzz” single, “Obsessed,” MiMi got back into the ballad saddle to deliver one hell of a power-ballad in the form of a cover of Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is.” The song, which is now slated as the first single from MC’s upcoming Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, due September 29, sounds like something Mariah would have created in the 90’s: big, sweeping vocals, gospel choir backing, bust your eardrum high-note. It’s classic MC and damn! Is it good to have it back in action. (Neon Limelight)

BILLBOARD UPDATE August 27, 2009 Holding the No. 11 spot once again this week is Mariah Carey's "Obsessed," which also becomes Carey's record-extending 23rd top 10 on Hot 100 Airplay. (Billboard)

MC'S OBSESSED IS #1 FOR 2ND WEEK IN A ROW August 26, 2009 Congratulations are in order for Mariah Carey as she has the best selling CD single for two weeks in a row with "Obsessed'. Bringing back the excitement of CD singles (or is it just me?) Ms Not-Obessed is working alongside Wal-Mart (just like Miley Cyrus this week) with selling through them exclusively a CD single that includes the track, a remix featuring Gucci Mane, and the music video. In Europe and Asia, CD singles are still around, although dimming as most music markets are suffering immensively in recent years, and competing with digital sales that already are estimated to make up between 30-40% of all sales. Mariah's last CD single "Through The Rain" was back in the fall of 2002. The simple ingenious idea of dropping a CD single is proving successful as Wal-Mart currently has stands for the single, and starting this week, Miley Cyrus' The Time of Our Lives. Check out the list of Hot 100 Mariah #1's ("Obsessed" stood at #11 on last week's chart) and her new single "I Want To Know What Love Is". (Examiner)

50 CENT SAYS EMINEM GETTING BORED WITH MARIAH CAREY FEUD August 26, 2009 The rather long winded feud that has been going on between rapper Emimem and pop icon Mariah Carey looks like simmering down finally. Just as fans were getting tired of it. It gone from Bagpipes from Baghdad and Eminem claiming that he slept with Mariah Carey back in 2001 to Mariah's single 'Obsession' : believed to be a swipe at The Slim Shady. Now Eminem is saying Bagpipes from Baghdad was misinterpreted. Fifty cent who has provided commentary all the way now is reported to have commented that 'Eminem is getting bored with the whole Mariah thing fast'. (All News Web)

MC & GABOUREY SIDIBE BECAME 'BESTIES' ON 'PRECIOUS' SET August 26, 2009 There's no other way to put it: "Precious" is brutal, an urban horror story overwhelming in its exploration of familial abuse, rape, teenage pregnancy and the hopelessness that pervades one broken family's life. A thoroughly un-diva-like Mariah Carey appears as a social worker and Mo'Nique has virtually locked down an Oscar nod for her turn as a sadistic mother, but at the center of it all is the 16-year-old title character played by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe. She's an untrained actress, contended daily with material that is beyond difficult, and yet on set had the time of her life. "We would do really, really intense scenes where I'd be crying or saying, 'My dad raped me,' and then when the director would say, 'Cut,' I'd be giggling," Sidibe, a New York native in her 20s, told MTV News. "I don't have any formal training how to be an actress. I don't know any better than to stop being the character once the scene is over." The crew didn't quite know how to react to her light-switch-like transformation and, even now, after "Precious" won both the Grand Jury Award and the Special Jury Prize at Sundance, the people she meets tend to confuse Sidibe with her character. "They'll start to talk to me in a more careful tone or be really wary of me," she explained. "They'll want to coddle me or they see me in the street and they'll want to hug me and rub my back and tell me everything will be OK. But it's cool, I like hugging." As the actress said, she's got a "big personality," and she bonded with her big-name co-stars on set. "Mariah and I would sit and talk about fashion and perfume and jewelry," she said. "It was like sitting in junior high and talking to your bestie. She hated her wardrobe! We all hated our wardrobe!" She hasn't yet met Oprah Winfrey, who has championed the film since Sundance, but has a strategy in place for when she does. "I have plans to imprint myself in her life," she laughed. "She's about to be my fairy godmother. She has no idea!" Sidibe has a lot of love to give and her co-stars loved her right back. "Everyone fell in love with her on set," said Paula Patton, who plays a teacher at a special-education school Precious begins attending and who begins to pull the teenager out of her despondent state. "She's the best. She's a ray of sunshine. She put on this amazing performance, but she's just a bubbly girl who loves to dance. She has the gift." The film comes out on November 6. Until then, Sidibe is back to her normal life, working at the Fresh Air Fund and commuting daily to an office. She still finds it hard to imagine that she's actually the star of a motion picture, one based on a book she read years ago and immediately loved. "I fantasized about playing Precious, but didn't take it seriously at all," she said. "But then when we were filming, I was a creepy fangirl. If we were going to do something that was different, I would stand up on my soapbox and be like, 'No!' " (MTV)

MATERIAL GIRL VS. EVERY WOMAN ... VS. MIMI August 22, 2009 Accounting for certain complexities in how soundtracks are categorized by each source, Madonna's totals top Houston's. As noted last week, according to the RIAA, Madonna ranks 15th all-time with 63.5 million units certified. Houston places 20th with 54 million. According to Nielsen SoundScan - whose data begins in 1991, after the two stars had begun their careers - album sales since that year stand at 26,347,000 for Madonna and 23,786,000 for Houston (again, including soundtrack sets such as "The Bodyguard," which is officially considered a soundtrack to Nielsen SoundScan). With Madonna and Houston having head starts in the '80s over Carey, who arrived with the release of her self-titled debut collection in 1990, how does the lattermost artist fare against the other two? Like last week, let's compare using figures from both the RIAA (where longevity gives a potential edge to Madonna and Houston) and Nielsen SoundScan, where a span of 1991 to date covers a period in which all three performers have actively released product. The RIAA places Carey just one spot below Madonna, in 16th place among all artists with 62.5 million units certified. So, per the RIAA, it's Madonna (63.5 million), Carey (62.5) and Houston (54) in this comparison. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Carey is the clear winner by a wide margin, actually topping the total album sales - again, since 1991 - of Madonna and Houston combined. Carey's sum stands at 51,833,000. Here is a look at Mariah Carey's top-selling albums, according to Nielsen SoundScan: 7,556,000, "Daydream" (1995) 7,189,000, "Music Box" (1993) 5,912,000, "The Emancipation of Mimi" (2005) 4,993,000, "Merry Christmas" (1994) 4,845,000, "Mariah Carey (1990) 3,719,000, "Butterfly" (1997) 3,703,000, "#1's" (1998) 3,584,000, "Emotions" (1991) 2.946,000, "Rainbow" (1999) 2,731,000, "MTV Unplugged EP" (1992) Again, the numbers will change in upcoming weeks, as all three stars will serve up new product and add to their extraordinary sales totals. Houston's "I Look to You" is due Aug. 25, while on Sept. 29, Madonna releases the best-of collection "Celebration" and Carey offers "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." (Ask Billboard)

