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.”
August 15th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Wow, that’s great. Mariah has always been my second fave artist right after Aretha Franklin. Who cares about Whitney-can’t-sing-anymore, LOL?
Can’t wait to hear her new album.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
great… second single will be amazing…
I can’t imagine…
MARIAH IS THE BEST
August 15th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Hey klos, first single!!!
August 15th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Obsessed is doing amazingly well on radio.
It’s already #11 on the overall national airplay chart and a soon-to-be billboard top10 smash.
It’s currently #13 on itunes.
Can’t say much for Whitney Houston.
3 FLOP singles in a row – worst comeback in history!
I can’t wait to hear mariah’s new single.
Obsessed was so HOT over summertime!
Mariah has the greatest voice of our generation. She is going to sing her butt off in the next single!
Mariah also has a new movie coming out “Precious”.
It’s already getting oscar buzz and has swept all the awards at the film festivals.
I’m so excited for Mariah.
August 16th, 2009 at 12:31 am
wow so i guess obsessed is only gonna be considered a buzz single but it is doing well i guess its just not taking off as idj would have liked makes sense to regroup i do hope al of the songs she did will be on the cd as well as the new three or four im sure she adding theo already long list of material she has i think mariah should give us a double album just putt all the songs into one release have one disk ne ballads and one be the mid to high tempo songs and label that cd stone cold grooves lol just an idea mimi
August 16th, 2009 at 1:11 am
emancipation wasnt her biggest hits. daydream and music box was her bigget album. her album is shaping up to be her new butterfly for 09
August 16th, 2009 at 2:05 am
[...] | Tags: Diva, Mariah Carey, Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, News, R&B Here’s a quote from Showbiz411.com with the important parts bolded: “Mariah Carey—despite idiotic postings elsewhere—is [...]
August 16th, 2009 at 2:36 am
As much as i like Obsessed i think it should be pulled back as a single outside of the US since it doesn’t seem to work.Here in the Netherlands many feel like Mariah should act, dress and make songs like the almost 40-years old woman that she is.
So a big ballad might be a good idea, since her last top 10 hits here were We belong together and Through the rain.
On the other hand that is just about commercial success, most important thing is that Mariah herself likes whatever she does.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:45 am
[...] 411’s Roger Friedman reports that Mariah will release a “powerhouse ballad along the lines of ‘Vision of [...]
August 16th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Roger Friedman said in May 2004: “It was only three short years ago that Mariah Carey’s career was in the toilet. But she seems to have forgotten that. Last week, Carey fired her longtime publicist, Cindi Berger, of powerhouse firm PMK HBH, because – I am told – she held her responsible for a stupid, unchecked gossip item that ran in a local newspaper.” (http://www.mcarchives.com/news/spec.asp?id=3664)
So how can Cindi be responsible for the success of an album that came out a year later?
August 16th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Man, MC knows how to lay it on thick and put on some boots just like her little flock. She is just trying to change herself cause Whitney is back and the ONLY reason she is doing that is because she is flopping all around. This is as lame as her trying to say Obsessed wasn’t about Eminem. This wack woman must really think that people are just so stupid and believes everything she says. Desperation has set in. Not a first single…whatever. It wasn’t a first single cause most people thought it was pathetic for her to even address a faded rap star. Doesn’t matter who you hire Mariah, it’s YOU that has to change and make good music again (Even though your voice is shot now) and stop putting yourself out there like a streetwalker. This is going to flop big time and she knows it. With Madonna and Whitney out at the same time, they have what Mariah doesn’t…class and relevancy. And Roger…isn’t this one of the reasons you were fired from Fox Ent because you were so biased when it came to this clown?
August 16th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Looks like Sept. 29th is shaping up to be quite a day for releasing new CD’s. At this point its Mariah and Madonna but don’t forget Barbra Streisand who is releasing an album of Jazz flavored standards produced by the talented Diana Krall. Word is that this is Barbra’s best work since “The Broadway Album”. Apparently Barbra is going to promote this set big time starting with a a free intimate live concert at the famed Village Vanguard in NYC.
