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MCWNO EXCLUSIVE MARIAH SPEAKS OUT TO "EXTRA" 
On April 23, 2001 at 7:00 P.M. (Eastern Time), the television show "Extra!" will interview Mariah. This will be her first televised interview on American TV in almost a half-year. Mariah will discuss the love of her life, Luis Miguel and how his love has changed her life around. She will also speak of her latest project, "All That Glitters". "Extra!" is a syndicated program, so you will have to refer to your local listings for the exact network and time, as it varies from region to region. Regardless, MCWNO will keep you updated on this topic and will hopefully bring forth sound files and captures once the program has aired.
In the mean time, here are some brand new photos of Mariah and Luis in Spain. They are taken from EsMas Online and Rincón Latino. Click each thumbnail for a larger view.
APRIL 21, 2001 SPANISH SPELL: LUIS CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY WITH MARIAH
After unfolding their affection before the eyes of the public and the lenses of the paparazzi in a yacht in southern Spain, Luis Miguel celebrated his 31 birthday with his love, Mariah Carey. We do not if it was the bracelet or Mariah, but both caused tremendous commotion in the Babylonian restaurant. And to lose some of the weight from the mounds of food they ate, they went dancing until dawn.
The couple was not satisfied with covering each other with kisses and embraces on the cover of a yacht in the coasts of Marbella before the lenses of the international press, paparazzi and bystanders, days ago. That was only the beginning of celebrations of the existence of the Mexican vocalist that has extended out several days as well as nights. Their appearances in nightclubs of this popular port in southern Spain have caused great commotion.
They had a “no diet” rule in order to continue the celebration. They went strongly guarded to the Babylonian restaurant, property of Olivia Valere. Very calmly they tasted several plates and, as it is worth the diet to them, they finalized with a cream cake and chocolate with candles. Mariah Carey took advantage of the moment to sing to her beloved a version of “Happy Birthday” to the rhythm of the mariachi. The remaining couples at the table joined in to sing to him, as a choir. But that was not the only courtesy that they had with the distinguished guests. All with pleasure acceded to put out their cigarettes at the request of the pop vocalist, since smoke affects her throat – and also to dance!
According to information supplied by the employees of the place, Mariah exhibited her expensive bracelet. If that was a gift from Luismi to his fiancée, then what is left to surprised her with? After eating, they lined up towards a nightclub until 3 in the morning, when they left their refuge, a luxurious boat that is anchored in the beautiful coasts of Malaga.
(Taken From: Rincón Latino) (Translation: Will Ward) APRIL 21, 2001 THE SCOOP WITH MARIAH
If Mariah Carey has her way, the sweatpants skirt will soon be all the rage. The sweatpants skirt? Yup, a pair of old sweatpants reconfigured into a jaunty mini. The songbird is hoping that the style just might do for “All That Glitters” (her upcoming film set in the ‘80s) what that little off-the-shoulder top did for “Flashdance” back in ’83. It’s no big surprise that the pop diva’s wardrobe for the movie, due this August, is long on the short skirts. But bet you didn’t know why: According to the film’s costume designer Joe Aulisi, nature has blessed Carey with an oh-so-fetching “dimple” on one of her legs, and she loves to show it off.
(Taken From: People) APRIL 21, 2001 VOICES CAREY: ALL THAT GLITTERS Starring: Mariah Carey, Max Beesley, Ann Magnuson, Eric Benét, Shawntae Harris (a.k.a. Da Brat) Written by: Kate Lanier Directed by: Vondie Curtis Hall What’s The Big Deal? Could it do for Carey what "The Rose" did for Bette Midler?
When Hall (Gridlock’d) got the call asking if he wanted to direct pop star Mariah Carey in her first starring role, his response was immediate and heartfelt: No. "Being an actor, I had this initial sort of prejudice about people who are not [actors]," says the filmmaker. "I knew Mariah was a great singer, but I didn’t know if she could act." After viewing a screen test Carey had done, he changed his mind. The resulting film follows a "Funny Girl"/"A Star Is Born" template, the twist being this time the heroine is a musically gifted New York homegirl.
Beesley, who plays Carey’s love interest, says she was "pleasantly surprised" at how natural an actress she was. "She just blew everything out the window with a very emotional performance."” So, okay, she can act as well as sing. And you may have noticed she’s a looker, too. Which leads us to an unavoidable question: Does she do a nude scene? "No," laughs Hall, who aimed for a PG rating. "But she does expose her bare midriff a lot." That’s out gal! (Aug. 31)
(Taken From: Entertainment Weekly) APRIL 21, 2001 JANET ON NEW ALBUM, DIVORCE
Janet Jackson cleared up several rumors about her private life and career during a one-hour interview at Canadian video station MuchMusic in Toronto on April 19th -- among them a hot off-the-gossip-mill report that she's peeved that Mariah Carey, who just signed to Virgin Records (Jackson's label), will be making more money per album. Carey will reportedly get $23.5 million, while Jackson gets $10 million.
"That is so untrue," said Jackson. "I just found out that somebody made this rumor up in New York. I sent Mariah flowers saying, 'Welcome to the family.' I'm happy for her."
Wearing blue jeans and asymmetrical off-one-shoulder white tank top, her hair pulled all off her face in a bun and secured by a black headband, Jackson -- whose new album, All for You, hits stores next week --fielded questions from media and fans alike.
One fan asked Jackson how she feels about newspaper reports that her ex-husband, Rene Elizondo Jr., might reveal private details about her life in a book. The couple was married for eight years, a secret that only surfaced when Jackson filed for divorce last spring.
"It's in the paper. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's true, for one," she said. "And if something like that were to happen, it definitely hurts because you've kept your life so private. I'm big on family and friends and trust and honesty and all that stuff, so to have someone turn on you in such a way, because they're hurting, says more about the person really than anything."
"I wanted to have a normal life," Jackson said in response to a query about the secrecy of the marriage. "It's difficult in the industry trying to have a normal life. It seems like people are married one month and divorced the next or the next year. There's so much negativity, people wondering how long is that going to last, as opposed to wishing them well and hoping that it lasts. And we lasted eight years. We were together for thirteen years, and that's a long time."
Despite various rumors and her current legal battle with Elizondo, Jackson seemed to be in a positive place. She described All for You as "a very up, very hopeful, optimistic happy album. That's the space I'm in. There's a sense of freedom."
And she's not about to give up on love. "That would be so unfair to me to say -- 'OK, that's it, I'm never gonna love again because one bad apple decided to spoil it for me.' I might miss out on some of the most beautiful relationships in my life and friendships because of what I have gone through with this person. That's not fair to myself. It really isn't. So I refuse to take that path."
(Taken From: Rolling Stone) APRIL 21, 2001 GLITTER HITS BRITISH THEATERS ON NOVEMBER 9
It may seem a long way off yet, but Spidey fans might want to pay attention to this next piece of news. The live-action version of the popular 'Spider-Man' cartoon will be released in the UK on May 10 2002. See, we told you it was a long way off.
The project is currently filming under Sam Raimi's watchful eye, with Tobey Maguire playing the webbed-one. The normally blonde Kirsten Dunst has turned redhead in order to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man's love interest Mary-Jane Watson.
Filming has been taking place for over a month now, and plenty of leaks have already sprung up on the Internet revealing pictures of Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin outfit, along with Maguire's figure-hugging spider suit.
The film has also been plagued with mishaps including the theft of several costumes. Columbia Pictures is so desperate to get the costumes back that it has been offering a $25,000 reward for their safe return.
In other release news, Columbia has plumped for March 8, 2002 to release its thriller 'The Panic Room'. Jodie Foster has been working on the David Fincher-directed movie; Nicole Kidman had originally been set to star, but pulled out in January because of a recurring knee injury.
And for all you Mariah Carey fans out there - go on, admit it, you love her - her movie debut 'All That Glitters' will be hitting British shores on November 9 this year. Ooh we just can't wait.
(Taken From: Popcorn) (Courtesy: Regina) | ||
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MARIAH'S MAN SPLASHES OUT $1M ON BRACELET
Mariah Carey's lover has splashed out £1 million on the diamond bracelet that Julia Roberts wore to the Oscars.
Mega-rich Spanish singer Luis Miguel amazed Mariah with the gift aboard his luxury yacht in Puerto Banus in southern Spain.
He bought it to celebrate Mariah netting a three- album deal with Virgin worth £60million.
It is the same bracelet that top jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels loaned to Julia to wear at the Oscars last month. She can be seen with it on the right. On the left I have used some technical wizardry to show how it will look look on Mariah.
The bracelet is one of the most expensive in the world. A source close to the singer tells me: "When it comes to gifts for Mariah, Luis doesn't hold back. He is constantly showering her with expensive presents - but this is the most expensive yet.
"She now has a massive collection of diamonds because he keeps giving her more and more. "But this bracelet really took her breath away. It is absolutely beautiful and the whole world saw how big it is at the Oscars.
"This shows how much Luis loves Mariah." Mariah is using her time in Spain to record the soundtrack album to the appropriately-named All That Glitters, the movie she is starring in as a young singer desperate for fame.
She is set to become the richest female recording artist in the world after leaving Sony to sign for Virgin two weeks ago. The new deal will earn her £20million for every new album she releases.
Mariah and Luis have been dating since meeting in Aspen, Colorado, at Christmas two years ago. Earlier this year he hid a diamond in the bottom of a box of popcorn he gave her at the cinema.
(Taken From: The Sun) APRIL 20, 2001 MARIAH IN "GENTE" MAGAZINE
Nacho courtiously sent me the scans of the latest "Gente" magazine, which Mariah appears in. They are apart of the series of new photos we have all seen but these shots have not been seen yet. Click each tumbnail for a larger view.
APRIL 20, 2001 MARIAH CAREY GIVEN £1MILLION BRACELET
Mariah Carey's boyfriend has bought her the £1 million bracelet worn by Julia Roberts at the Oscars.
Luis Miguel gave Carey the bracelet to celebrate her new three-album deal with Virgin which is worth £60 million.
Roberts was loaned the bracelet by jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels to wear at last month's Oscars.
A source close to Carey told The Sun: "This bracelet really took her breath away. It is absolutely beautiful and the whole world saw how big it is at the Oscars.
"This shows how much Luis loves Mariah".
(Taken From: Ananova) APRIL 20, 2001 JANET 'FUMING AT MARIAH'S ALBUM DEAL'
Janet Jackson is reportedly furious at the size of a new recording deal for Mariah Carey.
The jealousy was sparked by the £20 million-an-album deal Carey struck with Virgin records - which is also home to Jackson.
Jackson is being paid a comparatively modest £7m for her albums.
"Janet considered herself the reigning diva at Virgin before they signed Mariah and now she's worried the label will spend more time and effort promoting Mariah's album than hers," a source told the New York Post newspaper.
"She has been kicking up a big fuss. Mariah is number one at Virgin now."
Jackson's new album, All For You, is due out in America on Tuesday, while Carey's new offering, All That Glitters, is set for release in July or August.
The source added: "Janet wants to make sure the album is not shunted in any way." But the rivalry was denied by Jackson's spokesman Paul Freundlich.
"This is absolutely the silliest thing I have ever heard," he told the newspaper. "Janet has the number one single and is poised for one of the biggest albums of the year. She certainly has no animosity."
A Virgin spokesman backed Jackson's agent and said: "People have been asking Janet about this, but she doesn't have a problem at all."
(Taken From: Ananova) NOTE: I think it's quite respectable that Virgin is backing the truth with releasing a statement. ("People have been asking Janet about this, but she doesn't have a problem at all.") Yesterday, Janet further backed this at 6:00 P.M. with her appearance at Much Music USA's program "Live At Much". There, she was questioned about the rumors surrouning a supposed grudge and she responded by saying that records are made to be broken, so that was only responable. She also said she enjoys Mariah very much and even went as far as sending her flowers with a note card that read "Welcome to the family." The reasons people spread rumors continue to amuse me and scare me. I just wish they would stop either way. APRIL 20, 2001 MIAOW!
Janet Jackson is preparing her claws for a cat fight with rival diva Mariah Carey. Miffed Janet is demanding Virgin put back new signing Mariah's forthcoming film soundtrack album by four months to prevent it clashing with her new release, "All For You".
Janet is testing if she is still the record firm's top artist after Virgin gave Mariah pounds 16 million-an-album to her pounds 7 million. An insider said: "Janet's been kicking up a fuss. She considered herself reigning diva at Virgin but Mariah is No 1 now. Janet's worried the label will spend more time promoting Mariah's albums than hers." Janet already has a US No1 single from "All For You". Virgin have denied any rift.
(Taken From: The Daily Record) | ||
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"LOVER BOY" TRACKLIST
The following information was sent to me by a person who doesn't want me to reveal their identity. I don't know why but they have supposedly supplied us with the track list for Mariah's new single, "Lover Boy". Now, I don't know how official this is and I am only going to announce it as a rumor. It looks pretty believable, but once again - I don't know how true it is or how this person aquired this. It may be completely fake, or completely true. I guess we won't know until the single hits store shelves. Regardless, I found it quite entertaining and I hope it is real because it sounds like a good single and makes me more excited about Mariah's new song. Anyway, enough talk and on with the "tracklist":Mariah Carey Lover Boy [Maxi Single] [CD-Single] June 26, 2001 1. Album Version (Featuring Da Brat & 22) 2. Remix (Featuring Da Brat & Lil Kim) * 3. Morales Club Mix + 4. Morales Instrumental + 5. Morales Glitter Dub + Produced by Mariah Carey and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions, Inc. Mixed by Steve Hodge at Flyte Tyme Studios (Edina, MN) *Produced by Mariah Carey, DJ Clue and Ken Ifill for No Question Entertainment/Desert Storm Mixed by Dana Jon Chappelle at Quad Recording (New York City, NY) +Produced by David Morales for Def Mix Productions Mixed by David Morales and Steven Barkan at Quad Recording (New York City, NY) Mariah Carey Lover Boy [CD-Single] June 26, 2001 1. Album Version (Featuring Da Brat & 22) 2. Remix (Featuring Da Brat & Lil Kim) * Produced by Mariah Carey and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions, Inc. Mixed by Steve Hodge at Flyte Tyme Studios (Edina, MN) *Produced by Mariah Carey, DJ Clue and Ken Ifill for No Question Entertainment/Desert Storm Mixed by Dana Jon Chappelle at Quad Recording (New York City, NY) APRIL 19, 2001 DUELING DIVAS VIE FOR VIRGIN TERRITORY
Curvy crooner Janet Jackson is reportedly furious at Virgin Records for signing rival sexy songbird Mariah Carey for a record $23.5 million per album - while she pulls in a comparatively paltry $10 million. The division between the dueling divas also is fueled by Jackson's fears that the mega-company's whopping generosity to Carey suggests Jackson's new album will take a back seat to Carey's next work when it comes to promoting them.
"Janet considered herself the reigning diva at Virgin before they signed Mariah, and now she's worried that the label will spend more time and effort promoting Mariah's albums than hers - she has been kicking up a big fuss," an industry insider told The Post. Jackson's new album, "All For You", is due out Tuesday.
Jackson - known for her demanding ways - wants the release of Carey's upcoming album, "All That Glitters", pushed back by several months, the source said. Carey's album has been slated for release in late July or early August. "An album's life is usually three to four months," the insider said. "Janet wants to make sure that the album is not shunted in any way."
Jackson's rep, Paul Freundlich, scoffed at the reported rivalry and insiders' claims that his client was miffed at Virgin's multimillion-dollar deal with Carey. "This is absolutely the silliest thing I have ever heard," Freundlich said. "Janet has the No. 1 single and is poised for one of the biggest albums of the year. She certainly has no animosity."
But sources insist that the diva is annoyed. "Mariah is No. 1 at Virgin now," the industry insider said. A Virgin spokesman denied that any animosity exists between the songbirds. "People have been asking Janet about this, but she doesn't have a problem at all," he said.
Jackson's "All for You" - with a No. 1 single already on the charts - is the hotly anticipated follow-up to her wildly successful album "The Velvet Rope" in 1997. The new album - dedicated to rapper Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs - could be her raunchiest yet. In "Love Scene (Ooh Baby)", for example, the singer reportedly uses the F-word and fantasizes about a lover playing with her body, while she moans seductively at the end of "Would You Mind".
