EXCLUSIVE: Mariah Carey Peddles Her Lifestyle Line Live on HSN
When Mariah Carey first announced that she would be fusing her love of beauty, bling, and stilettos for a lifestyle collection for shopping network HSN, we couldn’t wait to see what the stylish songstress would come up with. But on Cyber Monday, all anticipation was finally put to rest with the launch of her line on live television. “Jewelry, footwear, and my fragrances are part of my everyday life so I loved being involved in the entire creative process designing my HSN lifestyle line,” the diva told PEOPLE exclusively of the new collection of shoes–including the $129.90 Mariah Carey Suede Bootie (pictured above), which sold out in just 6 minutes–jewelry, music and fragrance, which she presented on HSN throughout much of the day. Featuring signature pieces that the pop singer is rarely seen without, Mariah wore several of the items from her collection on the broadcast, including a pave crystal butterfly necklace ($149.95). This collection couldn’t be any more Mariah! To stock up for yourself or the fashionista on your list, visit hsn.com.Source:People.com
Here Comes "Oh Santa!"
HERE COMES ‘SANTA’: Mariah Carey logs the highest debut among her 29 career Adult Contemporary chart entries, as “Oh Santa!” dashes in at No. 12.
The start is the chart’s highest since deSoL bowed at No. 6 with “Little Drummer Boy” the week of Dec. 17, 2005.
Carey’s previous loftiest start belonged to “Dreamlover,” which began at No. 17 in 1993.
“Oh Santa!,” which introduces Carey’s second holiday album, “Merry Christmas II You,” has already topped Billboard’s Holiday Digital Songs chart.
THE MORE, THE MERRIER: Five additional seasonal songs enter Adult Contemporary: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” by Katharine McPhee featuring Chris Botti (No. 23); “Shake Up Christmas,” by Train (No. 24); “Do You Hear What I Hear,” by Susan Boyle featuring Amber Stassi (No. 25); “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” by Wilson Phillips (No. 27); and, “Christmas Tonight,” by Dave Barnes and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott (No. 29).
Wilson Phillips had last charted on Adult Contemporary in 2004 when its remake of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” reached No. 13
Source: Billboard
The start is the chart’s highest since deSoL bowed at No. 6 with “Little Drummer Boy” the week of Dec. 17, 2005.
Carey’s previous loftiest start belonged to “Dreamlover,” which began at No. 17 in 1993.
“Oh Santa!,” which introduces Carey’s second holiday album, “Merry Christmas II You,” has already topped Billboard’s Holiday Digital Songs chart.
THE MORE, THE MERRIER: Five additional seasonal songs enter Adult Contemporary: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” by Katharine McPhee featuring Chris Botti (No. 23); “Shake Up Christmas,” by Train (No. 24); “Do You Hear What I Hear,” by Susan Boyle featuring Amber Stassi (No. 25); “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” by Wilson Phillips (No. 27); and, “Christmas Tonight,” by Dave Barnes and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott (No. 29).
Wilson Phillips had last charted on Adult Contemporary in 2004 when its remake of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” reached No. 13
Source: Billboard
Watch Mariah Perform On NBC's Christmas In Rockefeller Center Special
NBC will celebrate the lighting of the world's most famous Christmas tree once again with a live broadcast from Rockefeller Center in New York City TONIGHT, November 30 at 8:00p.m. ET/PT. The star-studded Christmas in Rockefeller Center holiday special features a very special performance by Mariah of her #1 holiday single Oh Santa!
The 78th annual holiday extravaganza co-hosted by NBC's Natalie Morales & Al Roker will feature a tree that is 74 feet high, 40 feet in diameter and weighs a whopping 12 tons.
Christmas In Rockefeller Center airs tonight at 8:00pm ET/PT on NBC
Source:mariahcarey.com
The 78th annual holiday extravaganza co-hosted by NBC's Natalie Morales & Al Roker will feature a tree that is 74 feet high, 40 feet in diameter and weighs a whopping 12 tons.
Christmas In Rockefeller Center airs tonight at 8:00pm ET/PT on NBC
Source:mariahcarey.com
Mariah Talks Baby, Cravings and Holiday Plans
Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon are expecting their first child, and the singer opened up to "Extra's" AJ Calloway about her pregnancy and how it's affecting her holiday travels.
The rumor mill is buzzing that Mariah is pregnant with twins, but she's mum about her growing baby bump and the gender of her child (or children). "I'm not telling anyone," she said.
The singer did talk about her changing body and food cravings. "My fingers obviously swelled a little bit. I can't even get this ring off if I tried. My taste bud situation is unparalleled... I don't know what it is, but I'm just about fruit for some reason. It has to be really good for me to like it."
With Christmas quickly approaching, Carey said that she and Nick usually go to Aspen, but are unable to this year.
"I can't go there this year because of the altitude," she explained. "We're figuring it out. Looking at different options."
The couple enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving holiday. "I didn't feel like doing much of anything," said Mariah. "I did cook... what I cooked was the best thing of the holiday. I'm sorry but it was. I cooked mashed potatoes and corn."
Source: Extra
The rumor mill is buzzing that Mariah is pregnant with twins, but she's mum about her growing baby bump and the gender of her child (or children). "I'm not telling anyone," she said.
The singer did talk about her changing body and food cravings. "My fingers obviously swelled a little bit. I can't even get this ring off if I tried. My taste bud situation is unparalleled... I don't know what it is, but I'm just about fruit for some reason. It has to be really good for me to like it."
With Christmas quickly approaching, Carey said that she and Nick usually go to Aspen, but are unable to this year.
"I can't go there this year because of the altitude," she explained. "We're figuring it out. Looking at different options."
The couple enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving holiday. "I didn't feel like doing much of anything," said Mariah. "I did cook... what I cooked was the best thing of the holiday. I'm sorry but it was. I cooked mashed potatoes and corn."
Source: Extra
Mariah Carey celebrates 'Christmas in Rockefeller Center'
However many celebrities have a good holiday season, Mariah Carey appears destined for one of her best.
Not only are she and husband Nick Cannon ("America's Got Talent") celebrating their status as parents-to-be, but she's making the rounds to promote her second CD of seasonal tunes, "Merry Christmas II You." One of her stops -- a most appropriate one -- is NBC's 13th annual edition of "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" Tuesday, Nov. 30.
"I've never done this before, so I'm really looking forward to it," the friendly Carey says. "When I had my first Christmas record a while ago, I would have thought somebody would have tried to make that merger, but this is going to be fun for me. I do love all those kinds of very Christmas-y events … and hopefully, it won't be too cold."
The lighting of the Christmas tree in New York's Rockefeller Center is a traditional highlight of the NBC special, which Al Roker and Natalie Morales of "Today" will host. Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, Jessica Simpson, Annie Lennox, Kylie Minogue, Internet sensations Susan Boyle and Charice, Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins, and young soprano Jackie Evancho (who competed on "America's Got Talent") also are on the musical bill.
Carey certainly has enough Christmas songs from which to choose for the show. "Merry Christmas II You" includes an "Extra Festive" version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You," her holiday standard that she also co-wrote. Also on the CD are "Here Comes Santa Claus," "The First Noel," a medley of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "The Little Drummer Boy," and several more songs Carey co-authored.
One of those -- "Oh Santa!" -- is what Carey expects to perform on "Christmas in Rockefeller Center." It's also slated to be the theme song of the new ABC Family movie "Christmas Cupid" Dec. 12.
Carey says the Rockefeller Center show's producers want the tune, "and it's already been No. 1 on the (Billboard magazine) holiday chart, which is amazing. It's pretty festive, but it depends. If they decide they want something slow, I'll do something slow."
The No. 2 slot on that Billboard chart also went to Carey, for "All I Want for Christmas Is You," as "Merry Christmas II You" was being released at the start of this month.
Included as well on the CD is "O Holy Night," which Carey recorded live with a choir in the South Central district of Los Angeles. "I actually did it a while ago," she says, "and I held onto it. I kept the idea of another Christmas album afloat by doing new stuff every year, and that song was done at a time when I was sort of in between labels. I decided I would do something different, so I did that version with a video and everything."
One of the producers of "Merry Christmas II You" is Randy Jackson, the one judge who's lasting into the new season of "American Idol" that begins in January on Fox. Carey maintains that he "absolutely" is still the Randy Jackson she always has known, even when he was more of a presence in recording studios than on television screens.
"That's one of the things that I think is so special about him as a person," Carey confirms of Jackson, who also has served as musical director for several of her concert tours. "He is exactly the same guy. People wouldn't believe it. I can't even believe it sometimes."
Expect Carey to make many more television appearances in the weeks before Christmas, a main one being her own ABC special Dec. 13. That hour will merge performance sequences, taped at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre, with segments in which Carey will surprise several of her fans by making their holiday wishes come true … literally.
"I've spoken with my mother about coming in and doing our version of 'O Come All Ye Faithful,' " Carey reveals of the ABC show. "We have never performed it live together, so I'm really excited about it. That'll be a nice moment."
Carey also believes there are many such moments on "Merry Christmas II You," which is why she's pleased to embark on a heavy media schedule for it, even while well along in her pregnancy.
"I just feel I'm in a different place in terms of being comfortable with my creative freedom," she says. "I love a lot of stuff from the first (Christmas) album, but every year, I will want to skip certain songs. I won't be happy unless I fast-forward through them, so I figured that if I did a new album that I felt good with all the way down, I could make my own playlist. This is like the sequel to a first movie."