The September 2009 CD race begins between Whitney, Mariah, Madonna and Barbra! Actually this is not about winning, these four diva’s have secure legends and are all very talented in their own way. Let’s be glad they are working and producing major product. I think Barbra is going to really surprise us with a major reinvention on her new “Love is the Answer” CD.
August 16th, 2009 at 11:48 am
@Jessica – Obsessed hasn’t flopped. it debuted at no. 11 and remained in the top 20 of the billboard hot 100 charts ever since. Now tell me what no. did Madonna’s “celebration” single and Whitney’s “I look to you” debut? You negate your point that Madonna and Whitney are relevant when their singles haven’t even done well on the charts. Madonna is not relevant anymore. Her last CD failed to make an impact in the US and she only released 2 singles only one of which made it into the top 20 singles of the hot 100 but only because Justin Timberlake was attached to it. Also, how do you say Madonna is classy when she is more worried about working out and parading around with a boy from Brazil while she neglects the children she adopted?
August 16th, 2009 at 11:57 am
@James, you are the perfect example of what I am talking about. Relevancy has NOTHING to do with album sales, singles, or anything else materialistic. Madonna (who I dislike) and Whitney (who can no longer sing herself that well, but she still comes off classy and mature) have made an imprint in music. Their music will withstand time. Mariah’s doesn’t and won’t. Not one song of hers is considered a timeless classic nor does it “mean” anything in the world of music. Mariah sells a lot of records…period. That’s all she does. Lambs always measure Mariah’s importance in terms of sales or the 18 #1’s (That were severely padded, discounted, and payolaed to get there) because that is all you have. If we are to apply that to the equation, fine. Mariah is US only. Whitney and Madonna…actual legends who again, are respected and have made their own imprint and “Brand” are worldwide.
Mariah can’t touch what they have done for popular music and she never did after she forgot about her art and only cared about her sales. Sorry, but that’s just the way I and other people that I have discussed this with, feel. When Mariah is done with music, she will be forgotten and not mentioned in the same breath as the greats, which is sad.
August 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
@Jessica
You, my friend, truly are delusional. I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea that you think that Mariah hasn’t made a significant impact in the world of music – but I simply cannot. Mariah has influenced many, many young artists of today, and they give her credit. Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Jordin Sparks, Beyonce and plenty of other young great singers have said, time and time again, that Mariah Carey is a main influence in their careers. Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Mary J. Blige, Luther Vandross, and others have hailed Mariah as one of the greats. Aretha has even covered a few of Mariah’s songs! Mariah is the only “older” artist that has managed to stay relevent, so your point of relevency is completely screwed. Madonna is an old, disgusting, leg-spreading hag, and Whitney has not been relevent since “My Love Is Your Love,” which was 11 years ago. If spreading your legs on stage, and being a crazy crackhead who is trying to make a comback is classy and relevent, then no, Mariah is not classy nor relavent. As Stevie Wonder said, “She has the ability to be sexy, but not so much that you think it’s getting too crazy. It’s a sexy classiness. The whole thing with her song Touch My Body is that she keeps it acceptable and has fun with it. And Mariah didn’t break all those sales records just because she’s beautiful. She has perseverance and consistency. You need the two: the ability to keep going and the ability to keep doing the right thing. When people talk about the great influential singers, they talk about Aretha, Whitney and Mariah. That’s a testament to her talent.” Source: The 2008 TIME 100
And if being in the top 15 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 without promotion is a flop, then I would love to have a flop!
And as far as international success goes: Mariah is the most popular American artist in Asia, and continues to be one of the most covered, and loved, in European shows with a similar format to American Idol. Sales/hits HAVE to be counted when talking about relevency: she didn’t sell over 200 million records in the US alone.