TORONTO'S CAJJMERE RETOUCHES 'OBSESSED' August 22, 2009 Toronto remixer, DJ and ProudFM radio host Cajjmere Wray can now add Mariah Carey to his resume. Wray was just hired to remix the single "Obsessed" from the diva's upcoming album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. Wray has already been commissioned to do wildly successful label remixes for Mel C ("I got great European exposure on that one"), Toronto's Divine Brown for her "Sunglasses" single ("a little bit tribal and total fun") and of course his remix for the biggest Canadian single of last year, Deborah Cox's "Beautiful R U." Wray tells Fab that when Mariah's single came out, radio programmers didn't like it in the US (maybe it's just not a great song...). As with all Mariah's releases there is a very large and strategic marketing plan being launched with Wray's version available on Masterbeat and iTunes. "It's exciting as it's getting my music out there around the world as Mariah is known globally," says Wray. "The mixes that have already come out are very happy, high energy. Mine is high energy with a hard edge and a hint of electro. Defi nitely a peak hour track." He's also currently working on an EP with local gay singer Steven Taetz aka Modischo. "He's a great vocalist, very current electronic '80s vibe - a male Lady Gaga," boasts Wray. As well as DJing nightly on ProudFM, Wray is also the assistant music director for the station's overnight programming. "Music director Jon Terminesi is always looking for new local artists, preferably pop or dance as we don't play rock. We give everything a fair listen," promises Wray. (Fab Magazine | Mariah Daily Journal)

L.A. REID UNVEILS MARIAH'S MEMOIRS ALBUM August 21, 2009 Earlier this week, L.A. Reid held an exclusive album listening event with various members of the press for Mariah Carey's upcoming Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel album, due out on Island Records in late September. The room listened attentively to the tracks that were previewed in L.A.'s candle-lit corner office. After the album's prelude, Memoirs leads off with MC's first single "Obsessed," which has already reached #1 on BET's "106 & Park" countdown show. But the song is followed by a powerful blend of uptempo dance tracks, mid-tempo R&B jams and heartfelt ballads. L.A. Reid confirmed that Mariah's second single will be the remake of Foreigner's classic "I Wanna Know What Love Is," where Mariah exercises her vocal range. On other songs, Carey continues to show off her unique talents, singing her heart out on "Angels Cry" and "Ribbon." Written and produced entirely by Mariah, Tricky and The-Dream, the album's strongest selling point is its musical consistency. The tracks seem to flow into each other nicely, and as usual, Mariah has more than enough potential singles. The writing on songs like "Standing O" will keep all-time Mariah fans happy, while a younger audience will appreciate the down-to-earth rawness of songs like "Up Out My Face" and "It's A Wrap." For most of the album, Mariah is belting out notes that only she can hit, and by the end of the session, the entire room was applauding her efforts. L.A. thanked the attendees for their time, before insisting that the album was what he believed to be a "classic" ("and I don't say that too often," he said). (BET.com)

RETURN OF THE DIVAS August 21, 2009 Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey compete in a beat-driven music landscape Two of pop music’s biggest voices are attempting to reignite their careers this fall. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, who have each sold millions of albums and set the standard for female vocalists in the 1980s and '90s, are releasing new albums within a month of each other. These divas are resurfacing, however, in a music industry more geared toward beats and instrumental hooks than dynamic singing. Vocal-driven pop music is "not the most popular genre of music right now," says producer Harvey Mason Jr., who has worked with artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to Britney Spears. He also co-produced several songs on Ms. Houston's coming album. He says the goal was to capture vocal takes that would remind listeners of Ms. Houston's range, and to create tracks that sounded fresh but not trendy. Anticipation for the new albums is high among the singers' fans, especially those of Ms. Houston. After six years since her last album and personal turmoil that included a divorce from singer Bobby Brown, she is angling for a comeback. But it will be a challenge for either diva to score beyond their core audience. Their music arrives at a time when the Day-Glo synthesizers and brittle drum machines of the Reagan era have returned, often superseding the abilities of the singers who use them. Chugging dance rhythms—part Devo, part Euro disco—have spread across genres, driven by hits from newer artists such as Lady Gaga, a top-selling performer known for provocative interviews and outré fashions. Mr. Mason says that young singers are recording fewer ballads, which can serve as showcases for vocal flair. And in recent years labels have called on him to rev up his beats to please radio programmers. The tempo of music by female pop singers has increased in the aggregate over the last decade, according to the online music service Pandora. Last year the median hovered around 135 beats per minute, up from about 115 beats per minute in 2000. Ms. Houston's hit ballad from 1992, "I Will Always Love You," clocked in at about 68 bpm. "The traditional vocalist has been pushed aside or left out by what we call Top 40 radio," says Clive Davis, chief creative officer, Sony Music Entertainment, who has worked with Ms. Houston since signing her to her first record deal in 1983. He led the three-year process of creating her new album, "I Look to You," due out Aug. 31. The teams behind Ms. Carey and Ms. Houston argue that prevailing trends have only built demand for their sound. "Great doesn't get old," says Antonio "L.A." Reid, chairman of the Island Def Jam Music Group, who oversaw Ms. Carey's album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," scheduled for release Sept. 29. Representatives said Ms. Carey, 39 years old, and Ms. Houston, 46, weren't available for comment. The new music was produced primarily to flaunt their vocal chops. Ms. Carey is about to release a single, a version of a power ballad from 1984, "I Want to Know What Love Is," by the rock band Foreigner. But the veteran divas are making some moves to cater to new audiences. One song chosen to introduce Ms. Houston's album is "Million Dollar Bill," a disco-flavored track co-written by Alicia Keys. Ms. Carey has kept the sex appeal high while promoting her album, which will contain a "mini-magazine" of glamour shots of the singer and real ads placed by companies such as Elizabeth Arden. But she'll soon appear in a less-flattering light on the big screen. Ms. Carey donned a prosthetic nose for her role as a dowdy social worker in the somber indie film "Precious," due out in November. Music-industry veterans praise a handful of powerful voices among the current generation of female singers, including Jennifer Hudson and Beyoncé Knowles. And next month, VH1 plans to relaunch its "Divas" series of specials, which had been mothballed in 2004. The new iteration will emphasize the work ethic of featured stars, including the young Disney-sponsored performer Miley Cyrus, among others. In terms of raw vocal talent, though, some industry veterans say there are few young successors to Ms. Houston and Ms. Carey. "How can I put this tactfully?" says Stephen Hill, president of music programming and specials at BET Networks, "The range between the high and low notes has shrunk greatly." (Wall Street Journal)