And in Carey's view, there's no better time than Christmas for such a sequel: "No matter what else is happening in my life, everything else stops at that time, and it's time to do something really fun. However the rest of the year has been, I never let the holidays go by with me in a bleak, glum mood. I just won't do it."
Source: Zap2it
Not only are she and husband Nick Cannon ("America's Got Talent") celebrating their status as parents-to-be, but she's making the rounds to promote her second CD of seasonal tunes, "Merry Christmas II You." One of her stops -- a most appropriate one -- is NBC's 13th annual edition of "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" Tuesday, Nov. 30.
"I've never done this before, so I'm really looking forward to it," the friendly Carey says. "When I had my first Christmas record a while ago, I would have thought somebody would have tried to make that merger, but this is going to be fun for me. I do love all those kinds of very Christmas-y events … and hopefully, it won't be too cold."
The lighting of the Christmas tree in New York's Rockefeller Center is a traditional highlight of the NBC special, which Al Roker and Natalie Morales of "Today" will host. Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, Jessica Simpson, Annie Lennox, Kylie Minogue, Internet sensations Susan Boyle and Charice, Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins, and young soprano Jackie Evancho (who competed on "America's Got Talent") also are on the musical bill.
Carey certainly has enough Christmas songs from which to choose for the show. "Merry Christmas II You" includes an "Extra Festive" version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You," her holiday standard that she also co-wrote. Also on the CD are "Here Comes Santa Claus," "The First Noel," a medley of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "The Little Drummer Boy," and several more songs Carey co-authored.
One of those -- "Oh Santa!" -- is what Carey expects to perform on "Christmas in Rockefeller Center." It's also slated to be the theme song of the new ABC Family movie "Christmas Cupid" Dec. 12.
Carey says the Rockefeller Center show's producers want the tune, "and it's already been No. 1 on the (Billboard magazine) holiday chart, which is amazing. It's pretty festive, but it depends. If they decide they want something slow, I'll do something slow."
The No. 2 slot on that Billboard chart also went to Carey, for "All I Want for Christmas Is You," as "Merry Christmas II You" was being released at the start of this month.
Included as well on the CD is "O Holy Night," which Carey recorded live with a choir in the South Central district of Los Angeles. "I actually did it a while ago," she says, "and I held onto it. I kept the idea of another Christmas album afloat by doing new stuff every year, and that song was done at a time when I was sort of in between labels. I decided I would do something different, so I did that version with a video and everything."
One of the producers of "Merry Christmas II You" is Randy Jackson, the one judge who's lasting into the new season of "American Idol" that begins in January on Fox. Carey maintains that he "absolutely" is still the Randy Jackson she always has known, even when he was more of a presence in recording studios than on television screens.
"That's one of the things that I think is so special about him as a person," Carey confirms of Jackson, who also has served as musical director for several of her concert tours. "He is exactly the same guy. People wouldn't believe it. I can't even believe it sometimes."
Expect Carey to make many more television appearances in the weeks before Christmas, a main one being her own ABC special Dec. 13. That hour will merge performance sequences, taped at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre, with segments in which Carey will surprise several of her fans by making their holiday wishes come true … literally.
"I've spoken with my mother about coming in and doing our version of 'O Come All Ye Faithful,' " Carey reveals of the ABC show. "We have never performed it live together, so I'm really excited about it. That'll be a nice moment."
Carey also believes there are many such moments on "Merry Christmas II You," which is why she's pleased to embark on a heavy media schedule for it, even while well along in her pregnancy.
"I just feel I'm in a different place in terms of being comfortable with my creative freedom," she says. "I love a lot of stuff from the first (Christmas) album, but every year, I will want to skip certain songs. I won't be happy unless I fast-forward through them, so I figured that if I did a new album that I felt good with all the way down, I could make my own playlist. This is like the sequel to a first movie."
And in Carey's view, there's no better time than Christmas for such a sequel: "No matter what else is happening in my life, everything else stops at that time, and it's time to do something really fun. However the rest of the year has been, I never let the holidays go by with me in a bleak, glum mood. I just won't do it."
Source: Zap2it
Mariah Carey Line Hits HSN
NEW YORK — “I spend more time in high heels than anyone I know.”It’s no secret that Mariah Carey has a serious obsession with shoes, and today she will debut her own collection exclusively for HSN.
“It’s another creative outlet for me, something that I love,” Carey told Footwear News. “[The consumers] will really like the shoes. Even though we were thinking about comfort, they are still sexy and stylish.”
The brand’s Cyber Monday launch will feature six footwear styles, in addition to jewelry and fragrance. The line, priced between $70 and $200, includes suede boots trimmed with faux fur, quilted boots adorned with chains, a leather pump sneaker and a platform sandal with rhinestones.
Carey said she has had a vision for her own collection for years and drew inspiration from her favorite designer names, including Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik, as well as her own style.
And being in the spotlight — she often acts as her own stylist for red-carpet events — has helped her learn a thing or two about design.
“Not everybody thinks of comfort and fit, but these are things I had to learn about in the business and entertainment world,” said Carey, who created the shoes in two different widths for both slim and wide feet.
On choosing HSN, the star said she was impressed by CEO Mindy Grossman’s strategy for the network and her collection. “She really gets it — she’s smart and savvy,” Carey said, adding that the two first met at her Los Angeles home, where Grossman also got a peek into the star’s shoe closet, which includes Christian Louboutin, YSL and Chanel.
Amy Shea, EVP of consulting firm Brand Keys Inc., agreed that HSN was a smart choice as a launch partner because Carey has made a name for herself as being a regular girl.
“She’s kind of the Cinderella story,” Shea said. “It makes sense to [sell] at a place where anybody can get [the product] and at a price point that a lot of people can access.”
For her part, Grossman said she has high expectations for the line. “Mariah clearly has a great relationship with her fan base and is known and loved by many people,” she said. “But at the end of the day, it’s product we have to get in the hands of our customer, and we think the [footwear] is terrific.”
The HSN design team worked closely with Carey to ensure the line represented her point of view, Grossman said. Starting at the sketch level, the singer had the chance to look at the samples throughout the nine-month process.
Carey is the latest celebrity to join the HSN lineup. The company has partnered with everyone from Molly Sims and Iman to Serena Williams and Wolfgang Puck, but the process is still selective.
“We get calls all day long, but it really has to feel authentic and the person has to be passionately attached to their product,” Grossman said. “[Mariah] is very lovable and we thought our consumers would love her [work].”
Source:Women's Wear Daily
Little Miss Christmas
Famous for her Grammy Award-winning multi-octave vocal range and gargantuan entourage, Mariah Carey is Queen of pop royalty. In our exclusive interview she reveals why this Christmas will be so very special...Mariah Carey is talking Christmas. "It's my favourite season!" she beams happily, flashing her radiant smile around the lobby of a stunning hotel deep in the fashionable SoHo district of New York. "Seriously, you're talking to Little Miss Christmas here. What I love to do is to bring everyone - friends, family, extended family, everyone - to my house in Aspen, where we hire Santa Claus to come round with real reindeer that look like they're going to fly off into the snow at any moment. It's totally over the top and beyond festive, and I just love it. When I was a kid, I'd spend the whole of winter thinking 'I really hope it snows,' because without snow, Christmas just doesn't feel right to me."
Not so surprising then that Mariah has taken inspiration for her brand new album of festive songs, Merry Christmas II You, from classics such as White Christmas. Yet her genuine enthusiasm is infectious, her eyes lighting up as she talks about how and why she's put this special album together. "After the success of All I Want For Christmas Is You back in 1994, I wanted to give this new album a timeless quality. To give it a retro feel with a modern twist. I've included traditional Christmas songs like The First Noel and O Come All Ye Faithful, but written new songs too. Oh Santa has a very 60s retro vibe going on, while Christmas Time Is In the Air has a cosy 50s feel."
The image Mariah paints is one of warmth, happiness and families. It's true to say that the 40-year-old singer, songwriter and record producer now has children firmly on her mind after the rumours were finally confirmed that she and her husband of two years - actor, multi-millionaire TV host and CEO of Teen Nickelodeon network, Nick Cannon - are expecting their first child. Both were said to be "emotional" at the announcement, but refused to be drawn on the due date, "I'm superstitious," declared Mariah, after revealing she had suffered an earlier miscarriage. Nick has said he thinks Mariah will take to motherhood like a duck to water. "She's very nurturing," he told an American magazine recently. "She's nurturing with me and makes me breakfast at any time - that's my favourite meal. It will be, like, three o'clock in the morning and she'll make me some waffles. She'll be the best Mom."
Hold on a minute - is this Mariah Carey he's talking about? The same legendary diva who famously barely sets foot outside the house without her team of bodyguards, stylists, and publicists; who is rumoured to travel with pairs of shoes into triple digits, all with sky-high heels; who allegedly once arrived 90 minutes late to an awards show because she had, um, broken a fingernail?
"Ohhhh," she laughs, and shakes her head, sending her famous mane of butterscotch coloured hair flying around her caramel toned face. "I don't even know what a diva means these days - it seems everybody's a diva! You can be a diva of anything - even cupcakes! Hey, maybe that's what I am - the Diva of Cupcakes!"