Like it or not, Mariah WILL be mentioned in the same breath as the “greats.” And there is nothing you can do about it. Deal with it.
Peace.
August 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
[...] Source « Bronx Day Festival Webisode, With Zewdy & More! [...]
August 16th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
The way I see it Jessica, she will be remembered. No one can mention Whitney Houston without thinking about Mariah Carey. Just as anyone that speaks about Mariah Carey thinks about Whitney.. “Hero” is a timeless classic. “Vision of Love” is a timeless classic. “We Belong Together” is a timeless classic.. You wanna’ talk about having a brand? You know what will be said about Mariah Carey in years to come? SHE WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO COME OUT WITH A SONG TO APPEAL TO TODAY’S LISTENERS. Now a days, Whitney Houston is remembered for “I Will Always Love You” and I Wanna’ Dance With Somebody”. Mariah’s brand is ever changing. It progresses to appeal with what ppl listen to now a days. I’m not knocking Whitney for doing the same old style. But as a person evolves, so does their art/music. I’ve heard her new album and I’m not impressed at all.. And by the way, Madonna is another example of progression. She can still appeal to today’s listeners. I bet you Whitney won’t gain any new fans from this album release.
August 16th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
To Olivia…Whitney can’t sing anymore? Agreed, it’s not what it was but Mariah truly stopped singing around Music Box. She now whispers, whispers, whispers and talks with this newfound RnB sound that destroyed what she use to do. I use to LOVEEEEEE Mariah and she lost me when she went total black and stopped putting actual music in her songs, started dressing like a hooker, and made videos with cornrows in her hair. But I have to be accepting to the fact that she’s half black. Start singing again with that amazing voice, put some clothes on, and stop singing about touching her body and maybe she could come back.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
I’m a die hard MC fan to the heart. Why do we create this unnecessary cruel comparison between these women? Shouldn’t we just enjoy the fact they put out great music rather than slam who they are personally? I’ll make my purchasing decisions when I hear the albums.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I didn’t know Whitney Houston was a singer. I always thought she’s a reality tv star. Ooops, that means she must be so popular people don’t know she used to sing 100 years ago.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
MARIAH CAREY:18# 1′S SALES: MORE THAN 200 MILLIONS WORLDWIDE PLUS SHE IS A SONGWRITER!!!
MADONNA:12 #1′S 200 MILLIONS
WHITNEY: 11 # 1′S 100 MILLIONS
MARIAH WINS AND SHE’S DONE ALL THAT IN MUCH LESS TIME!!! MADONNA STARTED HER CAREER AT 1982, WHITNEY 1985 AND MARIAH AT 1990! NOW WHO IS THE BEST? YOU PEOPLE LIVE IN DENIAL! I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU! ABD YOU TRULY ARE OBSESSED WITH THE # 1 SINGER OF ALL TIME.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Cindy Berger wasn’t Mariah’s publicist for The Emancipation of Mimi… it was Marvet Britto. And…. I think we can all agree that MARIAH was responsible for making TEOM such a success and not some publicist.
August 16th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
You all can banter back and forth all you want but Barbra Streisand started it all. Barbra paved the way for all of em from Bette, Liza, Diana, Olivia, Madonna, Whitney, Mariah and Celine.
August 16th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
WOW!!!….Some of the comments on here are pretty nasty…Bastian says that Whitney has has three singles to flop and to my knowledge no single has officially been released….at least not according to her own website, and won’t be until 08/31…Both Mariah and Whitney have their own styles and approach to music…Mariah tends to lean to a more pop sound and Whitney seems to have a more r&b flavor to what she does…I for one can’t wait to here Whitney’s new disc as well as all of the dances mixes that always come afterwards….WELCOME BACK WHITNEY!!!!