EVERYONE FALLS FOR "BAD MARIAH" STORY August 21, 2009 If only some of these "gossip columns" checked their facts and figures. One of yesterday's local papers got just about everything wrong in its story about Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's new albums. I do hope Michael Lewittes takes them to task in his new Gossip Cop blog. The NY Daily News apparently doesn't know that this year's Grammy eligibility deadline has moved up a month to Aug. 31. Because the decision was made late, Carey decided to wait and make her album good instead of rushed. As you can read in this column, the album is done and very, very good. Whitney's album is being released officially on Aug. 31. It's been moved up a day from Sept. 1. I'm just sayin'... let's get this stuff right. It ain't rocket science. Carey, by the way, cancelled a bunch of dates once the album was completed, and went on a late, delayed summer vacation. She has a big fall ahead, with the album release and the Lee Daniels Oscar movie, "Precious." (Showbiz411)

EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: MARIAH CAREY'S FOREVER FRAGRANCE CAMPAIGN August 20, 2009 Mariah Carey may have pushed back the release of her anticipated new album, but there’s no stopping another launch the beauty maven has in the works. Following the success of her two previous signature scents, M by Mariah Carey and Luscious Pink, the singer is poised to hit another high note with a new fragrance for fall — and she’s debuting her sexy ads online exclusively on PEOPLE.com. "Fragrance is so personal,” she tells PEOPLE, “and Forever captures that glamorous feeling that I want to share with my fans.” The opulent floral scent, which will start at $42 for a 1-oz. spray, will contain notes of lotus blossom, tuberose, gardenia, exotic woods and white musk. Tell us: Will you try Forever when it launches in September? Click here to comment on this story. (Esther Chen | Style & Entertainment Group)

MC WANTS TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS: COVERS FOREIGNER August 18, 2009 Foreigner’s Mick Jones can start ordering caviar and Champagne again: Mariah Carey is releasing her own gospel-tinged version of his masterwork song, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” It’s the first “real” single from her new album following the summer release of the witty “Obsessed,” which is also included on “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.” The album and the single hit the world on Sept. 29th. I heard the Foreigner song yesterday along with all of “Memoirs” and let me tell you: Mariah’s got a hit on her hands along the lines of “Emancipation of Mimi “The hour-long CD is ballad-centric. Written and produced with The Dream and Tricky (I know, but these are their stage names), “Memoirs” boasts a lot of singles. Starting with the Foreigner song is a canny move in these uncertain times. By the time its run is over, a new generation will think “I Want to Know What Love Is” is a Mariah Carey song. Mick Jones, who wrote it, should start picking out some nice new cars thanks to Carey. The money should come rolling in quickly. The other songs on the album — these are the titles, although the running order is still being finalized: “Betcha,” “Obsessed,” “H.A.T.E.U.,” “Candy Bling,” “Ribbon,” “Standing O’s.,” “Impossible,” “It’s a Wrap,” “Inseparable,” “Up Out My Face,” “More than Just Friends,” and “Angels Cry.” Several of these are radio ready. “Angels Cry” is an honest-to-god ballad a la “Vision of Love,” and should be a gigantic success. “Standing O’s” also has potential, as do “H.A.T.E.U.” — which stands for “having a typical emotional upset” — and “Inseparable.” Def Jam’s L.A. Reid — who previewed the CD for the first time yesterday with a clutch of staffers — is playing with the order, to get it right. But he really can’t go wrong. Carey’s album, is, as they used to say, “what the kids want.” Plus, it’s got stuff for the slightly older crowd. I loved the doo-woppy “It’s a Wrap.” And the Foreigner track is so powerful, it’s going to be everywhere. Good news, too: no more songs about Eminem. One was plenty. So, by the end of September we’ll have new CDs from Whitney and from Mariah. They’re each top notch and different from each other enough that their fans should want them both. Maybe we’ll see a return to record stores (we have but a few in Manhattan now) and diva duels on radio if programmers are smart. (Showbiz411)

CAREY DISMISSES HEALTH RUMORS August 17, 2009 Pop superstar Mariah Carey has silenced gossip about the state of her health following a slew of cancellations, calling her recent schedule changes "no big deal." Last week the singer scrapped an upcoming appearance at a televised concert in New York, leaving teen star Miley Cyrus to fill in for her. She has also postponed the release of her new album, "Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel," for a second time. The record was initially slated to hit stores on August 25, but now it won't be released until the end of September. The news has sparked fears for Carey's heath, with Internet gossips suggesting the star may have fallen ill. But a representative for the singer is adamant the delays are noting to worry about. Carey's publicist Cindi Berger tells People.com, "These dates have been postponed and not canceled. Record release dates change all the time. It's nothing unusual and it doesn't signal anything. There are a lot of moving parts to Mariah's professional life. It's no big deal." (SFGate/DailyDish)