But if it came down to an album popularity showdown with the red-hot Carey, the competition would be plenty stiff, since anything Carey releases is a sure-fire hit. Jackson also could have a personal reason to be jealous of Carey as well. Jackson's estranged hubby, Rene Elizondo Jr., has sued her for more than $10 million since their split, while Carey is in the midst of a hot-and-heavy love affair with Latin heartthrob singer Luis Miguel.
(Taken From: Page Six Gossip) APRIL 19, 2001 JANET DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE A BACKSEAT TO MARIAH
Industry insiders say Janet Jackson isn't pleased with the deal that Mariah Carey recently signed with Virgin Records. With the new deal, Carey will make about $23.5 million per album, while Jackson only makes $10 million per album. In addition, Jackson might be worried that her new album, "All For You"--scheduled for release on Tuesday (April 24)--will not have the support of the Virgin Records publicity-and-promotional team for the full four months necessary for the album to have its best impact since Carey's new album, "All That Glitters," is scheduled for release this summer.
Paul Freundlich, a Jackson representative, denied the allegations when asked by the New York Post, "This is absolutely the silliest thing I ever heard. Janet has the Number One single and is poised for one of the biggest albums of the year. She certainly has no animosity."
"All For You" was produced by longtime Jackson collaborators Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, with additional production by Rockwilder. Some of the songs on the new album include "Someone To Call My Lover," "New Beginning," "Come On Get Up," "Trust A Try," "Doesn't Really Matter," and "When We Ooh."
(Taken From: Launch) APRIL 19, 2001 YOU WANT MARIAH? YOU TALK TO TOMMY!
I had heard Tommy Mottola and Mariah Carey were having difficulties and that the songbird was looking to fly the coop. And, in fact, there at the nightclub was Mariah huddled with New York shortstop Derek Jeter on what turned out to be the first night the future lovers ever hung out.
But I didn't let it interfere with my mission. I was friends with Mottola then and had told him I'd help his wife out. I threw back my fifth gin and tonic and headed over to the velvet couch where Carey, Jeter, and a bunch of her friends were sitting. "Okay," I said, "I got direct orders from your husband to talk to you. You okay with that?"
"Oh great, another one who takes orders from my husband," Mariah shot back. "Listen, I'm my own man," I said. "I just want to talk to you a little bit and clear up some of the bad press you get". "And how do I know you're not going to give me more bad press?" "Because I already arranged it with your husband what we're going to talk about and all," I said, "It's gonna be fine.” "So, let me get this straight: You and him decided what you and I are going to talk about?"
Jesus, this one was a tough nut to crack. But suddenly I was falling for her and I didn't give a damn who her husband was. Or that the Yankees' star was sweating her as I leaned over him to get some quotes. It wouldn't have been the first time I fell for a woman in a nightclub. "I have to ask you about your marriage,” I said. "We on the record or off?"
"We’re off, way off" "We're fine," Mariah said, "People want to spread rumors and cause trouble. But we're fine" I knew she was lying like a rug, but I was going to write that her marriage was fine just so I could placate my new friend Mottola. With the weight my column carried around that time, I considered it a tremendous service to the little big guy. Maybe it was the gin talking, but I looked at Mariah Carey the-and I just dove right in. "Listen," I said "I want to call you sometime, but I don't want to have to go through the Pentagon to do it. You ever come down from that Ivory Tower? You're 26, for God's sake" She laughed, but it was a good laugh, and I walked out of the place with Mariah Carey's phone number in my back pocket. I jumped into my Benz, put the top down, and listened to Sly Stone sing "M Lady"
Who was cooler than me? A week or two later I decided to give Mariah a call, but when I dialed the number she'd scribbled on the napkin the answering machine came on with a routine from the Jerky Boys CD. I dialed again and got the same thing. Stupidly, I called Mottola then, to find out what was what. "Tommy, I'm trying to get a hold of Mariah to ask her a question about an item I'm writing and the number I'm dialing-" Mottola cut me off real fast. "What’s the number she gave you?" I read it to him "Listen to me,” he said, "That ain't the number. Throw it out. If you want to get to Mariah, you call me and I'll get her for you. Understand?
"Sure," I said. "No problem." At that moment it dawned on me Mariah Carey had given me a number, a private number, that her husband wasn't hip to. A few minutes later she called me herself. "You told Tommy I gave you that number?" "Yeah, what did I know? I just thought it was a service or something, and then I heard that Jerky Boys stuff and I didn't know what was going on"
"Listen," Mariah said. "That is my number. He just hates when I get calls that he doesn't clear first" Jesus Christ, I thought to myself. Bad marriage or not, I was being half a scumbag with another guy's wife. I was happier than hell it was a sexy international pop star.
(Taken From: Talk!) (Courtesy: Shontee) APRIL 19, 2001 MARIAH ON LEUTE HEUTE Leute Heute: Is the story for "All That Glitters" autobiographical? Mariah Carey: No, the story doesn't have anything to do with my life. If it would be my life story, you'd have to shoot like a mini series. We'd probably need 3 different parts. Oh, and also we wouldn't be able to show it on TV, because some people would have big problems with it. [Laughs]. Right now it's not about what I regret, or negative things which I feel for some people, or whatever happened in my past. It's all about moving forward. I'm very grateful for what I have. Leute Heute: Is there going to be any time left for your private life? Mariah Carey: [Laughs]. Of course. I still have time for my private life. Right now I'm pretty busy but of course I take care of me. (Taken From: Leute Heute) (Courtesy: Honey & Kate) APRIL 19, 2001 MARIAH AND JULIA: THE BRACELET COMPARISON Here's a message we received from Honey & Kate:
Hi(GH) Will! How are you? We just wanted to share something we made in fact, you probably read about the bracelet, which Luis gave to Mariah, it was the one Julia Roberts wore at the Oscars...Anyway we made this lil comparison of MC and Julia...
APRIL 19, 2001 JIMMY JAM AND TERRY LEWIS SCORE 15TH NO. 1
April 18, 2001-- Legendary music producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis recently scored their 15th No.1 Pop hit with Janet Jackson's "All For You," the explosive first single from her highly anticipated new album, to be released on April 24. The "All For You" single remains at No.1 on the Pop & R&B charts for the third week in a row and made music history in March, when it became the first recording to be added to every radio station in the pop, rhythm and R&B genre in its first week of release. The song marks Jam & Lewis's astonishing 39th Top 10 Pop hit and their 24th No.1 R&B hit. The single, "All For You" and album of the same name were written, produced & executive produced by Jam & Lewis along with Janet.
The record breaking "All For You" helped the longtime songwriting and producing duo break their own record for a third time in a row. They are ranked at No.3 of all time Pop producers who've had the most No.1 hit records. This past year, Jam & Lewis tied with Barry Gibb with 14 No.1 hits, when Janet's "Doesn't Really Matter" from the Nutty Professor II: The Klumps soundtrack, soared to the top of the charts. They now stand alone in 3rd place of all time with 15 No.1 Pop Hits to date. Earlier, that same year, Jam & Lewis earned their 13th No.1 pop hit with Mariah Carey's "Thank God I Found You," which received a 2001 Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration." Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis's amazing run of No.1's on the Pop charts began in 1986 with Janet Jackson's hit "When I Think Of You," giving the consistent hitmaking team 15 No. 1 pop hits in 15 years. The only two producers ahead of them in rank are George Martin (The Beatles) with 23 No.1 hits and Steve Sholes (Elvis Presley) with 16 No.1 hits.
Internationally, Jam & Lewis continue to make a major impact on all music charts, as Janet's "All For You" is currently No.1 in Canada, Europe and remains at No.1 in Japan for five weeks straight. Similarly, Japanese superstar, Hikaru Utada's album, Distance, which is led by 2 No.1 Jam & Lewis produced singles, is currently No.1 in Japan, selling 4 million copies in just 2 weeks.
Recently, Jam & Lewis became a part of another record breaking historic moment -- they are executive producing the soundtrack to Mariah Carey's upcoming autobiographical movie, Glitter, the first release from Carey's new label home, Virgin Records, which signed her to a contract worth over $20 million per album.
Celebrating their 20th year professionally in the music industry (beginning in 1981 as members of the legendary Minneapolis funk band THE TIME), Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis reign supreme as music's transcendent hitmakers. Through the 80's, 90's, and new millennium, they remain the icons behind the icon, and simply the most successful writing & producing team in modern music chart history. Current and upcoming projects for the duo include Usher, Mary J. Blige, Blu Cantrell, Enrique Iglesias, Deborah Cox, Isley Brothers, Yolanda Adams, Luther Vandross, Jordan Knight, and Aretha Franklin. In addition, Jam & Lewis are signing new artists to their Flyte Tyme Records label, a joint venture with Arista Records.
(Taken From: Yahoo Business Wire) APRIL 19, 2001 FHM'S SEXIEST WOMAN Here's a message from Rick:
Hi, The FHM World's Sexiest Women Contest is closing this week.
So can you please post this message on your site to tell everyone to keep on voting for Mariah here: http://www.fhmus.com/girls/100sexiest/
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UPCLOSE WITH MARIAH: A FANS STORY Here's a message MCWNO recently acquired:
Here is my whole story of last week with Mariah Carey in my country, with details, it was incredible. I'm a Janet Jackson fan, but I like Mariah too. And soon I’ll put here the pics that I took, very indites, and good ones.
Oh! Sorry 4 my English, I’m Spanish, and it's very bad.
Here it is: Last Thursday I went to Malaga (Spain) with my friend because we heard that Mariah Carey was recording here, in a studio called ‘El Cortijo’. This studio is a Mansion, In the mountain, so we do something like a camping in front of the mansion. We stay here with other six Mariah’s fans. But we didn’t see Mariah ‘till Friday. The first nights we stay here ‘till late night, but later we slept in the field, here was so cold!
Wayne, one of the bodyguards of Mariah stop the car and give us a lot some food, drinks… he said 2 me that it was from Mariah, but later we knew that Mariah didn’t know anything about that we were here. So, it was from Wayne. But, anyway, it was cool! We tell Wayne that we were here for a week, and all time we were saying: ‘we are only 8 fans, no more! Say this to Mariah’, but nothing ‘till Friday.
Friday 13th Morning, we were talking and we heard somebody screaming, ‘The kids, were the Kids? Mariah wants to see her kids!’. We run to the door of the house and the security man open it and says: ‘Mariah want to see you, buy u have to stay here…’ So we say in front of the door, and Mariah goes out, and says hello to us, but with distance. Only a few minutes, and then she goes. They were recording us with his cameras, some people of Mariah record us, we didn’t know why.
Friday evening Wayne goes out and tell us that at night Mariah will come out, and stay a minutes with us, more time than before. But at night there was a lot of paparazzi, and a lot of people that knows that she was here, so Wayne goes out and says: ‘Ok. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, cool! I only want the 8 fans, no journalist! Come inside with me’. We were so excited! And then she came out with a little red dress, she was so beautiful, she sign stuff for us, take pics with us, and talk to us, and my friend gave her some presents for her, one was a lamby toy, it was so sweet! Here were the people from Mariah recording us again with cameras.
Then, she goes inside her car, and goes to the port. So we run out, and we jump into a paparazzo’s car, it was like a big van. And we follow her.
Then, when they went to the port, Mariah and the bodyguards came out to the limousine, and go walking! To her ship. I couldn’t believe it, we here next Mariah, so near to here walking around the street about 10 minutes, taking pics of her. It was a little scary, ‘cause here was hundreds of people, pararazzis, cameras, walking around her, and it was very...
But our question was: ‘Why she went walking, and no with the car?'...Later, the goes inside the ship, and here was waiting her boyfriend Luis Miguel. Even Later, Mariah & Luis Miguel go to ‘Cippriano’, an Italian restaurant of Marbella. And of course, the journalist, and we were here. But when they came out the restaurant was the last time we saw her, in Friday! Of course!
Saturday morning, we were in front of the mansion, and we heard some music, it sounded like Mariah… OMG! Is Mariah! It’s a new song, maybe they was recording scenes of the clip, but we heard the song, Da Brat is on it, and is not a very originally song, it’s so near to Heartbreaker remix, or Sweetheart too. But, anyway, is cool.
Later, we were jumping’ and we saw Mariah, and we scream: ‘Mariah! Go out! We Love U! Please! Only five minutes!
And she scream to us: ‘Ok, I’ll go out in a minutes!’ She comes out, in her limousine, with Luis Miguel and other guy into, and stop the car and talk to us, We say that we hared her new song, and says ‘Hey, turn up the Music’ And they have the song put in the car, and she sings a little to us, it was so cool! The song is called ‘Lover Boy’
later; she goes to the port again, and, again! We were here, she and Luismi goes inside the ship, and do a kind of show, kissing, caressing, in the ship, like u can see in the pics of the other post, it was so rare, because, there was a lot of paparazzi, and they don’t get any money doing this, and they kiss, and kiss, and everybody: OMG!
Ok, the final conclusion of this is that ALL IS A VERIDIC VIDEO CLIP OF MARIAH CAREY, all the fans, the paparazzi are extras, that’s the reason for Mariah’s cameras were recording us. I suppose that the clip will be about her life like a superstar, but, anyway, I’ll love to see me in the clip!
Oh! I forgot to say that Mariah says my friend that she want that she goes inside the ship, 'cause my friend has a tattoo of Mariah, and MC want to shows it to Luis Miguel, Luismi ask my friend when she did it, and Mariah embrace my friend, 'cause she was crying.
And we have pics with her & Luismi in the Limousine Saturday morning, with her with a coup of red wine in her hands, while we were listening to 'Lover Boy'
'Lover Boy', I have to say that it's not very special, but it's cool. Da Brat raps in the song and a male rapper too, but I don't know who is. It's sounds like 'Heartbreaker Remix', is so near to it. And like 'Sweetheart'. In the Chorus she says the title, with a slow down voice, very sweet, and the songs has some 'screams' I don't know how to call it, it's like... 'Is like in Janet's song AND ON AND ON, Heeeeey, Oooooohh, I don't know how to call it, and the song finish with Da Brat. It's cool.
APRIL 18, 2001 MARIAH BEJEWELED
The love affair between Mariah Carey and Latin heartthrob Luis Miguel is going strong. Miguel joined Carey last weekend in Spain, where she's recording the soundtrack to "All That Glitters" for Virgin records. During a celebration over her new mega-recording contract, Miguel presented her with a gorgeous Van Cleef & Arpel diamond bracelet. "It is the same bracelet Julia Roberts borrowed for the Oscars," said a source. A rep for Carey declined comment on the extravagant gift but said, "They are very happy together."
(Taken From: Page Six Gossip) APRIL 18, 2001 MARIAHCAREY.COM ANNOUNCES NEW SCREEN SAVERS
Mariah's Official site, MariahCarey.com, continiously branches out with new features and try to bring life to the suggestions of Mariah and her fans. Their latest effort seems thoughtful but also quite lazy. They have announced their new "Screensaver" section with three brand new screensavers exclusive to Mariah's Official Site. I must say I was expecting a little more than what they offered, but it was nice of them, regardless. They are very simple and there isn't much to them but still ver enjoyable. You can download them below. I suggest you use the first one shown. It's the best of the three.
DIRECTIONS: Step1: Click on image to download file. Step2: Doubleclick on the screen saver Setup to install. Step3: You're done. APRIL 18, 2001 CAREY UP ON THE CHARTS
EMI, the music company, has sharply increased its market share in America, allaying fears that its US business was struggling.
Latest data from research body Soundscan reveals that EMI's market share rose 2.5 percentage points to 11.8pc in the past three months. Its US business received an additional boost last week by signing Mariah Carey to one of its labels, Virgin Music, in a £17m album contract.
Miss Carey is one of the most successful female artists ever, having sold 140m albums. Her last single, Thank God I Found You, entered the record books as her 15th number one in the US.
There had been criticisms that EMI's management was distracted by a failed merger with Time Warner last year and talks with Bertelsmann of Germany for the past six months. A spokesman said: "It has been working very well. The chairman Eric Nicoli has been dealing with the talks, leaving the operational management to get on and run the business."
(Taken From: Electronic Telegraph) | ||
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MCWNO EXCLUSIVE "LOVER BOY" RELEASED ON JUNE 26, 2001
Mariah may be resting well in Spain, but she won’t be for long because the months ahead are bound to be a spiral from country to country in promotion on her new single, album and movie. MCWNO was told by close sources at Camelot Music (a division of TWEC Enterprises) that Mariah’s brand new single will be released commercially on June 26, in the United States. Some people think that sounds too early. But in contrast, it’s not. Compare it to the situation with the “Rainbow” album for instance. If the single is going to be commercially released in late June, a promotional single should hit airwaves in mid May. For example, “Heartbreaker” was released to radio on August 16, 1999 and the commercial single was available on September 21.