Do not for one second be fooled by the exterior of Mariah - the jokes, extravagant behaviour, impeccable make-up, the glamorous clothes and jewellery. Beneath all the fluff lies a steely - and highly intelligent - businesswoman. She is one of the world's best-selling musicians - of either sex - with sales of more than 200 million albums, CDs and videos. She has had more number one hits in America than any single artiste, living or dead. She keeps a beady eye on the financial side of things too - she was one of the first to use Twitter and Facebook for publicity purposes, and about a year ago she more or less reinvented the business face of modern music single-handedly by cutting deals with food and drink companies and retail shops. She is famous all over the world and is worth, probably, millions. How does she do it all?
Source:Candis
Get ready for a very Carey Christmas
WHATEVER you do, don't mention the baby. Indeed, Mariah Carey might have tried to deny it for months, but there's an undeniable baby bump in the room.
When I meet the singer in New York, Carey is a few days away from publicly announcing news of her impending parenthood the baby is due in the northern spring but it's obvious to all and sundry that, well, she's eating for two.
She said later she had conceived naturally and she and her husband were yet to find out the sex of the baby.
From her mother ("the greatest influence on my life") to Nick Cannon, her husband of 2 1/2 years ("he's given me the confidence to stop worrying, to stop being cautious"), Carey declares that she's "the happiest I've ever been".
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
It wasn't always so. Over the years, the 40-year-old pop superstar has been branded everything from difficult to downright odd, an unapologetic diva, who still has no qualms admitting, "I do what I want".
There has been amazing success (200 million albums sold, second only to the Beatles for US number ones) and a few disappointments (Glitter) along the way, but she remains one of the biggest pop stars in the world she redeemed herself post-Glitter with 2005's The Emancipation of Mimi a bona fide superstar with a five-octave vocal range the world still seems intrigued by.
Carey will tell you she's not a diva, but occasionally her actions suggest otherwise. (For this interview I was kept waiting in a hotel lobby for close to five hours.
She finally decided to talk at midnight.)
"Look, I'm very regimented and I work let's not get it twisted," she says forcefully when questioned on her reputation.
"I really do go to work and I understand the value of money and I've kind of come full circle in terms of that whole thing.
"People don't think that what I do is work but it is.
"I mean, I'm here talking to you at midnight."
Indeed, the reason she's talking is to promote her latest album Merry Xmas II You, a collection of Christmas favourites mixed with a handful of new tracks.
This is Carey's second crack at a Christmas album.
The first, released in 1994, and featuring All I Want For Christmas Is You, proved one of the singer's biggest successes.
"I had one of the greatest musical experiences of my career doing this," she says.
"You get to tap into all of those emotions and feelings that you may not necessarily tap into on a regular release."
True, there's no denying Carey has Yuletide joy down pat. (The night before, assorted minor celebrities Oprah's BFF Gayle King held court had gathered in a swanky space overlooking Central Park to listen to the album while a slideshow played on repeat.
Think Mariah and Nick in Santa outfits, Mariah and puppies wearing Christmas collars, Mariah and friends snow sledding.
"I love Christmas, it's my favourite holiday," says Carey.
"I'm very festive, I plan Christmas really far in advance and I get to be around all of my family, which is pretty rare."
Indeed, for the album, she roped in her mother, Patricia, an opera singer, to join her on a spine-tingling rendition of Oh Come All Ye Faithful.
Carey says singing with her mother is one of her proudest moments: "I think it's nice because everybody gets to hear her," says Carey.
"She's properly trained, she knows how to protect the voice, how to breathe.
"I take liberties, I go with the flow, I don't like being restricted or regimented."
But this flexibility has meant Carey is comfortable singing with everyone from Jay-Z to Luciano Pavarotti to Olivia Newton John ("a highlight").
Even as a child she knew that she would be a singer.
"There was never a moment," she says, "when I didn't think it would happen."
"I think it's about loving music and about the choices you make -- good or bad.
"Even if it's an acting project, you make your choice, it may be a mistake, but you live with it and you deal with it."
"It's all about exploring and I put everything of myself into everything that I do because my work is what's going to be here long after I'm gone."
Mariah Carey's Merry Xmas II You is out now.
Source:heraldsun
When I meet the singer in New York, Carey is a few days away from publicly announcing news of her impending parenthood the baby is due in the northern spring but it's obvious to all and sundry that, well, she's eating for two.
She said later she had conceived naturally and she and her husband were yet to find out the sex of the baby.
From her mother ("the greatest influence on my life") to Nick Cannon, her husband of 2 1/2 years ("he's given me the confidence to stop worrying, to stop being cautious"), Carey declares that she's "the happiest I've ever been".
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
It wasn't always so. Over the years, the 40-year-old pop superstar has been branded everything from difficult to downright odd, an unapologetic diva, who still has no qualms admitting, "I do what I want".
There has been amazing success (200 million albums sold, second only to the Beatles for US number ones) and a few disappointments (Glitter) along the way, but she remains one of the biggest pop stars in the world she redeemed herself post-Glitter with 2005's The Emancipation of Mimi a bona fide superstar with a five-octave vocal range the world still seems intrigued by.
Carey will tell you she's not a diva, but occasionally her actions suggest otherwise. (For this interview I was kept waiting in a hotel lobby for close to five hours.
She finally decided to talk at midnight.)
"Look, I'm very regimented and I work let's not get it twisted," she says forcefully when questioned on her reputation.
"I really do go to work and I understand the value of money and I've kind of come full circle in terms of that whole thing.
"People don't think that what I do is work but it is.
"I mean, I'm here talking to you at midnight."
Indeed, the reason she's talking is to promote her latest album Merry Xmas II You, a collection of Christmas favourites mixed with a handful of new tracks.
This is Carey's second crack at a Christmas album.
The first, released in 1994, and featuring All I Want For Christmas Is You, proved one of the singer's biggest successes.
"I had one of the greatest musical experiences of my career doing this," she says.
"You get to tap into all of those emotions and feelings that you may not necessarily tap into on a regular release."
True, there's no denying Carey has Yuletide joy down pat. (The night before, assorted minor celebrities Oprah's BFF Gayle King held court had gathered in a swanky space overlooking Central Park to listen to the album while a slideshow played on repeat.
Think Mariah and Nick in Santa outfits, Mariah and puppies wearing Christmas collars, Mariah and friends snow sledding.
"I love Christmas, it's my favourite holiday," says Carey.
"I'm very festive, I plan Christmas really far in advance and I get to be around all of my family, which is pretty rare."
Indeed, for the album, she roped in her mother, Patricia, an opera singer, to join her on a spine-tingling rendition of Oh Come All Ye Faithful.
Carey says singing with her mother is one of her proudest moments: "I think it's nice because everybody gets to hear her," says Carey.
"She's properly trained, she knows how to protect the voice, how to breathe.
"I take liberties, I go with the flow, I don't like being restricted or regimented."
But this flexibility has meant Carey is comfortable singing with everyone from Jay-Z to Luciano Pavarotti to Olivia Newton John ("a highlight").
Even as a child she knew that she would be a singer.
"There was never a moment," she says, "when I didn't think it would happen."
"I think it's about loving music and about the choices you make -- good or bad.
"Even if it's an acting project, you make your choice, it may be a mistake, but you live with it and you deal with it."
"It's all about exploring and I put everything of myself into everything that I do because my work is what's going to be here long after I'm gone."
Mariah Carey's Merry Xmas II You is out now.
Source:heraldsun
Mariah Carey Spends Christmas with Her Mom
Mariah Carey has a special guest by her side for her upcoming ABC special, Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You: her mother, Patricia.Wearing an elegant black dress, the singer will belt out Christmas songs from her new album, Merry Christmas II You, for the show, which is set to air Dec. 13 (9 p.m. ET). It was taped at Los Angeles's Orpheum Theater.
Carey, 41, will also have something to look forward to after the holiday season: The singer is expecting her first child with hubby Nick Cannon.
Source:people
Is Mariah Carey Expecting Twins?
Mariah Carey may have a double dose of baby joy when she gives birth! The mom-to-be, who is expecting with husband Nick Cannon, may have let it slip that she’s having more than just one child.
While promoting Merry Christmas II You, Mariah said she sings songs from her new album to her baby bump. In an interview with Radio Disney’s Ernie D. set to air Tuesday, Mariah joked, “I just hope that they don’t turn out hating Christmas!”
Hmmm… was that a slip of the tongue? Only time will tell!
Source: Star Magazine
While promoting Merry Christmas II You, Mariah said she sings songs from her new album to her baby bump. In an interview with Radio Disney’s Ernie D. set to air Tuesday, Mariah joked, “I just hope that they don’t turn out hating Christmas!”
Hmmm… was that a slip of the tongue? Only time will tell!
Source: Star Magazine
Mariah Carey at 2010 Halo Awards
Lauren’s HALO match is Mariah Carey, an active Board member of the Fresh Air Fund, whose Camp Mariah enables inner-city youth to explore educational paths and career options while enjoying camp adventures.
The 2010 HALO Awards will premiere Friday, December 10th @ 8PM ET/PT on TeenNick, followed by an encore on Nick at Nite at 9PM.
Source: Just Jared Jr
The 2010 HALO Awards will premiere Friday, December 10th @ 8PM ET/PT on TeenNick, followed by an encore on Nick at Nite at 9PM.