MARIAH CAREY MAKING SURE ALBUM IS RIGHT, NO BIG DEAL SAYS REP August 17, 2009 Mariah Carey may have postponed a few things but her publicist says fans should not be alarmed. "She's making sure the record is how she wants it to be and its no big deal," says a rep for the "Obsessed" diva. News of the chart-topping singer's intent on making sure the album is "how she wants it to be" follows a mirage of reported cancellations and postponed appearances including an anticipated performance on the TODAY show. Contrary to reports, Carey's publicist tells PEOPLE, the appearances are simply postponed. "These dates have been postponed and not canceled.... It's nothing unusual and it doesn't signal anything. There are a lot of moving parts to Mariah's professional life." As previously reported on Singersroom, Mariah Carey's anticipated "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" (album) is due in stores and digital retailers September 29, it had been scheduled for release August 25 and September 15 prior. In related news, Mariah Carey is said to be on track to release a "Vision of Love" like "power ballad" as the first official single from "Memoirs.." (Singersroom)

MARIAH TO RELEASE BALLAD AS NEW SINGLE? August 16, 2009 After a rocky start with her single "Obsessed" and a couple album pushbacks, Mariah Carey is resorting to plan B. Showbiz 411's Roger Friedman reports that Mariah will release a "powerhouse ballad along the lines of 'Vision of Love'" as the follow-up to "Obsessed", which currently holds the No. 14 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. She is also back with her old publicist Cindi Berger of famed public relations group PMK/HBH. The two parted ways after Mariah's Charmbracelet project. The pop diva's 12th studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, has been rescheduled for the second time. The set will now arrive on September 29. Berger explained the reason for the delay. "Record release dates change all the time," she told People. "It's nothing unusual and it doesn't signal anything. There are a lot of moving parts to Mariah's professional life... She's making sure the record is how she wants it to be and it's no big deal." (Rap-Up)

MARIAH REVS UP NEW CD, RETURNS TO POWERHOUSE PR August 16, 2009 Mariah Carey–despite idiotic postings elsewhere–is gearing up for her big new CD release. Mariah feels so strongly about "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" that she's even re-hired the PR powerhouse that made her second-stage career such a success. She's back with Cindi Berger of PMK HBH. It was Berger who made her "Emancipation of Mimi" the biggest hit of Mariah's career. Smart move. Of course, that means both Mariah and Whitney Houston are now being repped by the same PR company. PMK's Kristen Foster is handling Whitney with my old pal, Jill Fritzo. "Memoirs" was scheduled for an August 25th release, then moved to September 15th. Now it's set for September 29th. If the regular Grammy deadline had been in place–September 30th–Mariah would have made it. But the unfortunate early deadline of August 31st cut her off. So she has some slack time to get "Memoirs" just right. The first single from Mariah's CD will not be "Obsessed"–that was just a summer trifle, and it was a lot of fun. The real first official single is said to be a powerhouse ballad along the lines of "Vision of Love." (Showbiz411)

WHY IS MARIAH CAREY CANCELING EVENTS? August 15, 2009 Reports that Mariah Carey has rescheduled several upcoming appearances has left many fans wondering if something might be wrong with the singer. Carey...had been tentatively set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Aug. 25, perform on Today Aug. 28, and also tape an episode of VH1's Storytellers. But the singer's publicist Cindi Berger tells PEOPLE there is no reason for concern: "These dates have been postponed and not cancelled," she said Friday. A source says the singer is completing her new album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the release of which has been pushed to Sept. 29. "Record release dates change all the time," Berger confirms. "It's nothing unusual and it doesn't signal anything. There are a lot of moving parts to Mariah's professional life … She's making sure the record is how she wants it to be and its no big deal." In addition to working on her album, Carey is launching another perfume line and promoting her upcoming film, Precious, which is produced by Oprah Winfrey and opens in November. The reason for the calendar re-jiggering is explained further on Carey's official Website: "Mariah is putting the finishing touches on her newest album, and we have shifted all of our TV and promo appearances to coincide with the new release date of September 29th. We can't wait for the fans to hear the new album!!" (People)



MARIAH CAREY'S "MEMOIRS" ALBUM DELAYED AGAIN August 15, 2009 Originally scheduled for an August 25th release date and then September 15th, Mariah Carey's upcoming 12th studio album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel", has been delayed yet again. "Memoirs" will now arrive two weeks later on September 29th. The singer has also pulled out of a string of appearances surrounding the album's release, including "VH1 Storytellers," the "Today" Show concert series, 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony. According to a source at Def Jam, the label Carey is signed to, the reason for the delay is that the singer hasn't completed the album and needs to return to the studio to record additional songs. This afternoon, Carey's website was updated with this message: "Mariah is putting the finishing touches on her newest album, 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel', and we have shifted all of our TV and promo appearances to coincide with the new release date of September 29th. We can't wait for the fans to hear the new album!!" Carey's latest single, "Obsessed", reached No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. As previously reported, "Memoirs" has already stirred up controversey with the label's descioon to include advertsing in the CD packaging, in the form of a mini-Elle magazine featuring Carey-related content. (Billboard)