But if “All That Glitters”, the movie will hit theaters August 31 (as announced by Fox Movies), and the soundtrack album is scheduled to be released simultaneously with the movie, that gives a two month leeway between the commercial single release and soundtrack album and movie opening. However, that was the case with the “Rainbow” album. “Heartbreaker”, the lead single from the LP, was released September 21, while the album was released some two months later on November 2, so it all makes very much sense.
Although we can almost certainly confirm Mariah’s new single will be available June 26, there is no official title specified by Virgin Records. We are left with only “T.B.A.”, which means, “to be announced.” However, most likely, the single will be “Lover Boy”, because we know this is an official song and we also know there is at least one remix already created.
So by knowing we should be hearing Mariah’s new track on the radio in less than a month, we should be prepared when it comes time to promoting her new single. While it is surely going to be heavily promoted by Mariah’s new record company, Virgin, it is our duty as her fans to request the song once it comes out. MCWNO will soon be creating a support page for the single, so keep your eye out on that. And also be on the look out for any further news on Mariah’s new single, in stores June 26.
APRIL 17, 2001 MARIAH SPEAKS OUT - IN SPAIN Here's a message from Daniel:
"I've got very interesting news. As expected, Luis Miguel came to Spain to meet Mariah and to spend some days together with her. It was confirmed that Mariah was shooting a video in Granada, and then she went to Marbella, a town located near Malaga where she spent some days recording at El Cortijo. Marbella is probably one of the most well known places in Spain because of the large amount of famous people who live there, the "jet-set" of Spain.
Mariah was at Puerto Banús, the most VIP part of the town apparently recording more stuff for the video... with Luis! I don't know if he will appear somehow in the video, but anyway these are not rumors anymore since we've FINALLY seen something on TV. Here are some snapshots I could take. Mariah and Luis were aboard a boat kissing eachother all the time... and later they had dinner at a famous restaurant in Puerto Banús. See the pictures above.
Rumours say she'll go to Barcelona soon, to have a press conference. This is just a rumour, though... I'll keep you informed.
Our organization, AEMCO, by the way, had its annual meeting in Madrid this weekend. Fans from all over Spain met and had fun together, singing Mariah songs. I just would like you to know, and I'd like the whole world to know how much we appreciate Mariah, and what she does."
NOTE: Below you can see new pictures of Mariah and Luis in Spain. Click each thumbnail for a fullscale view. 
Special thanks to Uwe, Elin, and Regina. APRIL 17, 2001 LUIS AND MARIAH'S ROMANTIC ENCOUNTER IN MARBELLA
Mariah Carey and her fiancé Luis Miguel do not hide their love. The pair has chosen the Spanish coasts to enjoy their recent vacation. This has not been the first time that the singer and boleros pop star expressed their love in Spain, they already have been doing it for two years, when they remained in Tenerife for days.
In the most recent occasion, they traveled to Marbella where they could be seen onboard a yacht on the high seas of the local region pursuing an affectionate attitude with each other. Luis Miguel and Mariah Carey had a romantic stroll in their boat. And in accordance to the images shown, it is very clear that Mariah lives on her better moments, as much in her professional life as sentimental.
The singer arrived at Puerto Banús in a luxurious car and that is where her romantic encounter with her fiancé, Luis Miguel, took place. Attacked by multitudes of people, Mariah Carey went to a yacht where she waited for the singer to join her. With nothing else to distract the pair, they fused in a kiss – demonstrating once again, that they are in love with each other more every day.
Both enjoyed a sunny day at sea. The pair, which declared they were happy to be in Spain, was transferred shortly afterwards to a well-known Marbellian restaurant to share a romantic dinner. Mariah Carey was married to the tycoon of Sony Music Records, Tommy Mottola, who recently married the singer and Mexican actress, Thalía. After his rupture, the singer decided to change her record company and has signed a million-dollar contract with Virgin Records, who has paid her twenty million dollars for her new commercial album. And it is exactly her first work with Virgin, which originally brought Mariah to the Coast of the Sun. Although she had rooms in the Marbella Hotel, she preferred to remain in the enclosure that the record company has near. There, she spent ten days recording the soundtrack for the original motion picture, “All That Glitters”
(Taken From: Hola!) (Translation: Will Ward) APRIL 17, 2001 SONGBIRD FROLICS WITH HER LATIN LOVER
Sexy Mariah Carey enjoys a sizzling kiss - and shows she hasn't a care in the world. The songbird, 30, radiated happiness as she canoodled with Latin lover Luis Miguel, 31, on a boat. Mariah looked sensational in a skimpy white bikini as she perched on Mexican singer Luis's lap at the Spanish resort of Marbella. The busty beauty was taking her first break for months after working flat out to record a new album.
(Taken From: The Sun) | ||
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MCWNO EXCLUSIVE MARIAH CAREY AND LUIS MIGUEL TOGETHER IN MARBELLA
Last Friday night; there were more habitual stars than astronomical ones to be counted in Puerto Banús. The North American singer Mariah Carey and Latin idol Luis Miguel, one of the most popular and sentimental couples of the moment, took a walk and had dinner in this coastal zone.
Carey took advantage of her time in Spain. She was there filming a music video. After the arduous shooting, in which numerous concentrated journalists and reporters participated in as extras, it was a day of relaxation yesterday.
Carey and Miguel bathed in the Malaguenas Beach at noon and later traveled to Sotogrande where, in the course of dinner, Luis gave his fiancée an item that flattered her. A video clip rolled in Puerto Banús where correspondents close to the couple got to hear a sample from Mariah Carey’s new album. Carey recently signed with Virgin, after breaking with CBS, the recording company of her ex- husband, Tommy Mottola, now married to singer Thalía.
(Taken From: La Opinion De Malaga) (Translation: Will Ward) NOTE: Below you can see more exclusive pictures of Mariah and Luis in Spain. Be sure to check out yesterday's news for yet another exclusive picture. Click each thumbnail for a fullscale view. 
APRIL 16, 2001 MARIAH IS ON THE RUN
These days Mariah Carey moves quicker than a fugitive does on the run from the police. She’s been in twelve different places in the last month, and that’s her down time. Lord knows what it must be when she’s “busy.” Although she says she’s in Spain in her latest voice message left on her official web site, MariahCarey.com (dated April 11), she’s been out of Spain for days.
Carey was in Andalucia, Spain finishing up the touches on her “All That Glitters” soundtrack album when she decided to reunite with her Latin lover, Luis Miguel several days later in Marbella. There, the couple romanced on the sandy banks of Puerto Banús and had a steamy dinner at a near-by restaurant – but that was Friday. The couple then headed to Paris, France, where they spent Saturday and most of Sunday relaxing from their busy and hectic schedules. Both singers are in between albums, so the time seemed to meet perfectly.
But it doesn’t stop there. Yesterday, Carey headed to the United Kingdom where she is gearing up to film her third Nescafe commercial for Nestle Japan. Carey signed a campaign deal with Nestle back in late 1999 and it took off in mid-2000. Of course, it is only airing in Japan, where Carey is the highest selling artist there.
However, Carey isn’t the only star to break into Japanese Ad Campaigns. For Hollywood stars, Japan is truly the Land of the Rising Sum. They are ranking in huge sums because they have a yen to do Japanese print ads and commercials – something most would never do at home for fear of tarnishing their images. The money is too good to refuse and celebrities make anywhere from $1 million to over $4 million for an ad campaign contract. So, that’s not bad for Carey, considering she has done advertisements in Japan for Sony Music’s Mini Disc, Kose Cosmetics, AEON, as well as her lingering deal with Nescafe.
If all goes well, the new commercial will debut on Japanese TV within the next few months, and Carey will have even more money to put in the bank. Her account must be racking up, after Virgin Records guaranteed her $20 million dollars per record in her new ground breaking contract.
Afterwards, Mariah will fly back to Paris to meet with Luis again. She will get some rest in before flying back to her home in New York where she will get ready for the busy months to come ahead.
(Taken From: Entertainment News) APRIL 16, 2001 MEMOIRS OF THE RAINBOW TOUR
It's been one year since Mariah closed the Rainbow: One Night Only Tour in Toronto, Canada on April 18, 2000. The show, as all the concerts on the tour, was a spectacular event. From costume changes to fan interaction, Mariah amazed every audience member with her charasmatic performance. It was a night to remember.
Things never go according to plan, and that was just the case with the Rainbow Tour 2000. Mariah got food poisoning during the tour (from eating raw oysters) and nearly collapsed on stage in Atlanta, Georgia. She was hospitalised for a week, and then re-started the tour as if nothing had happened.
All the memories can be found in a composition titled "Toronto 2000 - One Night Only: The Special" composed by Mina from Sweet-Day.com. To read the media coverage and fan stories, as well as see exclusive pictures and video from Toronto, log on to: http://www.sweet-day.com/
APRIL 16, 2001 WILTER SCOTT'S PERSONALITY PARADE
Q: Will Mariah Carey ever make a movie? -A. Hernandez Arlington, Texas.
A: She already has. The 31-year-old pop queen produced and stars in All that Glitters, a Cinderella story inspired by elements of her own life. The film went into production last July and is due out late this summer. It's about a poor but ambitious girl who attracts the interest of a DJ in the New York club scene in the early 80's. He guides her to stardom-not unlike Carey's ex-husband, Sony music honcho Tommy Mottola, 52. With a sountrack of original songs, many by the singer herself, All That Glitters could strike gold and enable Carey to equal Jennifer Lopez's recent feat of being No. 1 at the box office and on the album charts in the same week.
(Taken From: Parade) (Courtesy: Matt) APRIL 16, 2001 WINNERS AND LOSERS: MARIAH CAREY
Mariah Carey (Winner): Diva inks industry-high $80 mil. deal with Virgin. Spares her the need to hawk anyone's cola.
(Taken From: TIME) APRIL 16, 2001 WHEN THREE BECOME ONE
Destiny's Child are riding high, but when it comes to pop survival only one of them is a clear winner
You know a band has hit the big time when they hire the penthouse suite of Park Lane’s famously flashy Metropolitan Hotel for an afternoon of interviews, then post a burly bouncer on the door. In the past 12 months, the Texan trio Destiny’s Child have gone from just another good-looking girl group to the hottest R&B act on the planet. And, boy, do they want you to know it.
At the Metropolitan a handful of journalists were given a sneak preview of Survivor, Destiny’s Child’s third album, released at the end of this month and set to be one of the year’s biggest sellers. So strict is security around Survivor that, according to Columbia, the band’s record label, until recently only a couple of copies of the master tape existed. The 16 new songs are a goldmine and the rush is about to begin.
Up in the penthouse, what’s left of lunch is being whisked away. First the good news. Destiny’s Child are no salad munchers. A plate of exotic fruit has hardly been touched, while a family-sized bucket of KFC appears to be empty. Now the bad bit. Even dressed in sweats, licking their lips and wiping their manicured hands on napkins, Destiny’s Child are drop dead gorgeous. Forget the Spice Girls’ high-street appeal. These girls are strictly Bond Street, even if they do eat fast food.
“Our one weakness,” claims Kelly Rowland, 20, the one with bobbed hair. “KFC and chocolate-chip cookies. We ask for them everywhere we go. We’re not one of those bands who demand only green M&Ms. We’re simple people.”
Rowland’s not wrong. Destiny’s Child’s last album, The Writing’s on the Wall, may have sold 10 million copies, spawned four global Top 10 singles and — thanks to the male-bashing lyrics of songs such as Bills, Bills, Bills and Bug A Boo — turned the band into feminist icons, but, sadly, the girls are no rocket scientists. Before I even ask my first question, Rowland reels off a spiel about Survivor — the same one, I’m guessing, every journalist gets.
“As a matter of fact, we’re very proud of the new album,” she says, à propos of nothing. “It’s a record everyone can relate to. Whoever you are, Survivor has something to offer.” If Rowland sounds like a Stepford Wife, at least she has something to say.
Michelle Williams, 21, who joined the group last year, doesn’t utter a word for a full half hour. When she does eventually speak, it is in response to a less than flattering comment I make about Michael Jackson’s face.
“Michael is a person,” she says softly, but giving me a steely stare. “He wouldn’t like to hear you say that.” This is Williams’s entire contribution to the conversation.
Fortunately, the driving force behind Destiny’s Child is neither Rowland nor Williams. It is the smarter, sassier Beyoncé Knowles, 20. Or rather, it is Knowles and her father, Matthew, the band’s manager. While the beautiful Beyoncé is the talent — she co-wrote and produced Survivor and sings lead on every song — Matthew has been the business brains since Destiny’s Child first formed a decade ago.
The story of the group begins in the Knowles’ home town of Houston, Texas. Aged seven, Beyoncé, the elder of two sisters, won a local talent contest and set to work on becoming a star. For two years, she attended auditions for young girl groups, but was never chosen. She did, however, meet Rowland, another wannabe, with whom she teamed up when the pair were nine.
“I knew from the age of four that I wanted to be a singer,” says Knowles. “I could have done it on my own, but I always felt more comfortable on stage with other people. There’s a power and a presence groups have that solo artists don’t. As soon as I met Kelly, I knew it was right.”
From the start, they were serious. Rowland moved into the Knowles’ family home so the pair could use every spare minute practising their routines or studying videotapes of their musical heroes, the Supremes and the Jackson 5. A year later, they became a quartet when friends LaTavia Robertson and LeToya Luckett joined. When they entered a StarSearch talent contest and lost, Matthew Knowles decided to take matters into his own hands. He left his job at a medical supplies company, took a music industry crash course and became the band’s manager. Beyoncé was still only 12.
“Dad did everything for us,” she recalls. “He rehearsed us, produced us, paid for studio time, photoshoots and packaging our demos and took us to California to see record labels. Because of En Vogue, who were huge at the time, there were lots of young girl groups trying to break through. My father made sure it was us who made it.”
Knowles’s mother, Tina, a hairdresser, became the band’s stylist and a voice coach was given a room rent-free in the Knowles’ home in exchange for singing lessons. In less than a year and after umpteen name changes, Destiny’s Child were signed to Elektra by Sylvia Rhone, who had also discovered En Vogue. A few months later, they were dropped. They hadn’t even released a record. Her father soon secured another deal with Columbia.
The next two years were spent recording an eponymously titled debut album with Tony! Toni! Toné!’s Duane Wiggins. Released in 1997, it was average R&B and was set to make little impact until the Fugees’ Wyclef Jean remixed the single No, No, No. Messing around in the studio, an exhausted Knowles sang her vocal in a silly, speeded-up voice. It was a joke, but Jean loved it.
Although the girls thought they sounded like chipmunks, they agreed to sing the whole song like that. The result was an American R&B No 1, which would send the album platinum.
Recorded in two months with the then hot new producer Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs and writer Kandi and featuring a guest appearance from Missy Elliot, the second album The Writing’s on the Wall was a far classier affair. An audacious mix of skippy beats, Baroque samples, vocal harmonies and cheeky lyrics, it was packed with potential singles. Destiny’s Child were set to be huge. Which makes what happened next so strange.
The first single, Bills, Bills, Bills, had already been a hit when, in December 1999, a fortnight before the band were due to shoot the video for Say My Name — the song which won them two Grammys earlier this year — Robertson and Luckett fired Matthew as their manager.
“We tried everything to put it right,” claims Knowles. “We went for counselling with our church and youth pastor. But it was two against two."
“Their vision of Destiny’s Child was different from mine and Kelly’s. They wanted us to be more street and less Christian.”
In fact, it was money and the extent of Matthew’s control that the pair objected to. They quit and, later, sued him — but the case was settled out of court. Meanwhile, DC replaced them with two new members, Williams and dancer Farrah Franklin, who had appeared in the Bills, Bills, Bills video. The newcomers were told to change their hair and, in Franklin’s case, darken her skin colour to look like the two who had left. Williams was ordered to drop her real first name — Tenetria — because it sounded too ethnic. While she was happy to toe the line, Franklin lasted less than two months. By last summer, DC were three.
As a trio, Destiny’s Child have thrived. At the end of last year, Independent Women Pt 1 — with lyrics by Knowles — was chosen as the theme to the film of Charlie’s Angels. The song simultaneously topped the American and British singles charts. Meanwhile, recorded over the past eight months, between tours and promotional appearances, the third album, Survivor, is a surefire multimillion seller.