Source: Just Jared Jr
Rock Around the Clock With Carey
Mariah Carey
"Merry Christmas II You" (Island Def Jam)
By Alicia Quarles, Associated Press
Mariah Carey insists that Christmas is her favorite time of year, and it shows on "Merry Christmas II You," Carey's second holiday album.
The record is a mix of classics such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "O Holy Night." It also includes new recordings, including the first single, "Oh Santa!"
The stakes were high for Carey with this release. Despite the multitude of hits she has racked up over the years, one of her most enduring songs is "All I Want for Christmas Is You." The track has become a modern holiday classic, setting the bar for any new seasonal music Carey wanted to release.
This time around, the up-tempo "Oh Santa!" with its catchy hook, gives "All I Want for Christmas" a run for its money. On the single, Carey sings about a lost love, and how she longs for Santa to bring him back. "Santa is going to come and make you mine this Christmas," Carey playfully croons. The fun-filled track, which Carey wrote with her longtime collaborator, producer Jermaine Dupri (and Bryan-Michael Cox) showcases Carey at her best.
She seamlessly transitions from this pop tune to more heavy material which features the wide rang of her voice. In one of the more touching moments on the album, Carey teams up with her mother, Patricia Carey, who sings the chorus on "O Come All Ye Faithful," in operatic tones. Carey then switches to the R&B track, "When Christmas Comes.
Most of the songs on the album will fill your ears with holiday cheer, but Carey does hit a sour note, specifically on "One Child," a sappy song that comes toward the end of the album.
Luckily, Carey redeems herself with a new recording of "All I Want For Christmas Is You." The song was first released in 1994, but 17 years later, it is still a welcome addition to any holiday album.
With the release of "Merry Christmas II You," Carey proves that there is such a thing as building upon perfection.
Source: Associated Press
"Merry Christmas II You" (Island Def Jam)
By Alicia Quarles, Associated Press
Mariah Carey insists that Christmas is her favorite time of year, and it shows on "Merry Christmas II You," Carey's second holiday album.
The record is a mix of classics such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "O Holy Night." It also includes new recordings, including the first single, "Oh Santa!"
The stakes were high for Carey with this release. Despite the multitude of hits she has racked up over the years, one of her most enduring songs is "All I Want for Christmas Is You." The track has become a modern holiday classic, setting the bar for any new seasonal music Carey wanted to release.
This time around, the up-tempo "Oh Santa!" with its catchy hook, gives "All I Want for Christmas" a run for its money. On the single, Carey sings about a lost love, and how she longs for Santa to bring him back. "Santa is going to come and make you mine this Christmas," Carey playfully croons. The fun-filled track, which Carey wrote with her longtime collaborator, producer Jermaine Dupri (and Bryan-Michael Cox) showcases Carey at her best.
She seamlessly transitions from this pop tune to more heavy material which features the wide rang of her voice. In one of the more touching moments on the album, Carey teams up with her mother, Patricia Carey, who sings the chorus on "O Come All Ye Faithful," in operatic tones. Carey then switches to the R&B track, "When Christmas Comes.
Most of the songs on the album will fill your ears with holiday cheer, but Carey does hit a sour note, specifically on "One Child," a sappy song that comes toward the end of the album.
Luckily, Carey redeems herself with a new recording of "All I Want For Christmas Is You." The song was first released in 1994, but 17 years later, it is still a welcome addition to any holiday album.
With the release of "Merry Christmas II You," Carey proves that there is such a thing as building upon perfection.
Source: Associated Press
You Could Win A Walt Disney World® Dream Vacation from Ryan Seacrest!
Give Them a Holiday Gift They’ll Never ForgetImagine the excitement Christmas morning when you tell your family they're going on a magical 5-day/4-night Walt Disney World® vacation for four that includes an overnight stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite, roundtrip coach airfare, plus an autographed copy of Mariah Carey’s CD Merry Christmas II You! It could happen if you win from Ryan Seacrest. All you have to do is enter below!
Don't miss the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade airing Dec. 25th on ABC.
Ryan Seacrest and Nick Cannon are hosting a coast-to-coast entertainment spectacular that includes Mariah Carey and all your favorite Disney characters. For show times and information, visit DisneyChristmasDayParade.com.
Source:ryanseacrest.com
Mariah Carey “Merry Christmas II You” Review — 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas II You really should top everyone’s gift list this Holiday season.
It’s been sixteen years since Carey’s beloved Merry Christmas, and still no one can spread holiday cheer as well as she can. Merry Christmas II You isn’t just the perfect modern Christmas album, it’s one of the year’s best pop records. Kicking off with the hand-clap and bell jingle of “Oh Santa!,” Carey immediately pulls everyone into her wondrous winter wonderland. Her voice soars on the hook along with a gorgeous chant that’s as fun as it is fiery. It’s a warm and welcoming new Christmas classic with a little modern swag thrown in alongside the sleigh and reindeer for good measure. Meanwhile, “Christmas Time Is In The Air Again” evokes the classic crooning of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin on all of those legendary Decemberific with the light flourishes of orchestra and lilting piano melodies.
Carey’s take on “Charlie Brown Christmas” is especially fun as are her powerful renditions of “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” It’s on those staples that her voice truly resounds with a poetic passion that will make you want to sit by the fire with some milk and cookies waiting for Santa. Carey adds a classy elegance to the “Charlie Brown” track that hasn’t been matched since Stone Temple Pilots took the song on air in early ’90s. “Auld Lang Syne” breaks into a danceable beat that heats up the holidays like never before. Merry Christmas II You is the ultimate present this year. You’ll be dancing in the snow before you know it…
Source: Artist Direct
It’s been sixteen years since Carey’s beloved Merry Christmas, and still no one can spread holiday cheer as well as she can. Merry Christmas II You isn’t just the perfect modern Christmas album, it’s one of the year’s best pop records. Kicking off with the hand-clap and bell jingle of “Oh Santa!,” Carey immediately pulls everyone into her wondrous winter wonderland. Her voice soars on the hook along with a gorgeous chant that’s as fun as it is fiery. It’s a warm and welcoming new Christmas classic with a little modern swag thrown in alongside the sleigh and reindeer for good measure. Meanwhile, “Christmas Time Is In The Air Again” evokes the classic crooning of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin on all of those legendary Decemberific with the light flourishes of orchestra and lilting piano melodies.
Carey’s take on “Charlie Brown Christmas” is especially fun as are her powerful renditions of “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” It’s on those staples that her voice truly resounds with a poetic passion that will make you want to sit by the fire with some milk and cookies waiting for Santa. Carey adds a classy elegance to the “Charlie Brown” track that hasn’t been matched since Stone Temple Pilots took the song on air in early ’90s. “Auld Lang Syne” breaks into a danceable beat that heats up the holidays like never before. Merry Christmas II You is the ultimate present this year. You’ll be dancing in the snow before you know it…
Source: Artist Direct
Mariah tapes Oh Sanat @ Rockefeller tree lighting in NYC
Not letting her pregnancy slow down career efforts, Mariah Carey joined Snoopy to celebrate the recording of a "Charlie Brown Christmas" special in New York City on Friday night (November 19).
Held as part of the Rockefeller Center's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, the wintertime event will be airing on November 30, 2010.
Meanwhile, in an upcoming interview with Radio Disney's Ernie D, Mariah dished that her new holiday album is for her unborn child, as she said, "I was recording this when I found out I was pregnant!"
As for her plans for Christmas, the Grammy winning singer told, "I usually go to Aspen, but I'm not supposed to go there this year because I can't ski and I can't really do any of that stuff being pregnant. So, I'm just going to have to figure out where else we're going to go."
Source celebrity-gossip
Held as part of the Rockefeller Center's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, the wintertime event will be airing on November 30, 2010.
Meanwhile, in an upcoming interview with Radio Disney's Ernie D, Mariah dished that her new holiday album is for her unborn child, as she said, "I was recording this when I found out I was pregnant!"
As for her plans for Christmas, the Grammy winning singer told, "I usually go to Aspen, but I'm not supposed to go there this year because I can't ski and I can't really do any of that stuff being pregnant. So, I'm just going to have to figure out where else we're going to go."
Source celebrity-gossip
Mariah says christmas album is for the baby
Singer Mariah Carey loves Christmas, and now being pregnant, the holiday is even more special -- and different.
In an interview with Radio Disney's Ernie D to air Nov. 23, Carey said she made her new Christmas album for the baby. "I was recording this when I found out I was pregnant!"
Now Mariah is trying to figure out where to go for the holiday. "I usually go to Aspen, but I'm not supposed to go there this year because I can't ski and I can't really do any of that stuff being pregnant. So, I'm just going to have to figure out where else we're going to go."
The soon-to-be-mom also shared something embarrassing her mom did that Mariah vows never to do. "If I wasn't home on time or something, she would sing my name really loud and I could hear it from way down the street and I will definitely not be doing that."
The interview airs on Radio Disney Tuesday, Nov. 23 (2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET).
Source: Extra TV
In an interview with Radio Disney's Ernie D to air Nov. 23, Carey said she made her new Christmas album for the baby. "I was recording this when I found out I was pregnant!"
Now Mariah is trying to figure out where to go for the holiday. "I usually go to Aspen, but I'm not supposed to go there this year because I can't ski and I can't really do any of that stuff being pregnant. So, I'm just going to have to figure out where else we're going to go."