MARIAH CAREY BETSS ON ‘FOREVER’ PERFUME August 15, 2009 Mariah Carey takes her happiness seriously. That's why she has named her new women's scent "Forever." It's due out in September. "I am in a wonderful place right now, surrounded by all the things I love, and Forever captures this moment in time," said the entertainer, whose first scent, M by Mariah Carey, launched in September 2007. "When we work with celebrities, we aim to put together a project which is representative of their life," said Ron Rolleston, executive vice president for global fragrance marketing at Elizabeth Arden, of the new women's launch. "Mariah's happily married, has a movie coming out in November, which already did well at Sundance, and she is releasing a new album in September. She's got a lot of joy and optimism in her life right now, and we wanted to express that in a fragrance." Perfumer Olivier Gillotin of Givaudan worked with Carey to create the modern opulent floral, which has top notes of neroli, lotus blossom and dewy green apple; a heart of tuberose and gardenia, and a drydown of white musk and exotic woods. "When I first met with Mariah, I was inspired to create a glamorous, opulent floral," said Gillotin. "I wanted the scent to be radiant but to also evoke a warm sensuality. This fragrance has iconic white florals, which convey a powerful message of feminine sensuality and classic glamour." The collection includes eau de parfum in three sizes — 1 oz. for $42, 1.7 oz. for $55 and 3.3 oz. for $65 — as well as a 0.5-oz. parfum, $250, and a 6.8-oz. body lotion, $28. In the U.S., the scent will be available in about 2,000 department and specialty store doors, including Macy's, Dillard's and Belk's. The bottle, inspired by Carey's love of the art deco style, is clear crystal with a gold band around the top. Outer packaging is bright pink with a metallic trim. While executives declined to discuss sales projections, industry sources estimated that Forever would do upwards of $35 million at retail in its first year on counter. Sources also estimated Arden would spend at least $10 million on advertising and promotion. Print advertising, shot by Michael Thompson and featuring Carey, will break in October fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines, including Elle, Vogue, Glamour and In Style. A TV campaign, which also features Carey, is slated for the holiday season. As well, vials on card, scented strips and other scented pieces are expected to deliver upwards of 49 million scented impressions, noted Noreen Dodge, senior vice president, fragrance, global brand development for Elizabeth Arden. In addition to a dedicated Web site, MariahCareyBeauty.com, a strong social media campaign will also be part of the campaign, Dodge said. Arden plans MariahCareyBeauty pages on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, hoping to leverage Carey's 1.7 million followers on Twitter and 700,000 Facebook fans (Carey also has 132 fan separate fan pages on Facebook.) Arden is also working with social media sites Imeem, Pandora and VideoEgg to further drive business. Pandora will create Carey fragrance-branded backgrounds for users to see while listening to the singer's music, while Imeem will feature an exclusive Forever-themed playlist customized by Carey on its home page. VideoEgg will feed into Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube in an effort to drive traffic to MariahCareyBeauty.com. DailyCandy will offer a "twitter-to-win" sampling program for the fragrance, and Sugar Inc. plans a customized Carey page on its site and a sweepstakes to win the scent. (Women's Wear Daily | Casey)



MARIAH CAREY REALLY WORKING THE "IMPERFECT" ANGLE August 15, 2009 Coming on the heels of a subpar performance on NBC's televised variety show America's Got Talent, songbird Mariah Carey has pulled out of her August 28 performance on that same network's Today and reportedly decided to hold off on other appearances. And now there's talk that her forthcoming album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel has been pushed back yet again, this time to September 29. (It was originally supposed to come out on August 25.) So what's going on? Next week's Billboard Hot 100 has Memoirs‘ lead single "Obsessed" holding steady at No. 14 in its fifth week on the chart - and it's still below its debut-week chart peak of No. 11. The Tricky/The-Dream-helmed track does have a bullet (meaning that overall its metrics gained), and next week's charts see it scaling both the sales and airplay charts, so perhaps Carey's label Island Def Jam is hoping to strike while the iron is a little warmer than it has been up until this point. Still, what with Carey's Twitter going mysteriously silent since her Talent appearance - and the mass pull-out of appearances after that disaster - one has to wonder what, exactly, is going on. (Idolator)

MARIAH CANCELS BIG APPEARANCES August 12, 2009 Fans who requested tickets to Mariah Carey's August 28th performance on the Today show received an email today stating that Mariah cancelled on NBC and has been replaced with Miley Cyrus. Not a good sign. Especially with a new album supposedly coming out next month. To add insult to injury, Carey is also noticeably absent from the list of performers at this year's MTV VMA's. The songstress was originally scheduled to perform at the September awards in NYC, but Mariah's name has been left off the latest press release. Editor's Note: At this point, Mariah Carey's management has not responded. As we already know, Mariah postponed many appearances when she pushed back the release of her new album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, coming out September 15, 2009. (The Mariah Carey Archives)



OBSESSED CD SINGLE AVAILABLE AT WALMART! August 12, 2009 Mariah's new single "Obsessed" is being released as a CD single and will be available in stores across the US starting today. The CD includes the following tracks: 1) Main 2) Remix feat. Gucci Man 3) Video. in stores today! Message from MariahDailyJournal: Due to numerous inquiries about the Walmart-exclusive "Obsessed" CD Single; and the outrageous asking price on eBay, MariahDailyJournal has decided to give its International visitors the opportunity to own Mariah's hot new single! We have an ample quantity on hand and we would like to offer the single at a break-even price of US$9.95. $3.29 – CDS @ $3.00 + 9.75% Sales Tax $6.00 – Shipping & Postage $9.29 – Sub-Total $0.66 – 3.9% + $0.30 PayPal Surcharge $9.95 – Grand Total Orders will be on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of one copy per person. We only accept PayPal as a method of payment. International fans, e-mail us to reserve your copy today! Visit Mariah Daily Journal for more information. (MariahCarey.com)