“On Survivor, we do everything from jazz, be-bop and garage to opera arias, reggae and R&B,” says Knowles. “It’s a fresh sound because so many girl groups copy us now. The lyrics are different too. There’s no more male-bashing. The songs are about love, life and relationships. They’re about staying positive through bad times. One song, Story of Beauty, is about a girl who was molested by her stepfather. She had sent us a letter saying how hearing our songs kept her going. That inspired me. Young girls look up to us and we feel a responsibility to them. We are saying that whatever happens, you should hold your head up and be proud.”
If Knowles really did write all the lyrics, she’s done a great job. The next single, Bootylicious, is a corker. Supposedly about self-esteem, but really about looking good, it sounds like the band’s next No 1. Nasty is a track about parents who think their kids dress too trashy, Fancy berates girls who copy DC’s style (“I don’t fancy you too much/Always trying to steal my shine”) and Apple Pie à la Mode describes a man who could be “husband material”.
Surprisingly, several of the songs on Survivor are about ideal partners. There’s the funky Perfect Man (“I met the perfect man . . . he know exactly what I need”), the Mariah Carey-like ballad Brown Eyes (“It felt so good to find true love”), the mid-tempo Dangerously in Love and, rather worryingly, a song called Sexy Daddy. With all three of DC currently single, it seems a strange choice of subject-matter.
“We’re only single because we are in the band,” insists Knowles. “We’re too busy for boyfriends. Besides, no one dares ask us out now. We read in magazines about all these celebrities who say they fancy us, then we meet them and . . . nothing. You would never know they liked us.” So it’s not Matthew’s idea that the girls stay single? “No way!” laughs Knowles. “Dad doesn’t interfere like that. He’s our manager and he treats me like an artist. He’s not waiting up for us when we come home. He knows it’s hard to work with your family and he respects that. The two of us argue all the time, but only about business.
“Besides, having family around is why we’re humble. We have people who tell us when we are wrong and that’s good. When you sell 15 million records, you can lose touch with reality. You end up with people kissing your butt because they’re afraid of losing their jobs.”
If Knowles doesn’t want her butt kissed, someone should tell Rowland. As I stand up to leave, Rowland delivers a final, well-rehearsed speech. “On this album, Beyoncé has brought out the best in me and Michelle,” she gushes. “When I was sitting in the studio, saying, ‘I can’t do this part’, she would say, ‘I know you can’. She is so great to work with. She has such patience. She’s a real star.”
Knowles launches her solo career later this year. DC’s days are definitely numbered.
(Taken From: The Times) | ||
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MCWNO EXCLUSIVE LUIS CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY WITH MARIAH
Luis Miguel and Mariah Carey have been seen in Marbella, Spain, where they appeared to celebrate the 31st birthday of Mexican singer. Luis’ actual birthday is this Wednesday but the couple decided to celebrate early.
After being in Los Angeles for several days, Luis Miguel flew to Spain to meet with Mariah Carey. Together they would begin the celebration of his 31st birthday.
Luis and Mariah were seen Friday in the heavenly place of Puerto Banus, in Marbella, where the pair where immediately recognized by their fans, which approached them right there in the street.
According to a photographer that was present at the encounter, Mariah, as well as Luis Miguel reacted very nicely to the people around them. They even went to the extent of signing autographs.
"There was a point when tons of people were gathered around them and every single one was trying to get right next to them. Their bodyguards helped them, however. They appeared very happy, interacted with their fans and were thanked by the Spaniards. Afterwards, Luis rented a yacht and the two went sailing out it", the photographer commented.
The couple was also seen eating dinner in a local restaurant. But here, their fans respected their privacy and left them alone to spend a calm and romantic evening together.
Marbella is the first place that the re-united couple set foot on in Spain. Later they will go to Paris to celebrate the actual birthday of Luismi, which is Wednesday.
During his stay in his Mother country, the singer, who was accompanied by his representative Alejandro Asensi, will take time to reunite with composer Juan Carlos Calderón, who already has many songs ready for Luis’ new album. He will also polish the details of production.
As it is well known, Luis is a lover of the Spanish culture and besides, he still has relatives on his father's side there, in Spain. In the same way, he will not only take advantage to enjoy the food but also to enjoy a couple of tourist spots like Marbella.
Even though his visit to Spain is for celebrating his birthday, Luis will take time to check out different aspects of his next album.
Many are hoping that in his new material, Luis will continue to sing ballads and a couple of up-tempo ones, which has brought him much success.
Nevertheless, anything could happen and the singer may give a surprise to his fans with something new and different.
Just as it has been since the start of their romance rumors have spread of a supposed wedding. And that continues to be talked about.
Now, it’s in Argentina, where various magazines have communicated with photograph agencies in Los Angeles to see if they know anything in regards to this.
“Those in Argentina have asked if it is true that Mariah and Luis married in Paris. This is a returning rumor, beginning again, but it has been said for a long time, and has not been confirmed", said Pablo Grosby, President of The Grosby Group, a photo agency.
According to those connected closely to his career, this information is not confirmed and the only thing we can be sure of is that Luis Miguel and Mariah are going to enjoy the beauty of the journey they are taking.
(Taken From: EsMas Online) (Translation: Will Ward) NOTE: Click the picture at your right for a larger, full scale view. If you decide to use this for your website, please credit MCWNO. Thank you. APRIL 15, 2001 LUIS AND MARIAH SPEND THEIR EASTER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
In order to enjoy the days of Easter, Luis Miguel and Mariah Carey visited Marbella, Spain, where they took a walk through Puerto Banús. There were hundreds of tourists around and they even took photos, until they signed autographs.
It came as a surprise to the by-standers. At night a Sedan Mercedes automobile appeared and two men lowered the entertainers with the intention to take a walk in Mediterranean, like any pair in love. Carey appeared radiating decorated in a red dress, black sandals and a showy bracelet on her left wrist. Could this be perhaps the 15 thousand-dollar jewel that Luis gave to her last November that was highly discussed in the media?
On the other hand, the Mexican entertainer appeared in an elegant dark suit with a blue jacket, without a necktie.
Although at first they did not have disadvantages in greeting with the people around them by letting themselves be photographed, perhaps they did not calculate the amount of fanatics who would recognize them. Like before, their stroll began to become uncomfortable and at a certain point, a risky situation. In order to avoid the harassment of their followers, who surrounded the pair, two black men, bodyguards of the American singer, took part by helping the "Hero" performer, while another crew of security escorted Luis Miguel to another location, which Luis loves.
The performer of "You Or No One " took advantage of his stay in Spain to work on his new album. Many days back, Luis had scheduled a greeting in Madrid to listen to 18 songs written by producer Juan Carlos Calderón for Luis’ next album.
(Taken From: Gente) (Translation: Will Ward) APRIL 15, 2001 LUIS MIGUEL AND MARIAH CAREY SPEND EASTER IN MADRID
Mexican singer Luis Miguel and the American songstress Mariah Carey enjoyed Easter break in the locality of Marbella, a division of the Mediterranean Sea region, where stars of the artistic world regularly visit. Carey was discovered when she walked through Puerto Banús, wearing a flat red dress and black sandals. A stampede of admirers and tourists accompanied her until a luxurious yacht, belonging to Luis Miguel, appeared. Carey had been waiting for Luis to visit her.
Far from fleeing from her admirers, Carey let herself be accompanied by the multitudes, with which she crossed the passage of about 200 meters between the harbor enclosure and the boat. At that point, she left the admirers to be reunited with Luis Miguel, as we were informed by the average by-standers. The famous singer signed autographs and appeared to be happy that she was in Spain. Soon after the bath of fans disappeared, Mariah and Luis were then transferred to the Marbella Restaurant, where they enjoyed a romantic dinner.
(Taken From: ImparMexico) (Translation: Will Ward) APRIL 15, 2001 ALL HAIL THE QUEEN
Talk about r-e-s-p-e-c-t. they still called it “Divas Live,” but there was little high-maintenance behavior at the annual VH1 show, which saluted one of showbiz’s biggest: Aretha Franklin. No reported snippiness (Mariah Carey, 1998). No debatable lip-syncing (Cher, 1999). And no complaining about the band (Diana Ross last year). Instead, performers-from Mary J. Blige to Kid Rock-kowtowed big time to the queen of soul. Still, someone should have shown Franklin some respect and told her the feathers-and-clamdiggers combo didn’t quite work. Think!
(Taken From: MSNBC) APRIL 15, 2001 OUI CHANGE
Think of it as the un-French manicure. Celeb manicurist Deborah Lippmann, who’s dazzling the digits of Cher, Mariah Carey, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Faith Hill, is putting a new twist on the usual pink-and-white combo: “duets” of colors like beige and gold or rose and violet. “People are constantly looking for cool things to do themselves….When it came to French manicures, I though, why not subtle combinations as well as funky ones?” says the NYC-based Lippmann, whose nail-color line ($15-18) is available at lippmanncollection.com. And for open-toe season, Lippmann suggests, “Flip the color combination you used on your nails when you paint your toes.” The best thing about the trend? “Everyone knows how to do a French manicure, so anyone can do it.” Tres bien, indeed.
(Taken From: Entertainment Weekly) APRIL 15, 2001 WILL WE DANCE TO HIS TUNES?
Outside the rear door at the BBC Radio Theatre, there's an air of restless tension. A gaggle of girls giggles. A pack of paparazzi prowls. A parked Mercedes purrs discreetly.
Suddenly, a shout: "He's round the front!" Fans and photographers run for it. The moment they've gone 50 yards, the stage door crashes open and the slender figure of Craig David, shepherded by security, darts toward the car, slides into the rear seat.
The girls scream, the paparazzi curse and Britain's brightest 19-year-old pop star laughs merrily. An old trick, but it worked.
Already renowned as both a motor-mouth and a paragon of good manners, David thanks the driver for anticipating that he would need a bottle of water and apologizes for being rather sweaty from recording his spot for the biannual TV charity extravaganza Comic Relief. Then, as the car makes for the motorway and a two-hour drive to that night's gig in Bournemouth, he's straight down to business.
David jokes about the burry South Coast vowels and R sounds that color his accent ('I sound like a farmer'), but his high-energy phraseology is littered with "focus," 'demographic" and "that's key!" Not to mention the sanguine assessment that, in music industry terms, "every artist is a commodity and if you aren't making money you will be dropped. It's not that they have a love and passion for you." That's from someone with 4 million in worldwide sales of his debut album, "Born to Do It," in nine months (it won't be out in the U.S. until July).
This then is the formidable youth who scored more kudos than any other artist at the recent Brit Awards (the U.K. answer to the Grammys). Remarkably, he did it without winning any of the six categories in which he had been nominated. Instead, icons of all rock generations spoke up in spontaneous sympathy with someone they recognized as a musical peer.
"If there is a better singer in Britain, then I'm Margaret Thatcher," said Elton John. Bono wove a verse of David's hit "Walking Away" into U2's song "One." Noel Gallagher and Robbie Williams weighed in too.
David admits he's still basking in the warm glow. The megastar embrace was particularly pleasing to an artist who, despite roots in underground dance sounds and major influences in the likes of R. Kelly, greatly admires the crafted mainstream work of such stars as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera.
But then David is in that uncomplicated early phase of his career when compliments rain down like overripe fruit. Atlantic Records won a bidding war to license him for the U.S., and the label's vice president in charge of marketing, Ron Shapiro, proclaims: "As a 19-year-old, his talent is incomparable: an extraordinary songwriter, very personable, a great live performer, great to look at, and unbelievably centered and driven. He's absolutely on a mission." Blimey, as Brits say.
Nonetheless, David's ego seems startlingly well-balanced and controlled. Already committed to basing himself in the States for the rest of 2001, he reasons that his European triumph counts for nothing in the U.S.: "I'm at square one. You have to go in, do the hard work, slog, make each radio station feel that they've 'found' you. I'm going to hit them with a secret weapon."
He's smiling, but maybe he does have one: two-step/U.K. garage, the now-indistinguishably blended dance genres that he and producer Mark Hill's production team, Artful Dodger, have taken from their seaport hometown of Southampton to a fair chunk of the world the past 18 months.
The David definition? "It's a hybrid of R&B and house-garage where you take the bass drum off the second and fourth beats of the bar. That gives a unique skipping feel."
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) | ||
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MARIAH'S MOVIE: LABOR DAY RELEASE BECKONS
Mariah Carey reports on her Web site that she’s in Spain recording still more songs for her upcoming 20th Century Fox/Columbia Pictures movie, "All That Glitters." Carey also reports that the film, aka "Glitter," will have a Labor Day release. It’s not exactly a make-or-break weekend in Hollywood terms, but a good chance for Carey to market herself on venues like MTV. After all, Jerry’s Kids will be her only competition.
Last week, when she signed her deal with Virgin Records and ended her association with Sony Music, she sang an eight-second message into the same answering machine. It went like this: "I’m freeeeeeee… ."
As you know, Carey was allowed to take the soundtrack of "Glitter" with her from Sony to Virgin even though she still owed an album to Sony. Wonder why? I did. A source told me: "The movie is very biographical. You’re going to see a lot of references to Mariah’s marriage to Tommy Mottola. It’s better that he doesn’t have to deal with it."
Carey’s video for the song "Honey" caused a lot of talk when it was released - it featured Carey escaping from a man who looked like Mottola into the arms of a male model. Presumably, Sony’s big cheese was not pleased. I don’t blame him.
(Taken From: Fox News 411) APRIL 14, 2001 MARIAH CAREY SIGNS TO VIRGIN
Putting an end to heated major-label-bidding war, Mariah Carey signed a contract with Virgin Records on April 3rd. It is speculated that the deal will earn Carey more than $80 million for her next four albums. The singer had been recording for Sony Music since 1990. Carey and Sony Music hard Tommy Mottola divorced three years ago, and it was expected that she would switch labels once her contract expired. "I’m not the type of person who likes to change," Carey says. "But I’m looking forwards to being in a new creative atmosphere." Carey’s first album for Virgin will be the soundtrack to "All That Glitters," a film she co-wrote and stars in, scheduled for release this summer.
(Taken From: Rolling Stone Magazine) APRIL 14, 2001 SEVEN DAYS OF ROCK
Oh, what a week it was for music news. My head hurts just thinking about it. No, wait - that's just my hangover.
Mariah Carey's new deal with Virgin Records will net the singer $117 million for five albums, or $23.5 million per disc. Assuming each CD is 74 minutes long, that means she'll be earning $317,567.55 per minute, or $5,292.79 a second. Minimum wage in the United States, meanwhile, is holding steady at $5.15 an hour. All That Glitters, indeed.
Twelve-time Brit Award winner and international chart topper Robbie Williams disclosed plans to release a version of "We Are the Champions," recorded with the remaining members of Queen. Poor Freddie Mercury is pirouetting in his grave. Williams also told a British chat show he's been wrestling with alcoholism off-and-on for the past four years. Let's hope he sobers up for good before somebody convinces him to tackle "Radio Ga Ga."
A little-known songwriter is suing Marc Anthony, claiming the Latin heartthrob plagiarized substantial chunks of his No. 3 hit "I Need to Know" from the plaintiff's obscure original of the same name. "It's yet another example of where there's a hit, you often find an opportunistic lawsuit," the singer's attorney told the press. How come nobody ever files these suits over good songs? Oh, right, we're talking about "hit" music. Never mind.
Speaking of hits, the singles compilation Now That's What I Call Music! 6, featuring such future Where Are They Now? candidates as ATC, 3LW, LMNOP, and Evan & Jaron (hey, weren't they the Wonder Twins on Super Friends?), entered the album charts at No. 1. Apparently some people still haven't figured out how to use Napster.
In Michigan, Eminem dodged having to serve hard time but was sentenced to two years' probation for carrying a concealed weapon. Upon learning of the verdict, Elton John congratulated Slim Shady with a $420,000 bouquet, delivered by up-and-comer FTD.
Carol Dennis, a former backup singer for Bob Dylan, admitted that she and the grizzled Oscar winner had been secretly married for six years, and had a daughter together. Dennis made the disclosure in response to unflattering allegations in a new Dylan biography. "To say that I got a huge settlement that forced Bob to do concert tours in the '90s is totally fictitious, irresponsible, and hurtful," she told the media. She did, however, admit to accepting an undisclosed sum to shoulder all the blame for Under the Red Sky.