The soon-to-be-mom also shared something embarrassing her mom did that Mariah vows never to do. "If I wasn't home on time or something, she would sing my name really loud and I could hear it from way down the street and I will definitely not be doing that."
The interview airs on Radio Disney Tuesday, Nov. 23 (2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET).
Source: Extra TV
Step Out In Style With Mariah's New Footwear Available November 29th!
Step out in style this holiday season wearing a pair of Mariah's fabulous new shoes & boots from her new footwear line available exclusively at HSN.
Mariah's super stylish footwear will be available beginning at midnight November 29th on HSNtv with a "sneak peek" on HSN.com starting November 24th!
Put your best foot forward this season wearing fab footwear by Mariah!
Source:mariahcarey.com
Design Diva: Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey has more to worry about than becoming a mother. The songstress, who is launching a footwear line with HSN this month, is trying to make room for her ever-growing shoe collection. Carey dished to Insider that her closets in New York and Los Angeles, which have been showcased on MTV’s “Cribs,” are filled with her most treasured pairs (including a variety of YSL, Chanel and Christian Louboutin heels), displayed on glass shelves, while everything else is organized by color and style. “I definitely save my favorites,” she said. But the mother-to-be is trying to make some changes, welcoming more casual styles to her mix of towering stilettos and platform pumps, per hubby Nick Cannon’s suggestion. “My husband brought me all these flats the other day, which were gorgeous, but kind of not comfortable for me,” she said. “I can tolerate a high-heel shoe for hours on end.” And no matter what’s on her feet, Carey (above with Cannon) said welcoming a new member to the family won’t slow her down at all. “It makes me really want [to design] a maternity line.”
Source: Women’s Wear Daily
Source: Women’s Wear Daily
R&B/Hip-Hop Chart Juice
Mariah Carey kicks off the holiday season with "Merry Christmas II You," which arrives at No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, marking only the second Christmas set to top the chart in its 45-year history. It starts with 55,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's the first holiday effort to reach the summit since Kenny G's "Miracles - The Holiday Album" spent three weeks at the top beginning in the Dec. 24, 1994, issue. Coincidentally, Carey's previous holiday release, "Merry Christmas," peaked at No. 4 in the Dec. 31, 1994, issue, the second week of Kenny G's reign.
With Mariah's debut, Lil Wayne's "I Am Not A Human Being" slips 2-1 despite posting a 5% increase. Eminem's "Recovery" (2-3) and Trey Songz's "Passion, Pain & Pleasure" (3-4) also step down one position each.
Source:Billboard
With Mariah's debut, Lil Wayne's "I Am Not A Human Being" slips 2-1 despite posting a 5% increase. Eminem's "Recovery" (2-3) and Trey Songz's "Passion, Pain & Pleasure" (3-4) also step down one position each.
Source:Billboard
Mariah Carey won’t hire nanny when baby is born
The 40-year-old singer – who announced she is expecting her first child with husband Nick Cannon last month – doesn’t plan to have any help when her new arrival comes.
She said: “I’m going to be hands on, ‘I wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, I’m a having a child, yay! Let me get a nanny so I can give her the baby. Take the kid.’ That doesn’t work for me. I don’t believe in that.”
Mariah has also hinted she is planning to put her career on hold so she can completely focus on her child.
She added to Britain’s OK! magazine: “You can get caught up in Hollywood-land and that’s maybe not the best thing for kids, because they didn’t ask for it. I don’t know that I always felt safe as a child and that’s nobody’s fault. I feel like it’s important to be responsible and to think, well maybe if I do this it’s not the best thing for my child. You have to take a backseat a little bit, and as someone in the public eye you’re not used to doing that.”
Mariah is confident she and Nick, 30, will make great parents, although she isn’t sure if she wants a big family.
She said: “I think we will make good parents and that we will be able to figure out how to do it properly. We’d be happy with one. We’re so busy – if you have six kids running around no one gets what they need. What I want is to have children in a good way, with the right husband, with the right family life.”
Source: CTV
She said: “I’m going to be hands on, ‘I wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, I’m a having a child, yay! Let me get a nanny so I can give her the baby. Take the kid.’ That doesn’t work for me. I don’t believe in that.”
Mariah has also hinted she is planning to put her career on hold so she can completely focus on her child.
She added to Britain’s OK! magazine: “You can get caught up in Hollywood-land and that’s maybe not the best thing for kids, because they didn’t ask for it. I don’t know that I always felt safe as a child and that’s nobody’s fault. I feel like it’s important to be responsible and to think, well maybe if I do this it’s not the best thing for my child. You have to take a backseat a little bit, and as someone in the public eye you’re not used to doing that.”
Mariah is confident she and Nick, 30, will make great parents, although she isn’t sure if she wants a big family.
She said: “I think we will make good parents and that we will be able to figure out how to do it properly. We’d be happy with one. We’re so busy – if you have six kids running around no one gets what they need. What I want is to have children in a good way, with the right husband, with the right family life.”
Source: CTV
Mariah Carey Jingles Away with Top 5 Debut
Mariah Carey received an early Christmas present. The festive diva’s second holiday album in 16 years, Merry Christmas II You, makes a top 5 debut this week on the charts.
Led by the cheery single “Oh Santa!,” the new collection of holiday recordings entered at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with 55,000 copies sold in its first week. This marks Mimi’s 16th album to bow in the top 10, putting her only behind Barbra Streisand (30) and Madonna (19) to have as many albums enter the territory in their first week out.
With a little more than a month to go until Christmas, the expectant mom bests the first week of her 1994 seasonal release Merry Christmas, which debuted at No. 3 with 45,000 units sold. The album went on to sell 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling X-mas CDs of all time.
On the Holiday Singles chart, Mariah holds down the top two spots with “Oh Santa!” and her classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Source: Rap-Up Magazine
Led by the cheery single “Oh Santa!,” the new collection of holiday recordings entered at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with 55,000 copies sold in its first week. This marks Mimi’s 16th album to bow in the top 10, putting her only behind Barbra Streisand (30) and Madonna (19) to have as many albums enter the territory in their first week out.
With a little more than a month to go until Christmas, the expectant mom bests the first week of her 1994 seasonal release Merry Christmas, which debuted at No. 3 with 45,000 units sold. The album went on to sell 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling X-mas CDs of all time.
On the Holiday Singles chart, Mariah holds down the top two spots with “Oh Santa!” and her classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Source: Rap-Up Magazine
Merry Christmas II You Digital only $4.99 @ Amazon
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How Christmas Saved the Music Industry
Both Mariah Carey and Susan Boyle have new holiday albums. Which diva would you rather kiss under the mistletoe?
What do Jessica Simpson, the Indigo Girls, Annie Lennox, the Puppini Sisters, Justin Bieber and the TV show Glee all have in common? Very little, really—aside from the fact they all have Christmas albums due out this year. They are but a handful of the dozens of artists who are cashing in on Yule-time cheer. A market that at one time seemed cornered by the likes of Burl Ives and Bing Crosby is now wide open to anyone who can string the words “Santa” and “Claus” together. Case in point—one of the top-selling Christmas albums of the past decade belongs to Kenny G. No wonder some folks find the holidays depressing.
Amid the deluge of holiday music that comes in November and December, Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas II You and Susan Boyle’s The Gift are poised to make all those other seasonal crooners sound like off-key carolers. Mariah’s album is already out, and Susan’s arrives Nov. 9, just in time to unseat her competitor's. But whose album will dominate this holiday season, and infuse the ailing music industry with a much-needed Christmas miracle?
First, we should establish one thing: Christmas albums are big business, even when they’re not by Mariah or Susan. Consider that one of 2009’s top five albums was a holiday record (Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas) and according to Nielsen Soundscan, Josh Groban’s Noel was the top-selling record of 2007. Songs loaded with mangers and mistletoe are at least one way to make up for everything else that tanked, or was leaked online, in 2010.
“Christmas albums are a guaranteed seller every year, going back to Elvis,” says Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard magazine. “And it does seem like we’re seeing more of them because some recent Christmas albums, specifically Groban’s, have made such a show in the marketplace.”
“Seasonal CDs,” as more serious artists like to refer to them, require very little original material (if any) and the songs are instantly familiar, regardless of whether the listener pitches a tree or lights a menorah each December. Age doesn’t seem to be much of an issue either, since Christmas CDs are aimed at the Nickelodeon crowd as well as eggnog sippers. Still, Caulfield says that “acts who skew older, like Sting, Enya and those Celtic Thunder-type groups, tend to do better because they appeal to a demographic who still buy full albums.”
Which brings us back to Mariah and Susan, who are both over 40. Though each artist's music caters to very different audiences, if the holiday album demographic holds true this year, then Boyle will crush Mariah in the sales category (she’s a hit with the silver crowd). This is only Boyle’s second album and it’s a mix of Christmas and secular songs, so
it has a potential life past New Year’s Day. It also comes on the heels of her massively successful, rags-to-riches debut, I Dreamed a Dream.
But, as holiday music goes, which one of these divine voices will come up with the better Christmas record? Mariah certainly makes it all seem a lot more fun. Produced by Antonio L.A. Reid, her album includes five new songs as well as classics like "Here Comes Santa Claus" and Vince Guaraldi’s "Charlie Brown Christmas." Carey takes a lot of liberties here with traditional fare, opening her CD with an instrumental interlude of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and later singing a “O Little Town of Bethlehem/Drummer Boy” medley.