WHITNEY HOUSTON SHAKING OFF MARIAH CAREY'S MEMOIRS? August 12, 2009 Ever since the word diva became popular and was later embellished by networks, including VH1 (Divas Live, VH1 Divas), chart-topping artists including Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Beyonce, Celine Dion and both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey have been pitted against each other. In recent years the term diva and the word 'beef' have even come together with some 'divas' expressing displeasure towards one another and ... more publicly than ever. According to some, one of the aforementioned divas is worried about her next album. Sources say Mariah Carey is shaking over Whitney Houston's forthcoming project "I Look To You," which arrives in stores August 31. Originally set for release just one week apart, Houston and Carey's discs ("I Look To You" and "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel") have been mentioned on nearly every music-related website, magazine, newspaper, or televised outlet worldwide. But, according to sources close to Mariah Carey, who originally had Houston 'beat' with an earlier single release and album release date, the "Make It Happen" and "Obsessed" singer is afraid of being overshadowed. 'She's getting very nervous now that Whitney Houston is coming back," a source told Page Six. That source, who also claims that Carey has hired a new team to oversee the promotion of "Memoirs...," says Carey's new manager Chris Lighty would not comment on the progress of the album, which was to have been completed by now. Lighty reportedly told Page Six that he is "dealing with music, brand extensions and commercial opportunities" but, when asked about the progress claimed he was "at the beach" and couldn't be bothered. Carey had worked with noted celebrity manager Benny Medina (Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Tyra Banks) prior but, allegedly made adjustments to that relationship in 2008. In addition to rumored 'behind the scenes' troubles, Carey may have to face off with Houston and other divas this fall. Grammy winning and nominated favorites including Toni Braxton and Monica have new efforts on the horizon, as do pop stars Nelly Furtado and Shakira, in addition to highly anticipated music from a post-divorce-filing Usher. While the rumors surrounding Carey's album and follow up to the summer single "Obsessed" continue to run across the net, the "E=MC2" diva remains positive. Tweeting earlier this month, Carey told Twitter fans "Just left rehearsal.. Honestly, I miss my "extended family" right now.. Pls let me know if you're still here! Finally at range now at last!". Carey is also prepping for a four night stint at Las Vegas' The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort. As for Whitney Houston, a special performance on ABC's Good Morning America has been confirmed in addition to a sitdown interview/update with ABC and a special release date of Monday, August 31 for "I Look To You". Houston also unveiled the single "Million Dollar Bill" recently and along with Carey, may be on the roster for VH1's upcoming VH1 Divas broadcast September 17. (Singersroom.com)

BEATLES TOP POLL FOR MOST POPULAR MUSIC GROUPS August 12, 2009 Ask people of various ages about their favorite music and what do you get? Perhaps more common ground between the generations than you'd expect. A Pew Research Center survey found the Beatles high on the list of every age group and other acts from the 1960s and 1970s popular among people too young to have known them when they performed. Among those younger than 30, Michael Jackson was the No. 1 pick. For those 30-49, the Eagles won out. People 50-64 picked the Beatles - the winners overall. For those 65 and older, Frank Sinatra can't be beat. Rock was the favorite type of music for every age group except 65 and above. Older people preferred country music, followed by classical. Top 20 acts in the poll 01. Beatles 02. Eagles 03. Johnny Cash 04. Michael Jackson 05. Elvis Presley 06. Rolling Stones 07. Aretha Franklin 08. Frank Sinatra 09. Carrie Underwood 10. Garth Brooks 11. Jimi Hendrix 12. Bruce Springsteen 13. Mariah Carey 14. Bob Dylan 15. Jefferson Airplane 16. Nirvana 17. Madonna 18. Coldplay 19. Kanye West 20. Grateful Dead (The Denver Post)

UK'S DAILY STAR REVIEWS MEMOIRS August 07, 2009 I've had a sneaky preview of six tracks from Mariah Carey's new album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, out on September 14. Her 12th opus boasts collaborations with artists including The-Dream and Timbaland. Here's my verdict so far: Candy Bling: A melodic, mid-tempo soul shaker with understated vocals that leave you thoroughly detoxed. Not the booty-trembling hip-hop anthem you'd expect from the title. 4/5 Obsessed: The hard-hitting yet elegant lead single has MC declaring: "It must be the weed, it must be the E/'Cause you be poppin', you get it poppin'." Eminem bating? Possibly – but definitely biting. 4/5 H.A.T.E.U: Mariah has invited fans to guess the meaning of the track's initials, but it's clear it stands for a lady in love as she purrs through a hypnotic, musical aphrodisiac. 4/5 Standing O: The O is officially for ovation but, given the intimacy of this tune, it must be a double entendre. A toe-tapper but not quite a show-stopper. 3/5 Impossible: MC loves you "like a milkshake", although the melody isn't quite as full-flavoured as you'd hope. 2/5 I Want To Know What Love Is: Foreigner's cheesy 80s signature power ballad, given the Carey treatment and complete with choir and karaoke climax. It's a great re-work. 5/5 (Daily Star UK)

MARIAH TO RELEASE COLLECTOR'S SET August 07, 2009 Island Def Jam will release a three CD collector's set the same day as Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel on September 15. The box set will include the songbird's first three Island albums, 2002's Charmbracelet, 2005's The Emancipation of Mimi, and 2008's E=MC², and be sold at a special low price. The packaging will have space for a fourth CD. In addition, those who purchase the collector's set will receive a Mariah poster. (Daily Star)

NICK CANNON CLAIMS "OBSESSED" IS ABOUT HIM, NOT EMINEM August 07, 2009 Despite what you might think about Mariah Carey's single and video for "Obsessed" being directed at Eminem, when the singer made an appearance Wednesday night on husband Nick Cannon's show "America's Got Talent", Cannon used it as another chance to insist the song isn't about Em. "I don't care what nobody say, that song is about me, because I am obsessed with this beautiful girl right here," Cannon said on the show after Carey performed the controversial track. "This beautiful woman next to me has more #1 hit singles than any single artist in the world. How do you do it?" After Carey clarified that the Beatles have more hit singles than her, Cannon added, "We ain't worried about them, because it's all about Mariah right now. She's modest, she's beautiful. Ladies and gentlemen, my soul mate, Mariah Carey." Cannon had been angling to get Carey on the show since its premiere earlier this summer. "They keep asking me that - I don't know. It's a possibility. She loves the show," he told MTV News in June. "She has a hot new album coming out. It's the hottest show on TV, so why wouldn't that work out? So hopefully the timing works out and she does get to come represent." He also had previously mentioned that he thought the song was about him when he spoke to us while promoting "AGT". "I always say I thought the record was about me, 'cause I'm obsessed with my wife," he said. "But if somebody's out there and you feel like you might have been obsessed, then the record's about you." (MTV News)