Angst-ridden quartet Live is soliciting fans for opinions of six new songs posted at www.getlivemp3.com and is taking them into consideration as it completes work on the forthcoming follow-up to The Distance to Here. What a great idea - focus groups for albums. I mean, just look at how soliciting opinions from the unwashed masses has improved the quality of Hollywood movies.
Steven Seagal is working on a record album. It reportedly includes a cover of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song." Smart move - if this guy sings half as well as he acts, he's going to have to ask more than just the Almighty for forgiveness.
Finally, rumors are flying that British performer Geri Halliwell (a k a the Artist Formerly Known as Ginger Spice) had her head digitally superimposed on the body of a professional dancer for her new video, a cover of the Weathergirls' 1982 gay classic "It's Raining Men," featured on the soundtrack to Bridget Jones's Diary. Can't vouch for the video, but the recording is one of the worst things we've ever heard (and that's including Geri's cover of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in Rugrats in Paris) -maybe next time they should superimpose her head onto the body of a professional singer.
Now, where did I put that aspirin...
(Taken From: Wall Of Sound) APRIL 14, 2001 MARIAH'S MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR DEAL
Pop princess Mariah Carey can now add a new title to her resume: highest paid artist in Virgin Records history. The New York Daily News is reporting that Carey, 31, will receive $23.5 million apiece for her next five records, surpassing Janet Jackson's previous record of $20 million a pop. Carey announced last week that she had left longtime label Sony Records, run by her ex-husband, Tommy Mottola. The couple split in 1997.
(Taken From: Hollywood.com) APRIL 14, 2001 JEANS IN TUNE WITH A ROCK BEAT
Blame it on Mariah Carey.
And Destiny's Child. And Britney Spears. Their fondness for low-slung jeans has helped fuel the current craze for daring denim.
Sexier than the hip-huggers that were hot in the 1970s, today's low-rise jeans are being worn by teens and young women who want to emulate their pop music idols, retailers say. Stores such as Express even refer to their style as the "bikini jean," and Levi's dubs its style Superlow.
"It's fashion doing the rock 'n' roll scene," says Sunne Pollart, owner of Sunneshine stores in Denver and Boulder.
Customers for the low-rise jeans are typically women between 14 and 40, she says. They are buying jeans from makers like Mavi and Levi's red label, which is reproducing such designs as its low-rise jeans with twisted seams.
"Diesel's jean that hits below the waist has always been our best-selling jean, but (other styles) have gotten really low," says Pollart, 31 and a low-rise wearer herself.
Women like the way the pants look and fit, as long as the zippers aren't shorter than 3 to 4 inches. "They are comfortable because they're not binding at the waist," she says.
Customers aren't afraid to spend $50 and up for the looks. "Our denim used to be in the $50-$115 range, but now it goes up to $150," Pollart says. They don't mind paying the price, she says, because, "in Colorado, everyone wears denim all the time. They want to be comfortable, and when they are paying $150, they are getting better fabric and quality."
The low-rise trend has been attributed to pop singer Mariah Carey, who wore frayed-top jeans on a music video two years ago. The waistband was cut off and the fabric at the top left frayed. Soon imitators followed, and such big labels as Guess got into the look.
Meanwhile, the popularity of 1970s style spread to a new, younger customer who began wearing hip-huggers for the first time.
Low-rise jeans with flared legs are popular because they can be worn with boots, but trendy types are also picking up narrow-leg styles. Novelty fabrics are hot, including spray-painted denim, washed denim and deep indigo.
Pollart suggests that customers either launder the jeans inside out and don't put them in the dryer, or dry clean them if they don't want the color to fade or change.
Department stores also are onto the trend. Foley's is featuring jeans from such manufacturers as Paris Blues, Mudd and LEI. Styles that can be worn with a big belt, those that lace up the front or sides, and those without waistbands are hot, says Roz Pactor, vice president for fashion merchandising at Foley's.
"Girls are loving the low-rise," she says. "I don't know how that translates to school, though. My guess is that you have to cover up at school."
Pactor says the weekend way to wear jeans is with cropped tops, halters, one-shoulder styles and shrunken pucker-fabric shirts.
"All those young rock stars have such a heavy influence on the teen market," Pactor says, citing midriff-baring tops, short skirts and tight T-shirts as other items that are crossing from the stage to the street. "The looks are very bare and sexy."
And, as the mother of a teenage girl, she acknowledges, "Yes, it bothers me."
(Taken From: Denver Post) (Courtesy: Matt) | ||
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CAREY OUT
No one expected Mariah Carey to stay at Columbia once her contract expired, given her breakup with Sony Music honcho Tommy Mottola and her public griping about the label. But why did Columbia let the singer, who announced she’d signed with Virgin on April 2, walk away with one album still remaining on her contract and the ‘80s-themed soundtrack for her upcoming movie "All That Glitters" nearly complete? Well, they may not have. The "Glitters" disc will come out on the Virgin imprint (Carey reportedly paid $7 million to $10 million to buy back rights to the album). However, Sony – which declined to comment, citing a policy against discussing artists’ contracts – will apparently share the wealth. "Sony drove a very hard bargain with her in terms of her early exit," says a source familiar with the conditions for Carey’s release. "If 'All That Glitters' does well, even though the soundtrack will be on her new label there are considerable moneys in royalties to be paid to Sony." It’s a win-win situation: Columbia looks good by allowing Carey to go gracefully and avoids shelling out big bucks for promotion and distribution. And Mariah is sure to enjoy aggressive support from Virgin, which is reportedly coughing up as much as $20 million per album, one of the richest record deals ever. With those kinds of stakes, "All That Glitters" had better go gold.
(Taken From: Entertainment Weekly) APRIL 13, 2001 SUPERSTAR AT SEA
Just days after landing a megabucks record deal, Mariah Carey is to be given a customised luxury yacht. The diva's gift from millionaire fiance Luis Miguel comes one week after she signed a record-breaking $40million-an-album deal with giant Virgin last week. Miguel was so delighted with the deal - which puts Carey among the biggest earners in music history - he ordered her the handmade Italian boat.
A source close to Carey, who will net a whopping $180million over the next few years, said: "Luis is overjoyed for Mariah and thinks she has worked really hard to get where she is. He thinks she deserves nothing but the best so the boat will be the biggest and by far the most expensive. He's also going to employ a full fleet of staff so when they sail off, Mariah won't have to worry about a thing."
(Taken From: Fantasy Land) APRIL 13, 2001 MARIAH IS LEAVING
It's not a "Fantasy": Mariah Carey is leaving the record company that catapulted her to stardom. Carey and Columbia Records issued a joint statement Monday confirming that the pop star is no longer with the label. One of Columbia's best-selling artists of all time, Carey has sold more than 140 million albums and singles. "We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve," Sony Music (Columbia's parent company) said in the statement. Carey had been with Columbia since 1990, when Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola (whom Carey subsequently married and divorced) signed her. Carey, 31, reportedly has a new deal with Virgin Records worth an astronomical $20 million per album, reports the New York Daily News.
(Taken From: Celebrity Entertainment News) APRIL 13, 2001 MARIAH FOR HANES
Well, not really - but Jen made these really stellar "Hanes" Ads with Mariah. Check them out below:
APRIL 13, 2001 'DIVAS' TO COMPETE AT GALLERIA
Tired of lip-syncing in front of the bedroom mirror to the sounds of Britney Spears, Madonna or Mariah Carey?
Cosmogirl magazine will give aspiring teen songstresses the opportunity to become divas of their own on Saturday.
"Be prepared to sing and perform," said Sheryl Craig, spokeswoman for Glendale Galleria's The Zone.
Only girls between 13 and 19 will be allowed to compete in the Cosmogirl Diva for a Day Competition at The Zone.
Girls will be asked to perform a pop song selected from a karaoke machine. Each contestant will be videotaped and a five finalists will be chosen.
The five will be notified shortly before the second round of competition on April 28, Craig said. A disc jockey from KIIS-FM and a member of the KIIS-FM Street Team will judge the event.
One winner will be chosen and invited to perform May 4 with recording artists Youngstown, Williford, Toya, Joy Enriques and Mirari at the Cosmogirl Mega Music Spotlight concert.
The first round of competition will be from 2-6 p.m. at The Zone inside the Galleria.
All contestants need to do is bring themselves, Craig said.
IF YOU GO. What: Open auditions for Cosmogirl Diva For a Day Competition. Where: The Zone at Glendale Galleria. When: 2-6 p.m., April 14.
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) APRIL 13, 2001 ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT ON THE UPSWING IN CHINA
As Elton John faded into Mariah Carey in the background, Zeng Chen sat in an Internet cafe and pulled up the score for his U.S. law school practice test on his computer screen. As he leaned back and pulled on a Marlboro, the young man whose life straddles two worlds offered an unambiguous blast at one of them.
"All of us are fed up with America," said Zeng, 25, a Beijing University graduate student who hopes to attend law school in the United States next year. "Your hegemonistic behavior makes us sick. You think you're the world's policeman. But you're really the world's biggest criminal."
Zeng's sentiments are echoed throughout China -- on the airwaves, in the newspapers, in bars, taxicabs and noodle joints. Eight days after a U.S. Navy surveillance plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet several dozen miles from China's coast, China's people have again embraced the role of America's victim.
Two years ago, the bombing of China's embassy in Belgrade by U.S. warplanes triggered this kind of aggrieved outpouring. Now it's the midair collision of the U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries II and the Chinese F-8, which caused the Chinese fighter to crash into the South China Sea and resulted in the U.S. plane making an emergency landing on Hainan Island.
After several days of relatively low-key reporting, China's state-run media have been allowed to issue detailed reports on the missing Chinese pilot, Wang Wei, his wife's emotional letter to President Bush and other twists in the story, stirring the embers of anti-Americanism.
Almost every major paper was allowed to publish its own commentary on the case today. The military's newspaper opined that China had the right to investigate the American crew, intimating that charges could be brought. The Guangming Daily wrote about the fiery anger of China's students.
"On this planet only the stuck-up United States is this rude and unreasonable," said a commentary in today's People's Daily titled "Don't Quibble With the Facts."
This latest paroxysm of anti-American hatred is significant because it illustrates that China's public position is hardening in the current standoff with Washington. Bush and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell have expressed "regret" but have refused to offer the apology that China demands; China has said repeatedly that it will settle for nothing less. And while U.S. officials continue to insist that behind closed doors, Chinese diplomats are negotiating seriously over the wording of a joint communique about the collision, in China's public arena nobody is giving an inch.
"None of my roommates believe we should let the crew members go," said Zeng, the 25-year-old graduate student. "No one I know thinks we should let the crew members go. They are a great bargaining chip."
But more importantly, the current "down with America" campaign serves as an important reminder that, although China is becoming a more open society, huge swaths of its public life continue to be controlled at least partially by the Communist Party's powerful propaganda machine.
In March, state-run media attempted to squelch news that a fatal fire in a schoolhouse in southern China had occurred because elementary school students had been put to work making fireworks.
The campaign failed because of aggressive reporting by smaller Chinese newspapers and the unwillingness of many people to swallow the government's line. Things got so heated that Premier Zhu Rongji, who took the lead in contradicting the fireworks reports, was forced to make a public apology at the end of the National People's Congress.
But when it comes to international issues, China's people generally muffle their skepticism and toe the government's line. And these days the line is particularly anti-American.
Ironically, Chinese are adopting this hard line at a time when Americans and Chinese find themselves in an increasingly complex economic and cultural relationship. Trade between the United States and China totaled $110 billion last year, making China the United States' number one trade partner in Asia. There are 54,000 Chinese students attending schools in the United States, and American movies have the same pride of place in China's living rooms that American books on management have in Chinese universities.
China has a "love-hate relationship" with the United States, according to Sha Zukang, a senior Foreign Ministry official.
On the whole, the anti-Americanism is deeply emotional, born of what the Chinese say has been 150 years of indignities at the hands of the West. It has become increasingly powerful since 1993, when China lost its bid to host the 2000 Olympics to Sydney. Many here blamed the United States.
Richard Baum, a political scientist from the University of California at Los Angeles who stayed up until the predawn hours at Beijing University on the evening China lost, remembers the feeling clearly. "The students said, 'Why did you do this to us? We believed in you and you sold us out,' " he said.
From then on, the Chinese government has made use of numerous incidents to drive home the point that the United States is no friend of China's -- most recently the Belgrade embassy bombing, Washington's continued arms sales to Taiwan and its support of the Dalai Lama.
"Nationalism is a good salve for a society that is confused about where it is going and is confronted by enormous challenges," Baum said. "It provides many Chinese with a shelter in the storm. This is a textbook case of the uses of nationalism."
What is curious about the statements these days is the almost identical wording of many of the arguments made by the state-run press, normally scoffed at by average Chinese, and those made on the street.
Get into a taxicab and the driver begins his analysis of the situation with, "If someone came into my house to steal my things, of course, I'd fight them." Stop by a local noodle shop and the waitress says, "If someone was making noise outside my house, do you expect me not to go outside and see what's going on?" Both expressions originated in China's state-run press.
In step with the party line, very few people say the Americans should be released. Many of them say they believe the Americans could be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Washington.
"Now we have a chance to get even," said Wei Jun, a 31-year-old physicist, who studied for two years in California. "We should get something in exchange for their lives."
But when asked exactly what their country or government could win, many Chinese were at a loss. Told that perhaps holding the Americans had a downside -- delays in China's joining the World Trade Organization, or problems for another Chinese Olympics bid, this time for 2008 -- many didn't seem to care.
"Nothing is more important to China than sovereignty and dignity," said Sun Ning, a 23-year-old student of fine arts, who had just logged off a Web site exploring the work of American artist Jasper Johns.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi made the same remark on Thursday.
(Taken From: The Washington Post) | ||
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MARIAH GEARS UP FOR NEW VIDEO
Hi [Elongated and elevated octave]. [Laugh]. Hello. I just finished singing for the night and I am about to continue writing a nice song. And at that point, I will try and go to sleep and get up and do it again. So, I'm almost done. I’m still in Spain and pretty soon I'm going to be doing the video. And I don't know exactly what I'm doing for the video yet because we have to incorporate the movie and stuff like that. So yeah, If you have any nice ideas, let me know. And as soon as I'm done, I'm going to be able to get back into the creative mode of working on this site and stuff. And I’m just hoping that as many people as possible are going to be able to enjoy it. Hopefully, I'll be able to do some things that are not standard – that are exciting and whatever. Not the average nonsense. But right now, I've been so busy writing and recording that I've haven't had time to fully focus on it. But don't think that I'm not thinking about you because I appreciate you, I love you and I enjoy you. So, talk to you soon. And I can't wait for you to hear the album and see the movie. Bye bye. Thank you much.
This is what Mariah says in her latest voice message, left on her official website. MCWNO is enabling you to download Mariah's latest message. Just simply use the links below to start the message and choose your format:
APRIL 12, 2001 ERIC BENET TALKS ABOUT "GLITTER"
Eric Benet is at the top of his game as far as his career is concerned. Very rarely does harmony in career and love life balance out, but Benet seems to be making the scales level. Eric is set to star in the upcoming film "All That Glitters," with Mariah Carey. We asked him whether he plans on starring in any flicks with wifey, Halle Berry.
"I don't really have big screen aspirations," said Benet. "But I do have a teeny, tiny role in 'All That Glitters,' with Mariah Carey. The acting thing is something I think I'll leave up to the better half of my family."
Eric doesn't know how upset he has made about a third of American female moviegoers with that statement. But now that he has the juice in Hollywood, will he see stars?
"If something else presents itself that doesn't distract me too much from my music, then maybe I'll consider it. But I'm not trying to be no Tom Hanks right now."
When asked for more details in regard to he and wife Halle Berry's marriage, Benet gave the standard answer that many Hollywood reporters have heard more than a few times, "Nope!"
(Taken From: EuroWeb) APRIL 12, 2001 SINGERS MAKE TRACKS INTO NEW FILM ROLES
Cover story Today's movie credits are reading a lot like Billboard's best-selling-albums chart.
Teen-appeal pop acts Britney Spears and 'N Sync's Lance Bass, country gal Faith Hill, singing siren Mariah Carey and notorious rocker Eminem all have films in the works. This week, R&B singer Toni Braxton and bad-boy rocker/rapper Kid Rock make their screen debuts in Kingdom Come and Joe Dirt, respectively.