The traditional numbers work, thanks to her still-quite-amazing voice, and the fact that she now infuses a lot of her personality into her singing—a soul and depth that was absent on a lot of her early work. Her own hip hop/R&B number, “Oh Santa,” is so catchy and joyous, it could become a new standard, just as “All I Want For Christmas is You” was for her in 1994. Sample lyric from “Oh Santa”: “Santa come and make him mine this Christmas,” she sings. “I promise I won’t forget the milk and cookies. I’ve been really good this year, except for those pretzels and that can of beer.”
Sure there are some cheesy moments (it’s a Christmas album, after all), but they are few and far between. The mix of traditional Christmas songs with high-energy R&B, orchestral arrangements and even gospel, keep the CD feeling fresh and diverse. As for spiritual content, she sings the “First Noel" with reverence and soul and even includes Bible verses on her album booklet. Like any urban artist worth her salt, she also thanks God on her CD sleeve.
Who does the devoutly Catholic Susan Boyle thank first in her liner notes? Simon Cowell (who might be more powerful than God). But clearly, Boyle’s faith played a big role in the imagery and songs she chose forThe Gift. Her album cover is a head shot of her staring off longingly toward the Northern Star, except her gaze is a little off so it looks like she’s squinting into headlights instead. The holiday numbers here include “Hallelujah,” “O Holy Night” and “Away in a Manger” while the inspirational numbers are Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” and Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” Interestingly though, all boast the same ambience—lofty, pristine and pure, backed often by an angelic-sounding choir.
Boyle’s voice is of course, stellar, if not a little too perfect. The album lacks a personality of its own, making it pleasant but often boring background music for tempered holiday parties or shopping at the upscale mall. It’s so placid, in fact, it almost feels sad in spots, perhaps to cater to all the people who feel blue over the holidays. Or maybe listeners can project whatever emotion they would like onto it and make it their own (clearly I need antidepressants), because after all, isn’t that what Susan Boyle is all about?
Though Mariah delivers a much more jolly, and joyous, Christmas album, thankfully there is more than one talented diva to pick from this year. All we can ask Santa for now is: please, no more Kenny G albums.
Source:Newsweek
What do Jessica Simpson, the Indigo Girls, Annie Lennox, the Puppini Sisters, Justin Bieber and the TV show Glee all have in common? Very little, really—aside from the fact they all have Christmas albums due out this year. They are but a handful of the dozens of artists who are cashing in on Yule-time cheer. A market that at one time seemed cornered by the likes of Burl Ives and Bing Crosby is now wide open to anyone who can string the words “Santa” and “Claus” together. Case in point—one of the top-selling Christmas albums of the past decade belongs to Kenny G. No wonder some folks find the holidays depressing.
Amid the deluge of holiday music that comes in November and December, Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas II You and Susan Boyle’s The Gift are poised to make all those other seasonal crooners sound like off-key carolers. Mariah’s album is already out, and Susan’s arrives Nov. 9, just in time to unseat her competitor's. But whose album will dominate this holiday season, and infuse the ailing music industry with a much-needed Christmas miracle?
First, we should establish one thing: Christmas albums are big business, even when they’re not by Mariah or Susan. Consider that one of 2009’s top five albums was a holiday record (Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas) and according to Nielsen Soundscan, Josh Groban’s Noel was the top-selling record of 2007. Songs loaded with mangers and mistletoe are at least one way to make up for everything else that tanked, or was leaked online, in 2010.
“Christmas albums are a guaranteed seller every year, going back to Elvis,” says Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard magazine. “And it does seem like we’re seeing more of them because some recent Christmas albums, specifically Groban’s, have made such a show in the marketplace.”
“Seasonal CDs,” as more serious artists like to refer to them, require very little original material (if any) and the songs are instantly familiar, regardless of whether the listener pitches a tree or lights a menorah each December. Age doesn’t seem to be much of an issue either, since Christmas CDs are aimed at the Nickelodeon crowd as well as eggnog sippers. Still, Caulfield says that “acts who skew older, like Sting, Enya and those Celtic Thunder-type groups, tend to do better because they appeal to a demographic who still buy full albums.”
Which brings us back to Mariah and Susan, who are both over 40. Though each artist's music caters to very different audiences, if the holiday album demographic holds true this year, then Boyle will crush Mariah in the sales category (she’s a hit with the silver crowd). This is only Boyle’s second album and it’s a mix of Christmas and secular songs, so
it has a potential life past New Year’s Day. It also comes on the heels of her massively successful, rags-to-riches debut, I Dreamed a Dream.But, as holiday music goes, which one of these divine voices will come up with the better Christmas record? Mariah certainly makes it all seem a lot more fun. Produced by Antonio L.A. Reid, her album includes five new songs as well as classics like "Here Comes Santa Claus" and Vince Guaraldi’s "Charlie Brown Christmas." Carey takes a lot of liberties here with traditional fare, opening her CD with an instrumental interlude of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and later singing a “O Little Town of Bethlehem/Drummer Boy” medley.
The traditional numbers work, thanks to her still-quite-amazing voice, and the fact that she now infuses a lot of her personality into her singing—a soul and depth that was absent on a lot of her early work. Her own hip hop/R&B number, “Oh Santa,” is so catchy and joyous, it could become a new standard, just as “All I Want For Christmas is You” was for her in 1994. Sample lyric from “Oh Santa”: “Santa come and make him mine this Christmas,” she sings. “I promise I won’t forget the milk and cookies. I’ve been really good this year, except for those pretzels and that can of beer.”
Sure there are some cheesy moments (it’s a Christmas album, after all), but they are few and far between. The mix of traditional Christmas songs with high-energy R&B, orchestral arrangements and even gospel, keep the CD feeling fresh and diverse. As for spiritual content, she sings the “First Noel" with reverence and soul and even includes Bible verses on her album booklet. Like any urban artist worth her salt, she also thanks God on her CD sleeve.
Who does the devoutly Catholic Susan Boyle thank first in her liner notes? Simon Cowell (who might be more powerful than God). But clearly, Boyle’s faith played a big role in the imagery and songs she chose forThe Gift. Her album cover is a head shot of her staring off longingly toward the Northern Star, except her gaze is a little off so it looks like she’s squinting into headlights instead. The holiday numbers here include “Hallelujah,” “O Holy Night” and “Away in a Manger” while the inspirational numbers are Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” and Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” Interestingly though, all boast the same ambience—lofty, pristine and pure, backed often by an angelic-sounding choir.
Boyle’s voice is of course, stellar, if not a little too perfect. The album lacks a personality of its own, making it pleasant but often boring background music for tempered holiday parties or shopping at the upscale mall. It’s so placid, in fact, it almost feels sad in spots, perhaps to cater to all the people who feel blue over the holidays. Or maybe listeners can project whatever emotion they would like onto it and make it their own (clearly I need antidepressants), because after all, isn’t that what Susan Boyle is all about?
Though Mariah delivers a much more jolly, and joyous, Christmas album, thankfully there is more than one talented diva to pick from this year. All we can ask Santa for now is: please, no more Kenny G albums.
Source:Newsweek
HITS' Final Album Sales Tally: MCIIY at #4
Mariah's new Christmas album Merry Christmas II You, in its first week of release, landed at #4 with 56,537 copies sold, behind regular albums from Taylor Swift's Speak Now (327,493), Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party (197,428), and Sugarland's Incredible Machine (59,789); #1, #2 and #3, respectively, in Hits Daily Double's final Album Sales tally.
The official album sales figures will be determined by SoundScan whose data apply to the Billboard charts; and will be released later this week.
Source: Hits Daily Double | MariahDailyJournal
The official album sales figures will be determined by SoundScan whose data apply to the Billboard charts; and will be released later this week.
Source: Hits Daily Double | MariahDailyJournal
TeenNick Announces Stars, Winners Participating in This Year's Halo Awards
Mariah Carey, Lauren Huichan and Nick CannonMariah Carey, Rosario Dawson, Wyclef Jean and Ashton Kutcher are participating in the second annual TeenNick Halo Awards, the network told TVGuide.com.The show will recognize four teens for their philanthropic leadership in their respective communities. Each honoree recently was treated to a surprise visit from host and executive producer Nick Cannon and will receive a grant from the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
The winners and matched celebs:
Herold Charles, 18, of Miami, moved to Haiti five years ago, and after last year's devastating earthquake, he dedicated his time to help 25 families in the U.S. locate their loved ones. His match: Jean, who provides scholarships to Haitian children through his Yéle Haiti Foundation.
Joshua Hall, 17, of New York, became an advocate to eradicate child slavery. He's been paired with Kutcher, who started the DNA Foundation to raise awareness about child sex slavery.
Jordan Somer, 16, of Papillion, Neb., created Miss Amazing, a pageant for girls and women aged 5 to 35 with physical and mental disabilities. Her match: Dawson, who's as a board member of V-Day, a global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls.
Lauren Huichan, 18, of Albuquerque, N.M., who was a troubled foster kid for years before getting her life together. She's now the president of the youth advocate group Adelante and works with the New Mexico foster care system. She's been paired with Carey, who works with the Fresh Air Fund, which helps disadvantaged urban youth.
The 2010 Halo Awards air Friday, Dec. 10 at 8/7c, on TeenNick.
Source:TVguide
Mariah Carey's Christmas Celebration Should Not Be Missed
Mariah Carey ushers us into the holiday music season in high style!