SUPERSTARS TO MAKE JACKO TRIBUTE ALBUM August 05, 2009 Madonna, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Robbie Williams are among the host of big names planning to record a charity disc of Jacko's greatest hits. Other world-famous acts taking part include Whitney Houston, Usher and Brit schoolboy sensation Shaheen Jafargholi, with legends Stevie Wonder, 59, Diana Ross, 65, and Lionel Richie, 60, also expected to lay down tracks. The idea came about after a succession of stars sung cover versions of the singer's hits at his memorial service. Producers are asking the stars to perform their favourite Jacko songs. Mariah, 39, will sing I'll Be There and Britain's Got Talent star Shaheen, 12, who wowed fans at the Los Angeles memorial with his version of Who's Loving You, will be asked to record that track and Jacko's 1970s smash Ben. Madonna, 50, could be tempted by Beat It or Billie Jean, while other songs expected to be covered include Rock With You, She's Out Of My Life and Bad. And Robbie, 35, is being lined up to sing Man In The Mirror amid reports his former Take That bandmates could cover ABC, Working Day And Night or Don't Stop Til You Get Enough. A source revealed last night: "The idea came from the memorial concert. Many fans asked if cover versions would be released and it seemed a wonderful idea. Some the biggest stars in the world have indicated they'd like to take part to pay their own respects and tribute to the King of Pop. This covers album is sure to be a massive worldwide hit with fans and could raise a fortune for Michael's favourite charities." Robbie, 35, revealed yesterday he has already been working on a tribute to Jacko - who died suddenly on June 25, aged 50 - on his own new studio album. "It's all so very sad," he said. "I couldn't get a lyric to fit on one of the new songs, so when Michael passed away I rewrote it with him in mind." It has already been revealed that Robbie and Whitney, 46, have been asked to play some of the O2 Arena dates that had been pencilled in for Jacko's 50-gig run at the London venue. A live tribute concert is also being planned at the venue, involving the singer's family and other guests, on what would have been his 51st birthday on August 29. (Daily Star)

WHY MARIAH'S SELLING ADS IN A CD PACKAGE ISN'T SELLING OUT August 05, 2009 The music industry may not be the first to turn to the advertising industry to fill its revenue gap, but there's something to what Brandweek reported yesterday: that Mariah Carey's forthcoming album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" will include a "a 34-page co-production with Elle magazine that includes lifestyle ads from Elizabeth Arden, Angel Champagne, Carmen Steffens, Le Métier de Beauté and the Bahamas Board of Tourism". And that's only the beginning. Carey's label, Universal Music's Island Def Jam, may expand the program to new releases from Rihanna, Bon Jovi and Kanye West, among others. (To complete the virtuous - or is it? - circle, a non CD-specific version of the Mariah mini-magazine will be inserted into October issue's of Elle.) L.A. Reid, who runs Island Def Jam, told Brandweek the pitch: "We sell millions of records, so you should advertise with us. My artists have substantial circulation - when you sell 2 million, 5 million, 8 million, that's a lot of eyeballs." To which I say, "Duh!" and I mean that with all due respect to Monsieur Reid. What Reid is onto here is a concept that gets lost sometimes when people become too attached to older business models: that even as media options proliferate, sometimes we don't think of enough things as being mass media - able to grant those advertisers who want to piggyback upon big crowds - no matter how they are assembled - the kind of reach that is harder to come by every day. But let's look at this from the content company's point of view: Is this going to save the music industry? No. And, yes, there's a certain paradox in thinking about some artists as mass media, even as sales of their product continue to plummet, thus limiting their reach. Still, you have to applaud parlaying a simple idea into revenue. I asked Becky Ebenkamp, a former colleague who wrote the story, whether she thought this idea was a flash in the pan, or the real deal. She told me: "I think the idea could catch on. Let's face it, when someone discovers a new ad medium, whether that's a urinal, a dry cleaner's hanger, a pizza box or a piece of produce at the market, it doesn't stay blank for long. And we're already seeing marketing merge with music in so many other ways, from pop songs replacing jingles in TV ads to promo fliers falling out of CDs when we open them to rampant brand mentions in hip hop lyrics. In some cases, like Chris Brown's Wrigley gum deal, these are even paid endorsements!" It's been a long time since what Carey and her label are doing here has been viewed as selling out. In fact, these days, for some companies and musical acts, "selling out" may equal survival. While Carey certainly doesn't need the cash, what would be cool is if an idea like this could become a revenue stream for music's long tail of independent and up-and-coming artists. It hasn't worked for most long-tail content providers online, but hope springs eternal. (BNET | The Mariah Carey Archives)



WIN TICKETS TO SEE MARIAH CAREY LIVE IN NYC!! August 04, 2009 Get up close and personal to a diva! iheartradio wants you to show us your Mariah Carey widget on your page for a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Mariah at her exclusive private show in NYC! 1. Simply head over to our Mariah Carey page and grab our Mariah Carey A-Z photo widget (top left corner of the page). 2. Embed and display it on your social networking page or blog. 3. Leave the link to your social network page or blog in our comments below and be sure to friend us on Facebook, Myspace and Twitter so we can contact you if you win! The date has been changed! We will keep you updated with the correct date of the show (Vanessa at iheartradio | Jennifer)