There have been singer-to-silver-screen crossovers for decades, of course. From the campy films of Elvis to best-actress Oscars for Barbra Streisand (1968's Funny Girl) and Cher (1987's Moonstruck) to the art-house appeal of Dwight Yoakam (1996's Sling Blade) and Lyle Lovett (1998's The Opposite of Sex) and gangsta films of the '90s, where rappers Ice-T and Tupac Shakur started their film careers.
Ice-T, who has appeared in dozens of films and now co-stars on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, says musicians' acting is just a continuation of a long entertainment tradition. ''Back in the day when Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin did films, they were just like the Ice-T's and Master P's -- the people who were popular at that time,'' Ice-T says. ''In pop culture, when people like you, they want to see you in every format.''
But in a multimedia world that includes everything from the Internet to commercials with celebrity endorsements, the need to cross the boundary is more crucial than ever.
''There are so many records that come out, and so many artists, that the only way to get attention is to cross-market,'' says Janet Billig, a recording manager at Immortal Entertainment, who's producing a documentary by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor about musicians turned actors. ''You're creating a brand, and that's how you sell the commodity. Selling a record is not good enough anymore. Everyone has to be broader.''
'N Sync's Bass -- now in Toronto shooting the romantic comedy On the Line, which also features bandmate Joey Fatone -- couldn't agree more: ''Right now, with all the artists,'' he says, ''it's all about image.''
But, as Cantor points out, there is an air of desperation to the move to movies these days. ''As a general rule, there is a fear of careers being very short-lived. Managers and agents are encouraging their clients to spread their wings as wide as they can.''
Marie Matthews, a manager with McGhee Entertainment, says that ''a lot of the industry revolves around what's hot.'' A company client, singer Nona Gaye (Marvin Gaye's daughter), recently was cast in the Muhammad Ali biography starring rapper-turned-A-list-star Will Smith.
''There will be times that if I see something that would be good in getting (clients) a little more attention or making people see them in a different light, then that's something I would push,'' Matthews says.
Busta Rhymes, who received praise for his roles in Shaft and Finding Forrester, is keenly aware of the fickle aspects of fame. ''I'm the type of dude that tries to capitalize on everything I can. Everything could disappear tomorrow, so when an opportunity comes up, I take it.''
Such opportunities may never have come along if it weren't for one means of exposure: MTV.
The music channel helped create a new breed of artist, Cantor says, ''where the emphasis is on visual performance as well as aural. It has culminated with the 'N Sync and Britney Spears type of artists, who are incredible dancing, singing, acting sensations who look great and are nice to their fans. They're these perfect creations: the ultimate star who does everything.''
Music manager Billig is more sanguine. ''They say every actor wants to be a rock star. But the truth is, rock stars are more talented.''
Cantor believes that hip-hop artists, in particular, have had onscreen success because the genre already is a form of acting. ''Right from the start, rap is a total act,'' he says. ''It's all about creating this new persona and building it up.''
Building the image with starring roles helps the musician sell records, yes, but it also helps sell the movie. Casting the latest musical phenomenon in a movie sometimes is enough to lure moviegoers who otherwise would have stayed home searching for their favorite artists on Napster.
Hard-bodied rapper DMX is largely credited for giving Steven Seagal the biggest box office opening of the action star's career last month: $18.5 million.
''DMX's presence was crucial to the weekend gross of Exit Wounds,'' says analyst Gitesh Pandya, editor of the boxofficeguru.com Web site. ''DMX brought in a younger, hipper, more urban crowd who otherwise would not have bought tickets.''
A similar motivation was behind casting Kid Rock in Joe Dirt. Says comedian David Spade, who co-wrote and stars: ''It was all about combining the two fan bases. We have kind of an overlapping fan base of dirtballs.''
Plus, he jokes, the rocker was the natural choice to play a small-town redneck bully. ''He wouldn't have to do anything (to prepare). Just walk from his trailer, put some WD-40 in his hair, and he'd be ready.''
If a movie nails a mega music star, that could mean a huge boost at the box office, says Cantor, whose documentary focuses on Bass' first foray into acting and will air this fall on the Independent Film Channel's ''Indie Rocks'' movie fest.
''On the set of the 'N Sync movie,'' Cantor explains, ''there were these three girls who said that no matter what the film is about, it could be the worst film they've ever seen, but they're going to see it seven times each.''
Even on the small screen, musicians know they have accrued fan bases many actors can only dream of. Ice-T, whose next feature film is called Air Rage, says that while filming outside shots for TV's SVU, ''people are all screaming and stuff. I look at my co-stars, and I am like, 'Hey, I am a rock star.' The fans are not screaming 'cause of something I did on the show last week.''
Musicians, however, are not always eager to make the jump from a 3-minute MTV video to a 120-minute feature-length film.
Kid Rock took the Dirt part only after cajoling from Spade. ''Everyone was sending me scripts. I literally had like 20,'' he said in a statement. ''But I was, like, I dunno if I want to spread myself thin. I know I'm a good musician. I'd like to keep it at that.''
That attitude was even more prevalent a decade ago, says Colleen Fitzpatrick, known to teens as Vitamin C. ''When I started in the music business, people thought acting would diminish my credibility as a musician.''
She took a break after her role in 1988's Hairspray, opting to front the now-defunct rock band Eve's Plum. But the orange-haired singer returned to films in December's Dracula 2000 and will soon begin shooting the comedy-drama Rhode Island Blues.
She returned to the screen because acting provides something even a persona can't. ''There's something very exciting about escaping into someone else,'' she says. ''I mean, who wants to be Vitamin C forever?''
Nona Gaye manager Matthews says that the people behind the artists need to be gentle about how hard to push. Gaye decided on her own to do ''a little acting'' and landed the second role she auditioned for. (The first was for The Matrix 2, but she lost out to another singer, Aaliyah.)
''But,'' Matthews says, ''if there's no interest from the artist, I'm not going to push it. If the interest isn't there, you won't get a good performance, and it just creates bad press.''
For many, including Rhymes, acting comes fairly easily. ''It's not too much different from singing,'' he says. ''We shoot these big-budget videos that look like big films, so I guess it's a natural evolution. Acting is just like something that comes with the territory.''
That's not to say that making the transition is effortless, he points out. ''With music, you can control that completely and paint your own picture to carry out your vision. But when you're on the set of a movie, you have to carry out whatever you're told to carry out. It's not the easiest thing to do.''
That could be one reason so many musicians don't stick with film careers for long.
''If you think about it,'' Cantor says, ''there are few musicians who have crossed over to movies with real success. It probably takes just one film for musicians to realize, 'Hey, natural talent isn't going to carry me as far as I'd hoped.' ''
A few, however, have created rather successful side careers. There's Madonna, of course, but also Harry Connick Jr., who has Life Without Dick coming up; Ice Cube, who has Aug. 24's Ghosts of Mars; Jon Bon Jovi, who will be in Nov. 11's Soulmates.
Plus LL Cool J in this week's Kingdom Come and in the Aug. 17 Rollerball remake, Courtney Love in the thriller 24 Hours; Lyle Lovett in May's The New Guy; Snoop Dogg in Oct. 26's Bones; and Dwight Yoakam in The Panic Room.
Still, even Rhymes acknowledges he did not take the acting side of his career seriously until very recently. For his role in Shaft, he hired an acting coach for the first time.
''I started to fall in love with acting,'' he says. ''I want to be part of the next generation of actors that can be admired and respected in the same manner as career actors.''
He wants to join the likes of former rapper Mark Wahlberg, who stars in July 27's Planet of the Apes and plays the replacement lead singer of a band he worships in Rock Star, out Sept. 14. And Will Smith, who has Ali (Dec. 25) and Men in Black 2 (July 3, 2002) in the works.
Braxton, who plays a diva who married into wealth in Kingdome Come, also hopes to stay onscreen, but her ambitions for now are slightly less lofty.
''I'm definitely going to be continuing (acting),'' she says. ''It's a great feeling to get dressed up and let people make a fuss over you. I get to be like the black Marilyn Monroe for a few hours.''
(Taken From: USA Today) APRIL 12, 2001 MARIAH'S MAKING MILLIONS
Mariah Carey has just become the music's industry's biggest earner.
The singer has signed a new five album record deal with Virgin worth £81.5 million!
At a cool £16.3 million per album, she beats the record previously held by Janet Jackson and REM whose new deals saw them both pocket £13.5 million per album.
Virgin reckon they've got a bargain, Mariah sold 140 million singles and albums across the globe with her previous label.
(Taken From: BBC Online) APRIL 12, 2001 QUEEN OF SOUL, NOT THE DIVA, SHOWS UP FOR VH1 SHOW
With Aretha Franklin, anything is possible--even the ordinary. During nearly three hours of performances for VH1's fourth installment of its "Divas" series, Franklin tackled opera, gospel, jazz and, of course, her unparalleled legacy as the Queen of Soul with an equally diverse cast of stars.
Unfortunately, the results rarely stretched above standard tribute-concert fare--a barrier that Franklin so effortlessly surpassed during the initial "Divas" concert in 1998 when she reminded the likes of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion why she is the queen.
Maybe Franklin missed the challenge during Tuesday's show at Radio City Music Hall, since her best performances clearly came during duets with other strong singers. Her duet with Mary J. Blige on "Do Right Woman" worked well because the singers were on relatively equal footing. The same goes for her excellent pairing with gospel singer Paul H. Morton and her scatting trade-offs with jazz singer Clark Terry.
The other high-profile duets did not fare as well, however. When Kid Rock arrived onstage during "Rock Steady" and began kicking old-school rhymes, Franklin didn't seem to know how to respond. Her teaming with the Backstreet Boys' Howie Dorough, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson on "Chain of Fools" didn't give the guys enough to do.
Surprise guest Stevie Wonder only sang a few words and other guests such as Jill Scott and Nelly Furtado were limited to singing "Freeway of Love" with the backup singers. Scott, for example, was sorely underutilized. It was thrilling to watch her take on Franklin's "A Natural Woman."
Franklin could have used some of that ferocity on some of her own performances. Though "Ain't No Way" was strong and her interpretation of Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" was stirring, Franklin's classic "Think" and "Respect" seemed like afterthoughts.
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) | ||
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MARIAH RESTS IN SPAIN, BUT NOT FOR LONG Here's a message from Daniel:
"I've got some news about Mariah here in Spain. I'm part of AEMCO (Asociación Española de Mariah Carey Online - Mariah Carey Online Spanish Association), and got some interesting stuff. First of all, with the new contract Mariah did with Virgin, Sony has removed us as the ''official'' fan club in Spain, which is actually a drama for us, but we still adore her and fight to recover the ''officiality.'' I guess this will happen in most countries.
Okay... some of us went to El Cortijo a few days ago (I didn't go myself since it's quite far from Madrid, where I live), but I've been reported Mariah saw them [the fans] through a window. She couldn't attend them since she was working, but anyway we asked to see her, and she had a few minutes to do it. I don't know much else, but that proves Mariah doesn't forget us!
And now another news tid bit: Mariah is ACTUALLY filming a video... she moved from El Cortijo to the town of Granada, where she's been seen filming at the airport. I hope this is the ''Lover Boy'' video, it would be great if she filmed another video here again."
(Courtesy: Elin) APRIL 11, 2001 MARIAH'S $117 MILLION DEAL
Mariah Carey's blockbuster recording deal with Virgin Records is worth an all-time high of $23.5 million per album, for a total of five albums, according to the New York Daily News. The deal, which begins with this summer's soundtrack to All That Glitters, is the largest ever per album fee in the industry. Both R.E.M. and Janet Jackson take in a reported $20 million per album. Carey recently left Columbia Records, where she began her career, after divorcing label boss Tommy Mottola in 1998.
(Taken From: Wall Of Sound) APRIL 11, 2001 MARIAH'S BIG DEAL
Talk about sweet revenge. Mariah Carey split from her former husband's record label, then scored the priciest record deal in history.The New York Daily News reports the "Butterfly" singer will be paid a whopping $23.5 million for each of five CDs she records for Virgin. She had been with Sony Records since her debut in 1990, and spent five years married to label boss Tommy Mottola.
The previous highest paid artists — Janet Jackson and R.E.M — received $20 million per album.
Carey's first release for Virgin will be the soundtrack to her upcoming movie, All That Glitters, detailing the experiences of an aspiring singer.
(Taken From: ABC News) APRIL 11, 2001 YOU AND MARIAH IN A DARK ROOM
The next pack of pop artists to cross over into films includes quite a few who have never acted before. Whether that scares or intrigues you may be the test of a true fan.
All That Glitters: After several false starts, Mariah Carey finally makes her feature debut playing a New York singer and club denizen on a "precarious journey to superstardom." (Opens August 31).
Joe Dirt: Kid Rock, who shows up again in the fall comedy "Bubble Boy", is David Spade's white-trash nemesis in a role that, amazingly, requires virtually no cosmetic alteration. (Opens April 11).
Exit Wounds: He's signed to play a rapper risen from the grave in "Lazarus," the fourth chapter of "The Crow." But DMX shows up as a drug lord who becomes detective Steven Seagal's unlikely ally. (Open).
Kingdom Come: To follow up her starring role in Broadway's "Beauty and the Beast," Toni Braxton makes her film acting debut in the Whoopi Goldberg comedy about the funeral of an ornery family patriarch. (Opens April 11).
Get Over It: Diminutive Sisqo, born in 1977, tries to make us believe he's in high school in the jilted-teen comedy starring Kirsten Dunst. There were no screenings for film critics - a bad sign. (Open).
(Taken From: Philadelphia Inquirer) APRIL 11, 2001 VH1 DIVAS LIVE 2001
Mariah did not appear at last night's "Divas" concert. I must say, this is my least favorite "Divas" ever. It was extremely boring and seemed like a watered-down-trying-to-repeat-previous-years event. It seemed like most of the songs were performed by Aretha. Which may not be a bad thing, but "Chain Of Fools", "Natural Woman" and "Ain't No Way" were performed, which had already been done in 1998 and 1999. Aretha did a new song, however. This is the song she opened the show with. She later dueted with Mary J Blige. Nelly Furtado was also there performing "I'm Like A Bird (I Wanna Fly)", however, her nervousness obviously peaked through because she was very shaky. Aretha later did a Jazz ensmble which I almost fell alseep to. Also, I htink she had lip stick on her teeth. I'm not trying to be rude, but in contrast to the previous years, this is definetely the worst ever. But I know VH1 did their best. Maybe next year's will be more exciting, if there is one.
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MARIAH RACIST ABUSE
Superstar singer Mariah Carey was subjected to racist bullying as a child because her peers could not decide whether she was black or white. The star's brother and sister were often physically tormented because they were darker than Mariah, 31. Their family car was blown up, their dogs were poisoned and crosses were even burned on the family's front lawn. "I've been in the rare position of seeing racist attitudes from both sides," the "Heartbreaker" singer confides. I am so ambiguous-looking that a lot of people will say racist things in front of me."
(Taken From: MTV Asia Online) APRIL 10, 2001 MARIAH'S RECORD DEAL: $23.5M
The figures are in, and Mariah Carey has indeed set a record for the most per-album money ever paid to a musical act.
Until now, Janet Jackson and R.E.M were tied for first place, with each getting $20 million per album (from Virgin Records and Warner Bros., respectively) in their most recent negotiations.
Carey now tops that with a whopping $23.5 million per album from her new label, Virgin. Sources familiar with her deal say it's for five albums and includes the soundtrack to her upcoming film "Glitter," which would have been the property of her old label, Sony, had not Carey's ex-husband, Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola, agreed two weeks ago to release her from her contract.
Other artists have been paid staggering fees in recent years — considerably more than $23.5 million — but these payments normally take the form of up-front bonuses. Until now, nobody has received the kind of per-album cushion that Virgin gave to Carey.
Not surprisingly, her rep had no comment.
(Taken From: New York Daily News Online) APRIL 10, 2001 RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL: MARIAH AT DIVAS 2001 Here's a message from Nicole Brooke:
I have some great news. I have recently written a few letters to Radio City inquiring about Mariah Carey and if she will be there, as well as the others performing on Tuesday night. Well, I just checked my mail and someone over at Radio City e-mail me this:
"The scheduled line up for tonight's show is: Aretha Franklin
Mariah Carey
Jill Scott
Mary J Blige
Backstreet Boys
Nelly Furtado
Presenters: Pamela Anderson
Soprano Women
Janet Jackson"
NOTE: We won't really know if Mariah will be performing or appearing at VH1's 2001 Divas Live. Radio City Music Hall confirmed she will and so has other reliable sources. However, Billboard speculated doubts and VH1 has never mentioned if she will appear or not. Even though her name is mentioned on the official Divas 2001 ticket, Mariah is currently in Spain recording, although there are no pictures of her from this travel. Perhaps the Spain idea was a cover up to keep Mariah's appearance at "Divas" a secret? Who know's. We will all find out tonight on VH1. Stay tuned for the latest information on that.