August 16th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
@ Jessica seems to be biased. You don’t have to like Mariah Carey to know that she is relevant and yes, a legend. Forgotten if she stops making music? No. She’s been doing this successfully for about 20 years and practically every female American Idol contestant mentions her as their inspiration (It’s actaully annoying). No classic songs? I disagree. “Hero”, “One Sweet Day”, “All I Want For Christmas is You”, and pop radio stations everywhere can’t stop playing “Always Be My Baby as a filler song”…for 13 years! And those are only a few that quickly come to mind.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:23 am
[...] Carey is reportedly gearing up for her Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel [...]
August 17th, 2009 at 8:18 am
@Jessica…
honey, please…mariah, irrelevant? HAHAHAHA!
“Their music will withstand time. Mariah’s doesn’t and won’t. Not one song of hers is considered a timeless classic nor does it “mean” anything in the world of music.”
This comment of yours is very immature. What music world are you talking about? Maybe in your music world she is irrelevant because obviously you don’t like her. You can’t even accept that her songs like vision of love, one sweet day, hero, always be my baby, love takes time, fantasy and so many more are TIMELESS.
Wake up honey. Wake up.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Even with album sales, Madonna is obviously more relevant. Hard Candy sold 3.5 million worldwide, while Mariah’s last effort sold around 2 M, a lot of people forget that there is a whole world outside US. Europe, as a whole, is a bigger market than US, especially nowadays.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Good catch, MC! Another misstatement from Friedman: “Obsession” will NOT be the first single from the CD? It already IS! You can’t pull something back because it’s not performing as well as you wanted… unless you’re pulling that cut from the actual album! Stupid double talk!
August 17th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Also dont forget about ‘ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS FOR YOU’ which year after year becomes one of the favorites recurrents christmas songs every year. The Album and single sell thousands each year during the holdiays! MARIAH is definitely a Legend and in the likes of Chakka Khan, Aretha, Stevie, ETC….In this evolving world , she contiues to peak our interest and stay relevant!
August 27th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
[...] it’s gaining steam, buzz gets put out hyping up the NEXT single as being EPIC and MONUMENTAL. Roger Friedman even went so far as to dismiss “Obsessed” as “a summer trifle,” while [...]
September 28th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Jessica is right. Mariah does not compare with Whitney or Madonna. And Luciano, last I heard, Whitney’s album sales are at 145 million, not 100 million. First of all, you all must remember, Mariah and Madonna make music that’s for the 15-34 age bracket, the biggest market of music buyers in America. Whitney makes music for the 15-70 year old age bracket; but people in their 50s and 60s tend to buy less music so she’s at a disadvantage. Yes, it is a disadvantage she choses, but it does make her more musically appreciated in the industry, and also a legend than if she were to just cater to a teen and young adult market, and ignore eveyone over 40. She makes genuine music and never resulted to throwing a rapper in every other song, and yet she is more “real” and a home-girl than Mariah is! Secondly, Madonna and Whitney have toured like real musical acts. They have toured the world over and over while Mariah has done three baby tours. One of Madonna’s or Whitney’s tours alone is much longer than all three of Mariah’s tours added together… and that’s a shame. And as for albums, I won’t count their new releases, but if you count all other studio, soundtracks, greatest hits, specialty albums, and every other kind of album: Madonna has released 20, 200 million sold; Mariah has released 17, 170 million sold; and Whitney has released 11, 145 million sold. So although Whitney has sold less than Mariah, Whitney averages 13,000,000 copies sold per album, while Mariah averages 10 million sold per album. So Whitney is a bigger money generator for her company than Mariah as Whitney’s label has made more money with less investment. And the fact that Whitney has sold so many albums with few releases and is not that far behind Mariah (who caters to a pop crowd), well that speaks volumes.
October 17th, 2009 at 4:30 am
[...] first official single is said to be a powerhouse ballad along the lines of “Vision of Love.” {Source} Oh Mariah. I do find it hilarious that the oh-so-used explanation for a single under-performing [...]