MARIAH CAREY: MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL August 02, 2009 As the most successful female recording artist of all time, as well as having written more #1 singles than any woman before her, Mariah Carey occupies her own unique place in music. Following up on the platinum success of E=MC², Mariah is back with Memoirs of an imperfect Angel. This incredible album once again showcases her amazing virtuosity as both vocalist and songwriter. Partnering once again with C. 'Tricky' Stewart and The-Dream, Mariah's first single "Obsessed" is an amazing track that was immediately the #1 Most Added track at its formats. Together with Brett Ratner-directed video and a national premiere on the NBC hit series America's Got Talent, everyone knows one thing — MARIAH IS BACK! The great early press hits in People and Rolling Stone confirm what we already know... To launch Memoirs of an imperfect Angel, Mariah will have an unprecented number of high-profile release week appearances, including: - VH1 Storytellers - this is Mariah's first ever appearance - BET 106 & Park takeover - Star presentation on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - A very special performance on The Today Show to close out their Summer Concert Series Memoirs of an imperfect Angel, packaged in a beautiful 3 panel softpack, is a must-have for all Mariah fans and will include: - The CD - A 2nd Enhanced CD featuring the "Obsessed" video, a remix video, and 3 remixes - A 36 page Elle mini-magazine that's an inside look at Mariah Along with a massive marketing, advertising, and online campaign, Memoirs of an imperfect Angel is positioned to be one of the biggest release of the year! Memoirs of an imperfect Angel available September 15, 2009. (Universal Music | MariahDailyJournal )



SINGING SUPERSTAR MARIAH CAREY GETS DJ ANTON POWERS ON REQUEST August 02, 2009 Songstress Mariah Carey is famous as a woman who knows what she wants – and usually gets it. So when she made Liverpool DJ Anton Powers an offer, there was really no way he could refuse. The Juice FM and club favourite is one of the hottest properties in the country for remixes, in demand by huge names including The Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Alesha Dixon and The Saturdays. But, he tells Insider, he wasn't taking on any new Cahill remixes so he could concentrate on his own tracks. "Then I got a call from our manager, Jon Barlow, late on a Saturday night saying Mariah Carey's label had called asking for us to remix her new single," explains Anton. "Obviously I couldn't say no to her, the only issue was that if she didn't like the mix, it wouldn't get used and we wouldn't get paid! "So we did the mix, sent it back to them, thankfully she liked it but said she wanted to redo the vocals to fit our mix. She went back in the studio (unfortunately in the USA and not with us) and re-did the vocals so it fits better on our mix, then she gave it the green light." The result, Obsessed, is due out next month but ECHO DJ of the Year Anton's already been told that it's the label's favourite remix of the year. A diva? Insider thinks not. (Liverpoool Echo)



THE MONETIZATION OF MIMI: MARIAH CD TO HAVE ADS August 01, 2009 As music sales continue to drop like they're not so hot throughout the industry, Island Def Jam Music Group is jamming on a new business model: integrating brands into artists' CD booklets. The first deal, created for the Mariah Carey release Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel on Sept. 15, is a 34-page co-production with Elle magazine that includes lifestyle ads from Elizabeth Arden, Angel Champagne, Carmen Steffens, Le Métier de Beauté and the Bahamas Board of Tourism. Providing the experiment goes well, the label is eyeing bigger brand deals for booklets of CDs by Rihanna, Bon Jovi, Kanye West and other artists. The mini magazine contains Mariah-centric editorial ("VIP Access to Her Sexy Love Life," "Amazing Closet," "Recording Rituals") and lifestyle advertising along with lyrics and other CD booklet elements. Elle contributed the editorial and designed the layout. The booklets were created for the first run of U.S. CDs (1 million) and the first 500,000 overseas, said Jeff Straughn, svp-strategic marketing for Island Def Jam Music Group. It will also be available in a digital format for those who buy music online. A condensed version of the Mariah mag, sans the 14 pages of CD-specific material, will be inserted into 500,000 subscription copies of Elle's October issue, which arrives mid-September. "The idea was really simple thinking: 'We sell millions of records, so you should advertise with us,'" said Antonio "L.A." Reid, chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group, a unit of Universal Music Group. "My artists have substantial circulation—when you sell 2 million, 5 million, 8 million, that's a lot of eyeballs. Most magazines aren't as successful as those records." Carey was "very open" to the concept when Reid showed her a mock-up of the booklet in a magazine format that included brand imagery synonymous with her lifestyle. "I wouldn't want to do Mariah Carey and Comet abrasive cleaner," Reid said, laughing. "I wanted things that really reflected her taste." Reid said the program was unprecedented. Terry Dry, president of Los Angeles-based digital-word-of-mouth marketing agency Fanscape, agreed, saying that the CD booklet advertising is a first, though he wouldn't be surprised if more labels look into doing the same thing: "Hollywood Records [Disney], I know they love to monetize all over the place for something like a Jonas Brothers record. Open any rap record and a couple of inserts will come flying out, usually for a business the artist is a part of. I wouldn't be surprised if 50 Cent had a Vitaminwater thing." Labels are looking for ways to eke out extra bucks, borrow equity and cut costs anywhere they can today. Year-to-date album sales were down 13.9 percent for the week ending July 19, 2009, compared with the period last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan (227 million units vs. 195.5 million units). Of those 2009 sales, 18.9 percent, or 41.9 million, were digital. Ad revenues are subsidizing 100 percent of Island Records' costs for the Carey booklet, but label execs also see the alliance as a way to expand distribution at a time when the local music store is becoming as rare as the Beatles' Yesterday and Today LP with the "Butcher" cover. "We don't have music retailers any more, so a smart consumer products company that understands the value in distributing music is going to restore the vitality of our business," Reid speculated. "If we distribute music properly and if it's done tastefully, it could be a huge profit center for all of us. That is the missing link—we need partnerships." To underscore the point: At one large retail establishment, partner Elizabeth Arden is allowing the label to cross-promote the release. The CD Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel will be merchandised directly outside Walmart's music aisle with Carey's new signature Arden fragrance, Forever, which has its ad on the booklet's back cover. The CD and scent will also be displayed together in the beauty department. (BrandWeek | MariahDailyJournal)



MARIAH HERO.COM - STATEMENT August 01, 2009 MariahHero.com has decided not to post any other news article related to the sickening, offensive comments made toward Mariah Carey. The purpose of this decision is not to contribute to the negativity generated by certain people and focus on the wonder of Mariah’s career. One of our goals is to support Mariah Carey, and we believe that by posting worthless information we do not follow our commitment. We appreciate your understanding… (MariahHero.com)