APRIL 10, 2001 VH1 SALUTES THE QUEEN OF SOUL
The music world will salute a living legend when "VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin," airs live on VH1 on Tuesday, April 10 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Ms. Franklin will be joined on stage by Mary J. Blige, Salsa legend Celia Cruz, hot Grammy-nominated rising star Jill Scott, Marc Anthony, Kid Rock, acclaimed newcomer Nelly Furtado, and the Backtsreet Boys' A.J., Howie and Kevin (who will also be presenters). Big-screen stars Sigourney Weaver and Renee Zellweger, Angie Harmon of "Law & Order," star of TV's "VIP" Pamela Anderson, suave Hollywood leading man Billy Dee Williams, and "The Sopranos" stars Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Drea DeMateo and Aida Turturro will join superstar singer Janet Jackson as presenters for the event.
"VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin" will bring together some of the biggest male and female artists in music history for one night of unforgettable performances, while spotlighting living legend "Lady Soul" onstage at New York City's legendary Radio City Music Hall. In addition to the performers announced above, Ms. Franklin will duet with Paul H. Morton, a Pentecostal minister, on the song "Precious Memories. She also has assembled an impressive line-up of musicians for the jazz portion of the show: Herbie Hancock, piano; James Carter, sax; Max Roach, drum; Ron Carter, bass; and Clark Terry, trumpet.
Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul," is a living legend, the first female performer inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and an inspiration and influence on countless other female vocalists the world over. Winner of numerous awards, citations and other accolades, including 17 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award (1991) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1994), Aretha has also been a Kennedy Center Honoree (1994), winner of the National Medal of the Arts by President Clinton (1999), and has performed at four Presidential Inaugurations. Among her 100 pop and R&B chart hits are "Respect," "A Natural Woman," "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone," "Chain of Fools," "Think," "Spanish Harlem," "Until You Come Back to Me," "Freeway of Love," "Who's Zoomin' Who," "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" with The Eurythmics, and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" with George Michael.
Mary J. Blige is a returning "Diva," having performed previously on "VH1 Divas Live '99." The multi-platinum hip-hop queen of soul artist's most recent album is "Mary," following her stunning debut "What's the 411," "My Life" and "Share My World." A 1996 Grammy winner for Best rap performance for "I'll Be There/You're All I Need" with Method Man, Mary has been nominated for four other Grammy Awards as well as several NAACP Image Awards, five Soul Train Awards, and six Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards (winning for Best R&B Solo Single for "Not Gonna Cry" and R&B/Soul Album of the year Solo for "Share My World"). Mary's humanitarian efforts have been extensive including her involvement with "Rock the Vote," "Partnership for a Drug Free America," and most recently with M.A.C. Viva Glam 111 lipstick in which all proceeds are donated to the M.A.C. AIDS fund.
Hot new star Jill Scott's dynamic and emotional debut album "Who Is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds Vol. 1" struck certified gold after only 14 weeks in release last autumn and went on to reach platinum status last month, led by the smash single "Getting in the Way." Beyond heaps of critical acclaim -- such as being named USA Today's No. 1 R&B Album -- Jill has received nominations for three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Best R&B Female Vocal Performance and Best R&B Album of the Year, as well as four NAACP Image Awards, three Soul Train Awards, and two BRIT Awards (including Best International Female Artist). She recently completed extensive concert tours of the U.S. and Europe.
Marc Anthony has left his mark on American popular culture in many ways, and in a very short time. He has sold more records than any salsa singer in the world, starred on Broadway in Paul Simon's "The Capeman," on the silver screen in Martin Scorsese's "Bringing Out the Dead" and Stanley Tucci's "Big Night," and sold out Madison Square Garden five times. Despite huge fame in other countries, however, Anthony remained relatively unknown outside the Latin music world in the U.S. -- the result of having sung almost exclusively in Spanish -- until the September 1999 release of his English-language CD, "Marc Anthony." The album has since been certified quadruple platinum. A 1998 Grammy winner for Best Latin/Tropical Performance (for "Contra la Corriente"), he has also been nominated for Grammies for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (1999) for "I Need To Know" as well as Best Pop Vocal Performance (2000) for "You Sang to Me."
Kid Rock is one of rock's most compelling artists and performers. Fueled by the success of singles like "Bawitdaba," "Cowboy," "Only God Knows Why" and "American Badass," Kid Rock has seen his last two albums, "Devil Without A Cause" and "History of Rock" soar to 9 times platinum and 3 times platinum, respectively. Known for his explosive live concerts, the star has just wrapped up a sold-out, headlining American tour. He has been nominated for two Grammy awards and this year had the honor of inducting his longtime heroes Aerosmith into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame. Kid Rock is also enjoying his debut on the big screen with a role in David Spade's current movie, "The Adventures of Joe Dirt."
At age 20, Nelly Furtado is the hottest young star in music with the release of her critically acclaimed first album for DreamWorks Records, "Whoa Nelly!," which has been propelled to certified gold status by the hit single "Like a Bird." The eclectic singer mixes English, Portuguese and Hindi languages as well as plays guitar, ukulele and trombone. She also played her first real concerts last year on the Lilith Fair tour, performing alongside such top stars as Chrissie Hynde and Sarah McLachlan.
"Queen of Salsa" Celia Cruz has recorded with some of the biggest names in music including Dionne Warwick, Patti Labelle, David Byrne, Gloria Estefan and Wyclef Jean. With over 70 albums recorded, her music has garnered a healthy amount of gold and platinum records, plus more than a hundred awards from prestigious institutions worldwide. In addition, Celia Cruz has received twelve Grammy nominations, winning it for the first time in 1989.
The "VH1 Divas" phenomenon began on April 14, 1998, when "VH1 Divas Live" spotlighted Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan and Shania Twain together onstage at New York's Beacon Theatre. "VH1 Divas Live '99," airing live from the Beacon Theatre on April 13, starred Whitney Houston, Cher, Tina Turner and Brandy, with special guests Sir Elton John, LeAnn Rimes, Mary J. Blige, Faith Hill and Chaka Khan. Last year, the April 11 presentation of "VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross" featured Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill and Donna Summer, plus Destiny's Child, Hilary Swank, RuPaul, Queen Latifah, and former Supremes singers Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne. One week later, Sting, Backstreet Boys, Tom Jones, D'Angelo and Enrique Iglesias challenged the Divas at their own musical game with "Men Strike Back," the first-ever male dominated Divas concert, also featuring Christina Aguilera and Sisqo. The three "Divas" specials are among the all-time highest rated broadcasts in VH1's history.
VH1's "Divas" specials raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music programs in America's public schools, and to raising awareness of the positive impact that music participation has on students. Since VH1 Save The Music was created in 1997, more than $10 million worth of musical instruments has been donated to 530 public schools in 40 cities, improving the lives of more than 200,000 children.
"VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin -- A Benefit Concert for VH1 Save The Music Foundation" is sponsored by Dodge and Chrysler, Clairol Hydrience and Infusium, Visa, Diet Coke, Old Navy, Kodak Max HQ One-Time-Use Flash Camera and Revlon.
VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials, live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with the music they love. VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music Television, MTV 2: Music Television, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land and VH1 as well as The Suite from MTV Networks, a package of ten digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide
(Taken From: VH1) APRIL 10, 2001 FAMOUS, BUT ARE THESE SINGERS REALLY DIVAS?
Two months ago, neo-soul singer Jill Scott was a nominee for best new artist at the Grammy Awards. This week, she's a diva.
Scott is one of a half-dozen singers scheduled to perform with Aretha Franklin on "VH1 Divas Live," to be broadcast tonight from Radio City Music Hall.
This year's "Divas" is subtitled "The One and Only Aretha Franklin" and will be a tribute to the Queen of Soul, who is unquestionably a diva. And the lineup is, unquestionably, exciting.
But no matter what VH1 calls this show, the channel's fourth annual "Divas Live" telecast, it's about two divas, not several. Diva is, after all, Latin for goddess, and there aren't too many of those floating around the pop music world. The only other singer on the "Divas" bill who fits this description is Celia Cruz, who is to salsa what Franklin is to soul.
Scott is a young soul singer, beat poet and hip-hop artist who more than deserved to be named best new artist at the Grammys (she wasn't). She could well be a diva someday. As of now, though, she's a diva-in-waiting.
Nelly Furtado, a Canadian crooner, is an agreeable neophyte who delivers pop with a Portuguese lilt. Call her a divette.
Mary J. Blige is a soul sister who can belt real pain (another diva attribute). Survivor? Yes. Diva? No.
Janet Jackson's mythical stature almost elevates her to divadom, but there's the matter of her voice. Wisely, VH1 is using Jackson as a presenter rather than a performer, saving her wispy soprano from being engulfed in Aretha's vocal hurricane.
Then there are the show's male "divas" - boisterous rap-rocker Kid Rock and suave salsa star Marc Anthony. It's a colossal marketing stretch to call either one of them a diva - or a divus, the male counterpart in Latin (probably dismissed by VH1 because it rhymes too easily with Beavis).
Lauren Zalaznick, VH1's senior vice president for original programming, said the cable channel defines a diva as simply "a person who can sing the living daylights out of a rock 'n' roll song."
Yes, Scott and Franklin will likely blow the roof off with their combination of grace and force. Kid Rock, who, like Aretha, hails from Detroit, will almost certainly prompt the Queen to strut and cluck around his staccato rhymes. Cruz and Anthony will bring out Franklin's Latin flair.
Still, by bringing in greener talent, VH1 can't help but cheapen the diva concept. Brandy and Shania Twain were clearly out of their element at past shows. And who could forget that moment during the first "Divas Live" when Mariah Carey tried to outsing Franklin, only to get vocally swatted away like a pesky gnat?
Of course, such moments are part of the fun. But far more rewarding are the performances of the few true prima donnas who've graced - or, as divas are wont to do, disgraced - "Divas Live."
Diana Ross skulked and wreaked havoc but still managed to charm during her "Divas Live" taping last year. Tina Turner shimmied and rasped through her segments with inimitable verve in 1999. Whitney Houston, another VH1 diva from '99, won listeners with her brilliant, gospel-inflected vocals and will remain a Diva Hall of Famer for her subsequent concert no-shows and marijuana bust.
VH1 could make amends for diva dilution by next year putting all the real prima donnas on the same bill - Franklin, Ross, Turner, Cher, Houston, plus opera giantesses Renee Fleming, Jane Eaglen, Deborah Voigt, Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle and Angela Gheorghiu.
VH1 could still use pop and rock as the meat and potatoes of the show - many opera greats routinely go low-brow on TV specials. Then it could throw in a few operatic standards for frills: Remember Franklin's killer version of "Nessun Dorma," when she stood in for Pavarotti at the 1998 Grammys?
Imagine the potential for glittery costumes, vocal competition and, above all, ego clashes. "Divas Live" would live up to its name.
(Taken From: The Baltimore Sun) (Courtesy: Matt) | ||
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ARETHA WANTS MARIAH
Tuesday's VH-1 Divas Live tribute to Aretha Franklin is set to include a new duet between the soul superstar and Mariah Carey - if Aretha gets her way. Janet Jackson, Marc Anthony and Backstreet Boys are already among the guests performing at the televised special, but Aretha wants to take to the stage with Mariah. She says, "I've spoken to her and we're trying to get together for a new duet. Whatever happens, Radio City (New York) is going to rock." Aretha fans Renee Zellweger and Lorraine Bracco will host the evening.
(Taken From: WENN) (Courtesy: Mariah Carey Archives) APRIL 09, 2001 FRANKLY FRANKLIN
Aretha Franklin is looking forward to a jam session fit for a queen Tuesday. Janet Jackson, Kid Rock and Marc Anthony are among the stars honoring her on VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin (9 p.m. ET/PT) and the Queen of Soul will be smack in the middle of things at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
Franklin will sing with kid Rock and Anthony, and there will be performances by Celia Cruz, Mary J. Blige, Nelly Furtado and Jill Scott. Jackson will be among the presenters, who also will include Billy Dee Williams, Renee Zellweger, Angie Harmon, Sigourney
Weaver, Backstreet Boys Howie Dorough, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson, and the women of The Sopranos-Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Drea de Matteo and Alda Turturro.
"It’s going to be fabulous," Franklin says. "It’s going to be live, and there’ll be instant gratification in some of the moments."
Viewers also will get a rare-these-days glimpse of Franklin at the piano, as she joins a jazz ensemble of pianist Herbie Hancock, saxophonist James Carter, drummer Max Roach, bassist Ron Carter and trumpeter Clark terry. They’ll be backed by a full orchestra.
"We are really going to whoop it up," she says.
The event is the network’s fourth in a series that began in 1998 with VH1 Divas Live, a live concert featuring Franklin, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan and Shania Twain. Last year’s show was a tribute to Dianna Ross. The concerts benefit the VH1
Save the Music Foundation, a non-profitorganization that has donated more than $10 million worth of musical instruments to public schools in the past four years.
Franklin, who has charted nearly 100 songs in a 40-year career and whose 17 Grammys are the most by any female artist, says she and Arista Records CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid have begun laying the groundwork for the follow-up to 1998 album A Rose Is Still A Rose.
The new album will be produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Babyface, but no release date has been set.
Franklin also is doing an album of arias (mostly Puccini) for her own World Class Records.
(Taken From: USA Today) (Courtesy: Tahiana) | ||
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MARIAH'S NEW MESSAGE
Yeah, I do believe that I'm in Spain recording. And basically I haven't left this facility in like a week. Okay, so the room where I sleep is about three feet from the studio. And yeah, I guess what I do is I wake up and walk in the studio, usually in my pajamas, sing the nice tune or perhaps continue writing the tune and then go back to sleep. So, it's been good. [Laugh]. No, actually it's good that I'm just able to focus and get this done.
And I'm looking forward to putting out the soundtrack and the movie. And I believe that it is coming out on Labor Day. So yeah, this has been quite the long awaited project for me, as you guys know. And I'm looking forward to it and I hope you are as well.
So once again, as always, I appreciate you much and I enjoy you. And it's about [Sings]: 5 A.M. and I still can't sleep. That would be the standard for me. You know, it's really quite basic. But anyway, I love you much and I'll leave you a message again soon. Hopefully, when it’s a little less boring as hell. Okay. Bye bye.
This is what Mariah says in her latest voice message, left on her official website. MCWNO is enabling you to download Mariah's latest message. Just simply use the links below to start the message and choose your format:
APRIL 08, 2001 FIVE QUESTIONS WITH ARETHA FRANKLIN
It's pretty hard to deny Aretha Franklin was THE diva at VH1's inaugural "Divas" celebration a few years ago.
Even with an all-star cast that included such powerhouses as Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, it was the Queen of Soul who stole the show. But when you ask her about it, she politely disagrees that she upstaged her fellow divas.
"Oh, please," says Franklin of the 1998 concert, which featured Carey, Dion, Shania Twain and Gloria Estefan. "We had a party; it was a party on stage."
There's no question who will be the center of attention at this year's "Divas" celebration. Franklin and her music will be feted by Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott and members of the Backstreet Boys. Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco and Aida Turturro from HBO's "The Sopranos" will also be there.
The concert will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on April 10. Proceeds will benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit group designed to boost music education in public schools.
1. You've gotten so many accolades over the years. Does the thrill lessen over time?
Franklin: Oh, absolutely not! Every time something is given to you, it's special, because no one has to give you anything. So, absolutely it's very special when people appreciate a piece of work that you've done, or some performance, or some recording. It's great.
2. Do you believe older artists are getting enough attention from radio these days?
Franklin: No, I don't, and I don't think it's fair. I think there should be more stations that are geared to the artists of the `60s. I don't think you can wipe them out or off just like that. I don't think that's right, because they have big audiences; their concerts attest to the fact that they still have their audiences, and their fans want to hear them, too, just like they do the hip-hop artists. Equal time, equal time!
3. You have a very famous fear of flying. What sparked it?
Franklin: I had a bad flight, a two-engine plane. ... It was from Atlanta to Detroit, there were no more jets available, and we just took what we could get and I just never should have done that.