Just like her first multi-platinum Christmas album Merry Christmas, this set of traditional carols and new holiday songs should quickly find its place on your seasonal playlist.
Relaxed, Celebratory Feel for Mariah Carey
There is an overall relaxed, comfortable feel to Merry Christmas II You that is very engaging. Some of the best moments evoke a party atmosphere. Oh Santa! is perfect music for a party with friends. Don't be surprised if you find yourself singing along. Mariah Carey's version of music from A Charlie Brown Christmas has an air of relaxed intimacy with breathy, jazzy vocals that will warm your holiday heart. The live version of "O Holy Night" from WPC in south central Los Angeles will cause chills in its live simplicity. It is an opportunity to hear Mariah Carey tackle some deeper, throatier tones
Mariah Carey's Christmas Celebration Should Not Be Missed
This is a Christmas album that should be on most pop fans' must hear list for the 2010 holiday season. Mariah Carey does know her way around Christmas albums.
Source: About.com
Just like her first multi-platinum Christmas album Merry Christmas, this set of traditional carols and new holiday songs should quickly find its place on your seasonal playlist.
Relaxed, Celebratory Feel for Mariah Carey
There is an overall relaxed, comfortable feel to Merry Christmas II You that is very engaging. Some of the best moments evoke a party atmosphere. Oh Santa! is perfect music for a party with friends. Don't be surprised if you find yourself singing along. Mariah Carey's version of music from A Charlie Brown Christmas has an air of relaxed intimacy with breathy, jazzy vocals that will warm your holiday heart. The live version of "O Holy Night" from WPC in south central Los Angeles will cause chills in its live simplicity. It is an opportunity to hear Mariah Carey tackle some deeper, throatier tones
Mariah Carey's Christmas Celebration Should Not Be Missed
This is a Christmas album that should be on most pop fans' must hear list for the 2010 holiday season. Mariah Carey does know her way around Christmas albums.
Source: About.com
Setlist ABC christmas special
1. Santa Clause is Coming to town/Oh Santa
2. When ChrIstmas Comes
3. O little town of Bethlehem/drummer boy
4. Christmas time is in the air
5. Here comes Santa clause
6. Oh holy night
7. Joy to the world
8. Charlie brown Christmas
9. O come all ye faithful/hallelujah chorus (with Patricia Carey!!!!)
10. All I want for Christmas is you
2. When ChrIstmas Comes
3. O little town of Bethlehem/drummer boy
4. Christmas time is in the air
5. Here comes Santa clause
6. Oh holy night
7. Joy to the world
8. Charlie brown Christmas
9. O come all ye faithful/hallelujah chorus (with Patricia Carey!!!!)
10. All I want for Christmas is you
Mariah Carey to Sell Lifestyle Collection on HSN — Live on TV!
With a successful fragrance franchise under her belt and her first baby on the way, Mariah Carey already has plenty on her plate, but that’s not stopping the multi-platinum star from gearing up to launch her first lifestyle line of sparkly baubles, shoes and limited-edition fragrance for HSN on Nov. 29. And Mariah fans will not be disappointed.
From the pave-set “initial” pendants to the crystal-encrusted butterfly earrings, the collection is signature Mariah. “From the inception of working with Elizabeth Arden, I wanted the fragrances to represent what I really like,” Mariah tells WWD. “It really opened my eyes and opened the doors for me in terms of starting to think about going into other creative ventures.” And although it comes as no shock that the high-heel queen would extend her creativity to shoes–her line includes fur-trimmed suede boots and quilted nylon boots–she admits that jewelry wasn’t always on her radar.
“I never even used to wear jewelry. I used to wear baby earrings, tiny things,” she said, but once she was influenced by HSN’s resident fashionistas, she was sold. And with 20 years of performing in the bag, Mariah’s Nov. 29 TV time isn’t striking any nerves, telling WWD, “I think it’s just about being yourself, explaining the different products and enjoying yourself.”
Source: HSN
From the pave-set “initial” pendants to the crystal-encrusted butterfly earrings, the collection is signature Mariah. “From the inception of working with Elizabeth Arden, I wanted the fragrances to represent what I really like,” Mariah tells WWD. “It really opened my eyes and opened the doors for me in terms of starting to think about going into other creative ventures.” And although it comes as no shock that the high-heel queen would extend her creativity to shoes–her line includes fur-trimmed suede boots and quilted nylon boots–she admits that jewelry wasn’t always on her radar.
“I never even used to wear jewelry. I used to wear baby earrings, tiny things,” she said, but once she was influenced by HSN’s resident fashionistas, she was sold. And with 20 years of performing in the bag, Mariah’s Nov. 29 TV time isn’t striking any nerves, telling WWD, “I think it’s just about being yourself, explaining the different products and enjoying yourself.”
Source: HSN
Billboard Projection: Mariah’s Merry Christmas II You
Mariah Carey’s second Christmas album, “Merry Christmas II You,” could move around 50,000 to 60,000, placing it in the top five on the chart. While those figures seem a bit smallish for Carey (her last album, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel,” bowed with 168,000 at No. 3), keep in mind that Holiday efforts tend to start slower than regular studio sets, and then build larger sales weeks in the march towards the Christmas holiday. If “Merry” performs to expectations this week, it would mark the diva’s 16th top 10 set. Among women, only Barbra Streisand (with 30) and Madonna (19) have had more.
Source:Billboard
Source:Billboard
Review: Mariah’s Merry Christmas II You
When you’ve already put out one beloved and (dare we say it) almost timeless holiday album, the stakes are high. But Mariah has the diva chops to pull off II. The old familiars are bolstered by Mariah’s still-impressive voice: The sky-scraping live cut of “O Holy Night” sounds as if the centuries-old carol was written for her and the duet with her opera singer mama will warm any grinch’s heart. But it’s the originals that make a Mariah Christmas a cut above the usual Yule fluff: See “Oh Santa!,” which balances heady holiday joy and hip-hop cool and has “new classic” written all over it.
Source: Rhapsody
Source: Rhapsody
Order now Mariah Carey Merry Christmas II You signed copy
Mariah Carey is releasing an exclusive collector’s edition of her new Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You. The first 500 purchased are autographed by Mariah herself. This is the perfect gift for any avid Mariah Carey fan and includes not only the album, but Mariah’s personal holiday photo album, an exclusive “MC” Butterfly Ornament, 8 Mariah Carey gift tags, and an instant MP3 download of the single, “Oh Santa!” The standard CD and MP3 versions are also available this holiday season.Out now! Order here
Mariah Carey Won’t ‘Impose’ Pink on Her Daughter
Mariah Carey doesn’t know the sex of her unborn baby, but she does know that she’s not going the predictable pink or blue route for the nursery.
“I’m not going to impose pink on a girl,” Carey says on Tuesday’s Ellen DeGeneres Show. “Do you think I’m really going to go that hard with it? That’s how you get the exact opposite.”
DeGeneres doesn’t buy her protests, however. “When that baby comes out you’re going to have high heels on it like immediately,” she tells Carey. “Little, tiny high heel shoes on that baby.”
In a guessing mood, even though Carey and husband Nick Cannon aren’t, DeGeneres asks, “Can I guess the sex? Do you mind?”
“I would prefer not,” Carey says. “Because imagine if you’re a baby inside someone’s body. Do you really want someone imposing their sex ideas on you? Not really? I’m just saying. Would you want them to be like it’s definitely a girl … would you?
Carey, 41, finally announced her pregnancy last week and says she still feels sick now and then. “I get a little nauseous,” she says. “It’s like a constant ugh.”
Source: People Magazine
“I’m not going to impose pink on a girl,” Carey says on Tuesday’s Ellen DeGeneres Show. “Do you think I’m really going to go that hard with it? That’s how you get the exact opposite.”
DeGeneres doesn’t buy her protests, however. “When that baby comes out you’re going to have high heels on it like immediately,” she tells Carey. “Little, tiny high heel shoes on that baby.”
In a guessing mood, even though Carey and husband Nick Cannon aren’t, DeGeneres asks, “Can I guess the sex? Do you mind?”
“I would prefer not,” Carey says. “Because imagine if you’re a baby inside someone’s body. Do you really want someone imposing their sex ideas on you? Not really? I’m just saying. Would you want them to be like it’s definitely a girl … would you?
Carey, 41, finally announced her pregnancy last week and says she still feels sick now and then. “I get a little nauseous,” she says. “It’s like a constant ugh.”
Source: People Magazine
Mariah on flat shoes?
Nick just brought me home like 20 pairs of FLATS on his eternal quest to convert me..! Lol
Soiurce:Mariah at Twitter
Mariah Carey readies for next stage: A baby, Christmas album
Don't expect to see less of Mariah Carey now that she's pregnant."Actually, I suppose that you'll be seeing more of me — when you see me," Carey quips.
The singer laughs easily, shortly after confirming what had long been rumored: that she is, at 40, expecting her first child. Carey and her husband of 2 ½ years, America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon, 30, broke the news in an interview that aired Thursday in part on Today.
Though it has been reported that she is about four months along, all Carey will say is that she's expecting in the spring. 'We don't know the sex yet," she adds. "I guess we should find out. But people didn't used to find out, you know."
Carey does allow that she already was pregnant while working on Merry Christmas II You, which she delivers Tuesday. It's her second holiday album and features a new version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You," her smash hit from 1994's Merry Christmas. The original version is No. 2 on Billboard's holiday chart, while the similarly bubbly new single Oh Santa– one of four new tunes on II You– is at No. 1.
"I was recording up to the last minute it was due" – the album, that is. "It was down to the wire," she says.
"I was staying up 24 hours a day, doing 'Auld Lang Syne' in one take. I just shot a video last night with my mom," former opera singer Patricia Carey, whose lustrous mezzo-soprano graces a medley of 'O Come All Ye Faithful' and 'The Hallelujah Chorus.'
"I've spoken about my mother's influence my whole life," Carey says. "So this was like coming full circle." And there's still more work to do: This weekend, Carey will tape a holiday TV special, Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You, to air Dec. 13 on ABC.
Asked if morning sickness or exhaustion has complicated all this activity, Carey says: "It's more this constant feeling of ugh. There's always a little bit of nausea, but throwing up is bad for your voice – the reflux is terrible &ndash so I've been trying to just keep calm, get through it."
Keeping a secret is 'stressful'
Carey concedes in a phone conversation that she had some anxiety about making her pregnancy public. "I can't remember the last time I was that nervous before an interview. I never get that way. But I had all this promotion (for the album) coming up, and it was like, how do we keep not saying anything? Honestly, I would have much rather waited before I had a party with the world about this. But you can only keep a secret for so long; it becomes stressful."
Carey had suffered a miscarriage, and "after our experience, Nick and I were careful to not just go off and call everybody the first time we took a pregnancy test." But her reluctance owed more generally to a desire for privacy. "I like to keep personal things personal. But I've learned there's not much that's personal in this business."
Dina Sansing, entertainment director for Us Weekly magazine, observes that Carey's condition "was the worst-kept secret out there. People had been speculating for months."
Sansing expects that the press will document this mom-to-be's progress as avidly as they have that of any expectant celeb lately. "Mariah is beloved by many, and she's had this crazy life that we've all followed. We're excited to see her take this next step, and we want to be a part of it."
Sansing adds that the pregnancy could make Carey, who has sold more than 63 million albums in her career, "more relatable. With someone who's such a superstar, there's always a question of, is she a diva, or one with the people? This makes her one of us. And it solidifies Nick and her as a couple."
Carey says her marriage to Cannon was a huge factor in her decision to have a baby.
"I would have never done this if I wasn't in a strong, grounded relationship. I know you can do it by yourself. I've seen that, and it's fine if it works for you," she says. "But I want my child to experience having a mother and father who live together and love each other, to feel secure in that."
Decorating a nursery will not be a problem for Carey, who is known for her love of butterflies and other fun, frolicsome things.
"Come on, this is me. I already have a Hello Kitty bathroom," she says.
But she says she's not unconcerned about the cosmetic changes that pregnancy brings. "It's hard when you have to be in the public eye, and everybody's a size 2 or a size 0. And you're like, 'Oh, I remember those days!' "
A creative outlet
Then there's the simple matter of resting. "That's the plan, to relax after the holidays. But as
Nick says, it's just not realistic to try to get me to not do anything." This month she will launch a lifestyle collection on the Home Shopping Network, featuring shoes, jewelry and a fragrance. "I was looking at the boots, and they're really hot. So that will be an outlet for me, a way that I can keep being creative."She's also keen to promote the new album. Its holiday predecessor has sold more than 5 million copies in 16 years. Carey executive-produced this successor with label chief and longtime creative associate Antonio "L.A." Reid. Track producers include other colleagues such as Jermaine Dupri and American Idol's Randy Jackson.
Jackson introduced Carey to another key member of the II You team: composer/lyricist/arranger Marc Shaiman, a prolific and witty veteran of theater, film and television. Shaiman co-wrote two tracks with Carey, "Christmas Time Is in the Air Again and One Child," and was a principal force in shaping the arrangements and orchestrations.
Shaiman and Carey bonded in part over a mutual affection for the Woody Allen movie Bullets Over Broadway. "I'd be quoting all the characters, doing all the voices," Carey recalls. "Marc is just hilarious. His e-mails are not to be believed. He's Jewish, and when we did 'One Child,' I said I wanted to make it about the Nativity. And at one point, he was like, 'Wait a minute – there's a king involved here?'"
When she first met Shaiman, "I told him that I was going for a classic feeling. I wanted the music to feel timeless, so that you couldn't pinpoint it as 2010."
For music critic J.D. Considine, a contributor to Canada's Globe and Mail, this approach is in keeping with the sensibility that made Carey's Merry Christmas "a classic holiday album – and there have been very few recorded in the past 30 years. Where so many artists try to avoid tradition and just make the Christmas carols sound like their current work, Mariah made an album that people would want to play at Christmas."
The holiday's true meaning
Carey says that flavor is even more pronounced on II You.
"It's festive and fun, but a lot of it is also spiritual in content. I wanted to address the real meaning of Christmas, with songs like 'The First Noel' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'," she says. "I think some people are scared to discuss what the holiday really means. I'm not trying to convert anybody (to Christianity). I'm just saying, this is me, this is what I feel."
In fact, the New Testament is cited in the album notes, with two excerpts from the Gospel of Luke.
The first begins, "This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." The second reads simply, "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
The baby is Jesus, of course. But the second quote, Carey allows, has special resonance, attached to the infant she'll soon be bundling up herself.
"I always love this time of year," she says. "Whether it's a good time or a bad time, I'm never just going to mope around on Christmas. But this year will be exceptionally meaningful. I'm just so grateful for everything."
Source: USA Today
ABC to Feature Mariah Carey in Holiday Special, 12/13
From the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, ABC Television Network presents international superstar Mariah Carey in the music special, “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET). The special will feature Mariah performing songs from her new holiday album, Merry Christmas II You, available Tuesday, November 2nd on the Island Def Jam Music Group.
Viewers are in for a special treat as Carey sings unforgettable renditions of yuletide classics and original tunes, including her new holiday hit, “Oh, Santa!” In the spirit of giving, the program will also feature Carey surprising some very special fans and helping to make their wishes come true.
Joel Gallen will direct the special and serve as executive producer alongside Carey.
Carey’s new holiday CD, Merry Christmas II You, is her 13th studio album and features a selection of traditional yuletide classics + 4 original songs composed by her (including first single “Oh Santa!”) and a brand new recording of her all-time standard, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Merry Christmas II You follows up her worldwide multi-million-selling Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (released September 2009), her multi-platinum E=MC? (2008), and worldwide 10 million selling The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The Emancipation of Mimi generated three Grammy Awards (including Best Contemporary R&B Album), two #1 singles, and countless more honors during its 18-month chart stay. Soundscan’s biggest-selling album of 2005, Mimi, featured “We Belong Together” (Grammy winner for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song) and “Don’t Forget About Us,” Carey’s 16th and 17th #1 career singles, respectively. They tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley’s 17 #1’s.
Three years later, Carey surpassed Elvis when “Touch My Body” (from E=MC?) became her 18th #1 Hot 100 hit. “Touch My Body” spent two weeks at the top, Carey’s 78th and 79th cumulative career weeks at #1, which tied Elvis’ long-standing all-time high of 79 weeks at #1, as calculated by Billboard. Carey is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits. The success of E=MC? brought total sales of Carey’s albums, singles and videos to more than 200 million worldwide, distancing her even further from the pack as the top-selling female recording artist in history.
Source: broadway world
Viewers are in for a special treat as Carey sings unforgettable renditions of yuletide classics and original tunes, including her new holiday hit, “Oh, Santa!” In the spirit of giving, the program will also feature Carey surprising some very special fans and helping to make their wishes come true.
Joel Gallen will direct the special and serve as executive producer alongside Carey.
Carey’s new holiday CD, Merry Christmas II You, is her 13th studio album and features a selection of traditional yuletide classics + 4 original songs composed by her (including first single “Oh Santa!”) and a brand new recording of her all-time standard, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Merry Christmas II You follows up her worldwide multi-million-selling Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (released September 2009), her multi-platinum E=MC? (2008), and worldwide 10 million selling The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The Emancipation of Mimi generated three Grammy Awards (including Best Contemporary R&B Album), two #1 singles, and countless more honors during its 18-month chart stay. Soundscan’s biggest-selling album of 2005, Mimi, featured “We Belong Together” (Grammy winner for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song) and “Don’t Forget About Us,” Carey’s 16th and 17th #1 career singles, respectively. They tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley’s 17 #1’s.
Three years later, Carey surpassed Elvis when “Touch My Body” (from E=MC?) became her 18th #1 Hot 100 hit. “Touch My Body” spent two weeks at the top, Carey’s 78th and 79th cumulative career weeks at #1, which tied Elvis’ long-standing all-time high of 79 weeks at #1, as calculated by Billboard. Carey is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits. The success of E=MC? brought total sales of Carey’s albums, singles and videos to more than 200 million worldwide, distancing her even further from the pack as the top-selling female recording artist in history.
Source: broadway world
Mariah Carey to Celebrate Holiday Season with TV Special
Impending motherhood isn't slowing Mariah Carey down.The songbird, 41, will appear in an ABC special, Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You, to air Dec. 13 (9 p.m. ET).
Carey will sing from the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles, performing classics and other songs from her new holiday album, Merry Christmas II You.
The show will also feature the multi-Grammy winner surprising fans by granting their special wishes.
Source:People
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