4. Do you feel limited by not being able to fly?
Franklin: Actually, no, because I just decided that I was still going to broaden my horizons anyway, flying or not flying. There were cars before there were airlines, buses and things like that. And actually, I like my custom bus a lot more than the plane, because it's more private for one thing. ... On the custom bus, I get to see America.
5. Do you believe you're the ultimate diva?
Franklin: What do YOU think?
(Taken From: Las Vegas Sun) | ||
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MARIAH IN SPAIN
While every newspaper and website around the world go nuts about Mariah's deal with Virgin, Mariah herself enjoys her stay in Spain. She arrived there on Wednesday April 4 and she will give a press conference this coming Monday, April 9. It will be her first press conference since her split with Sony Music.
There are rumours that Mariah is recording in the "El Cortijo Studios" until April 15. This studio is a custom built studio in the mountains overlooking the Ronda National Reserve in the providence of Malaga in Andaulucia, southern Spain. It is 15 minutes from the beaches of Marbelle and the ot spots of Puerto Banus Marian. Her boyfriend Luis Miguel will join her this Monday.
There are also rumours that Mariah will shoot a video while she's staying in Spain. This video will probably be for her first single from the "All That Glitters" soundtrack.
(Courtesy: Mariah Carey Archives) APRIL 07, 2001 HIRE AND HIGHER
Apparently, all that glitters really IS gold for Mariah Carey. This week the 30 year old chart topper snagged a contract with Virgin Records that's reportedly the biggest music deal ever. Exact terms weren't disclosed, but Virgin called it an ''unprecedented, multi- album, multimillion dollar recording agreement.'' The contract is rumored to surpass the $20 million per album that R.E.M. inked with Warner Bros in 1996.
However, some observers wonder whether Carey will prove worth the high cost to Virgin. Her $20 million plus paycheck is just a portion of what the label will have to earn back to break even, points out Steve Gottlieb of the trade magazine CVC Report. That number doesn't include the costs associated with producing and marketing the albums, ensuring that Carey's tunes get airplay on radio and MTV. ''She'll need to sell a lot of records to recoup their expenses,'' Gottlieb says.
Meanwhile, the singer's sales have begun to slide since the mid- '90s. Her most recent album, ''Rainbow,'' sold more than 2 million copies. But it didn't perform nearly as well as her 1995 smash ''Daydream,'' which was certified 10 times platinum, or even her 1997 quadruple platinum release ''Butterfly.'' And Carey has had 15 No. 1 singles since her career began in 1990, but her most recent release, ''Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme),'' was her lowest performing song ever, peaking at No. 28 on the Billboard charts.
Nevertheless, many industry watchers say that Virgin is well suited to supporting an artist like Carey. The label is home to such R&B superstars as Aaliyah and Janet Jackson, whose upcoming album ''All For You'' (April 24) should go No. 1 upon release. ''The Mariah deal seems to fit into their game plan,'' says Geoff Mayfield, a senior editor at Billboard magazine. ''The dollars we hear being thrown about suggest that they know what they're doing.'' Indeed, the label signed a similarly head turning -- and profit making -- three disc deal with Jackson for $40 million in 1991.
A high profile singer like Carey will add invaluable prestige to a label, Mayfield admits. But it's unlikely that Virgin would agree to such an expensive deal unless it saw potential for making its money back. ''You don't throw $20 million out there just for window dressing,'' he says. ''Hit- wise they're probably safe,'' concurs CVC's Gottlieb. ''Worse case, they could probably nudge her onto a blockbuster soundtrack with a Celine Dion / Diane Warren type ballad and just ride that wave.''
The first test will come in August when Carey releases her first album for Virgin, the soundtrack to her upcoming feature film debut, ''All That Glitters,'' for which the singer wrote and performed each track (the first single is due in June). That's when we'll see if all that glitters truly is gold -- or better yet, quadruple platinum.
(Taken From: Entertainment Weekly Online) APRIL 07, 2001 VIRGIN IT IS
Mariah Carey signs an "unprecedented" multimillion dollar deal with Virgin Records.
R&B superstar Mariah Carey has left longtime label Columbia for what she calls "the uniquely creative musical environment" at Virgin Records. Her first release will likely be the Jimmy & Terry-produced soundtrack to her new movie "All That Glitters." The film will hit theaters on the Labor Day Weekend. (Taken From: Flyte Tyme) APRIL 07, 2001 THE OFFICIAL MARIAH CAREY ONLINE FAN CLUB Here is a message from Jill Ambrosino, Mariah's personal assistant:
Hey everybody!
I was hoping I might ask for your suggestions and/or ideas about creating an OFFICIAL MARIAH CAREY ONLINE FANCLUB through mariahcarey.com - the official website!!
Is this something that you, as fans, would like? What kinds of things would you like to have be included with membership? Please feel free to reply with any and all of your thoughts! We just want to make it as special as all of you are!
Thank you so much!
Love, Jill
You can post your thoughts and comments on Mariah's Official Messageboard @ MariahCarey.com)
APRIL 07, 2001 THE NEW MCWNO
On May 1, 2001, MCWNO will re-open with a brand new design and brand new features that everyone will come to love. We will be located at a new domain and be bringing the best and the latest on Mariah, as always - so stay tuned for that.
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PONY TALE
Mariah Carey once worked in a hair salon sweeping up hair. Now she’s sweeping up No. 1 hits and platinum records, but in a casual moment the sexy songbird’s odd ‘do is hairy.
(Taken From: National Enquirer) APRIL 06, 2001 MARIAH CAREY MAKES LIKE VIRGIN'S NEW STAR
The New York Daily News had reported that the 31-year-old superstar R&B chanteuse signed a deal with Virgin worth $20 million per album. Virgin will now be home to two of the world’s biggest-selling female singers. The other is Janet Jackson.
Carey is slated to release her first record on the EMI imprint — the soundtrack for “All that Glitters,” her upcoming 20th Century Fox film — in late summer.
Columbia Records confirmed Monday that the multiplatinum-selling artist, who has been with Columbia for more than a decade, had left the flagship imprint of Sony Music.
Carey has recorded six full-length records, plus an EP and a Christmas album, for Columbia. Her eponymous debut LP yielded four No. 1 singles, including “Someday” and “Vision of Love,” and earned a best new artist Grammy.
The singer went on to release more than a dozen No. 1 singles — more than any other solo female artist in rock —and to sell a total of 140 million albums and singles worldwide. Carey’s top-selling LP, 1993’s “Music Box,” has moved more than 24 million copies to date.
Jackson, who signed one of the richest deals in recording history when she bolted A&M for the EMI-owned imprint, will have her next album, “All for You,” released April 24. It is projected to be one of the year’s blockbusters.
(Taken From: MSN) APRIL 06, 2001 DIVA DEMANDS REVEALED
Thesmokinggun.com have uncovered an alarming collection of superstar riders detailing the personal requests made by artists for their backstage sanctuaries and reveals interesting aspects of their characters. Mariah Carey, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Moby are all laid bare in the reports.
For instance, Mariah Carey, although supposedly notorious for her diva demands, has a surprisingly simple list of instructions in her official rider with the main focus being on the provision of healthy foodstuff. However she does insist that her tea is made only with Poland Springs Water and that a box of bendy straws are on hand.
Organisers at gigs or TV shows featuring Cher must ensure a Wig Room is provided for her array of hair pieces and that a room is available for a certain Dr Stacey - her masseur. Cher likes fresh cut lilies too but you won't catch Sir Elton John with lilies in his dressing room. His rider specifically points out that although fresh blooms are a must there are to be 'no chrysanthemums, lillies, carnations or daises.'
Elton is very particular about the temperature backstage. It should be '60 degrees in summer and 70 degrees in winter.' He requires a love seat - interesting - but refuses to wear the standard security passes once he's backstage. Far too common!
Moby's contract rider from autumn 1999 is a straightforward affair but he does need someone else to do his smalls shopping on his behalf and an inclusion of '10 pairs of white cotton socks and 10 cotton boxer shorts' are requested. What size he needs isn't stated unlike the measurements for the cotton boxer shorts worn by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They're large if you hadn't guessed by the size of their socks!
There are a few hygiene freaks in the world of pop. Prince is fastidious when it comes to ensuring no ones been nibbling at his nosh backstage before he's arrived on the scene and his rider states that 'all food must be covered by clear plastic wrap until uncovered by the artist himself.' He also requires a 'physician to administer a B-12 injection.'
Likewise P Diddy is fussy about cleanliness. 'Before serving, all food and ice must be inspected for hair, package, paper etc... and all catering staff must wear hair nets,' his rider dictates. The recently acquitted rapper is rather keen on keeping fresh himself too. '20 bars of soap for showers' are requested specifically 'Lever 2000 anti-bacterial soap or Zest.' Oh and there's too be no fatty foods cooked backstage either.
Pearl Jam seem pretty fussy as well. It states very clearly that the 'artist carries its own juicer and blender for juicing and making smoothies.' So there. It continues to state 'Please make sure all fruit and vegetables are ripe (otherwise don't waste the effort).'
The biggest party backstage is likely to be raging in Busta Rhymes dressing room. He asks for, among other things, '1 box of Lifestyles or Rough Rider condoms (ribbed), 12 corn on the cob, 1 jar of mustard, 6 bottles of Moet champagne and 12 new white towels (no logos!)'
The award for most imaginative rider with hilarious personal touches goes to Foo Fighters. Here's some of worldpop's and thesmokinggun's favourite quotes:
'Artists shall not be required to share dressing room with any other performer except Supergrass, Oasis or maybe Led Zeppelin.'
'Any strange or lingering odours should be dealt with and covered up wherever and whenever possible.'
'Remember cauliflower blows.' 'Dave loves stinky cheese.'
'Ten Energy Bars, Tiger Milk or Granola type bars. Ask a hippy for a better suggestion.'
And lest organisers decide to skip a few items and save some money the rider clearly points out, 'Dearest Reader. This rider is comprised of the things that make the band rock you like a proverbial hurricane! The silly items like gum and candy bars make a difference to these boys that are far from their families and friends. The band travels on its stomach, just like Foreigner or Motorhead.'
(Taken From: WorldPop) APRIL 06, 2001 MARIAH CAREY BEST PAID FEMALE ARTIST
Singer Mariah Carey has made a mega deal with Virgin Record. It's one of the biggest and most expensive record deals ever. The singer will receive 31 million euro (70 million gulden) for each album. Mariah's first album "All That Glitters" will be in stores in August. This cd is also the soundtrack for her debut movie "All That Glitters". The first single from her album will be released in June. Mariah becomes the best paid female artist of Virgin with this mega deal. She gets paid a lot more than artists like Janet Jackson and REM. Mariah Carey left her former record company Sony after she divorced the boss of Sony, Tommy Mottola. Mariah has sold more then 120 million albums worldwide.
(Taken From: Spits) (Courtesy: Nikki) APRIL 06, 2001 VIRGIN SIGNS MARIAH CAREY
Virgin is proud to announce it's newest siging of Mariah Carey. Website will be coming soon, please keep checking back for more details!
(Taken From: VirginRecords.com) APRIL 06, 2001 MARIAH'S JAPAN AFFILIATE BECOMES TOSHIBA EMI Here's a message from Shino:
Yesterday, the Japanese news programs broadcast about the Mariah transfers. But because the contract is remaining yet as for Japan Sony, she releases ATG with SONY. And Japan Sony official site announced that Mariah and contract expire with ATG. The "Virgin record" becomes "TOSHIBA EMI" in Japan. Present "TOSHIBA EMI" has the power of same with Sony in Japan. The singer who has many famous popularity of Japan is belonging to TOSHIBA EMI.
APRIL 06, 2001 ANDY ROONEY CHANGES NAME TO 'PUFF DADDY'
Television insiders speculated that the ornery commentator may have changed his name to Puff Daddy in order to attract younger viewers to “60 Minutes,” which has seen its audience shrink—and grow older—in recent years.
Rooney was not the only personality interested in acquiring the coveted moniker, according to sources close to the negotiations. Steve Forbes, trying to re-invigorate a moribund political career, also made a bid. So did Alan Alda, who is rumored to be tiring of hosting tedious science shows for PBS.
Rooney, who has asked to be called Mr. Puffy, will make his first appearance as Puff Daddy on next Sunday’s broadcast, in which he will complain about the plastic bags that morning newspapers come in.
Mr. Puffy will be introduced by his colleague Morley Safer, who instead of saying, “And now, here’s Andy Rooney,” will use a new introduction, “Yo, word up. Puff Daddy’s in the house, y’all.” The former Andy Rooney will then be seen sitting behind his customary desk, wearing multiple chains of gold jewelry, with pop singer Mariah Carey on his lap.
"I just saw a tape of the segment last night,” says Don Hewitt, longtime executive producer of “60 Minutes.” “It’s da bomb, homes."
(Taken From: NBCi) | ||
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MARIAH THANKS FANS IN VOICE MESSAGE
Hi. I just wanted to say thank you so much. Yeah, to everybody who's been here through everything for me. And we have a new label and a new situation. And I'm totally excited and looking forward to that and I just wanted thank everybody from the past that was cool and that stayed by me. All the people who worked really hard for a long time. Just wanted to say thank you much. And you know I’m looking forward to getting the new music out there and getting the movie out there and the soundtrack. So, I love you much and I thank you much. All right guys, I will holler later. Bye.
This is what Mariah says in her latest voice message, left on her official website. MCWNO is enabling you to download Mariah's latest message. Just simply use the links below to start the message and choose your format:
APRIL 05, 2001 MARIAH LEAVES SONY
Mariah Carey has said, "See ya" to her longtime label, Columbia, and has signed a multiple-album deal with Virgin Records.
The R&B superstar's first release under her new contract is expected to be the soundtrack to her '80s movie "All That Glitters" in late summer. The 20th Century Fox film, starring Carey as an up-and-coming singer named Billie, will hit theaters on Labor Day weekend.
"I am elated about my new partnership with Virgin Records, and I look forward to being a part of their uniquely creative musical environment," Carey said in a statement Tuesday (April 3). "Hallelujah!"
Virgin did not disclose details of the multimillion-dollar deal, but the press release called the deal "unprecedented."
Carey released six full-length albums, an unplugged EP, a Christmas LP and a greatest-hits compilation on Columbia. She married and later divorced Tommy Mottola, the chairman of Sony Music, Columbia's parent company.
The 31-year-old singer has sold more than 140 million albums and singles worldwide and has earned 84 gold, platinum and multiplatinum certifications, according to Columbia.
Carey collaborated with "Super Freak" singer Rick James and the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige) on the "All That Glitters" soundtrack, which also is expected to feature a contribution from Da Brat and a duet between Carey and Eric Benét.
(Taken From: MTV.com) APRIL 05, 2001 FUGEE THIS: IT'S ANOTHER WILD NIGHT IN THE RECORD BIZ
Listen to me when I tell you that the record business is no fun. It is very cutthroat. I don't think movie execs would last a day in it.
(Well, I suppose we could ask Michael Fuchs that question. The successful head of HBO had his career foreshortened when he became the head of Warner Music years ago.)
So I do feel bad for Sony Music's Tommy Mottola. Why? Mariah Carey is gone, but not forgotten. On her Web site, www.mariahcarey.com, the scantily clad singer has left a voice message for fans.
It's only 11 seconds long, but basically Mariah sings, "I'm freeeeeeeeee." Followed by a laugh and a shriek. That says it all, no?
What could be worse? Tomorrow night the urbane rapper Wyclef Jean is performing at the 40th birthday party of Arista Records' executive vice president Jerry Blair.
You may recall that some months ago, Blair, who'd been head of promotion at Sony for 11 years, left the company to join L.A. Reid at Arista. This so infuriated Mottola when he found out about the negotiations that he had Blair removed from the Sony building on Madison Avenue by security guards.
A few months later, Wyclef was told he could stuff his label deal with Sony. Wyclef's manager David Sonnenberg, as I reported here, immediately called Clive Davis at J Records and voilá; — Clef Records is now with Davis.
J and Arista are both owned by BMG Music, which is trying to merge with EMI Music — the parent company of Virgin Records, which just signed Sony's biggest-selling artist, Mariah Carey.
Got that so far? There's more. About 18 months ago, Sony fired Michael Mauldin, the head of black music, who also happens to be the father of rapper Jermaine Dupri.
For quite a while, Mauldin had his eye on a teenager with a lot of talent who was signed to Columbia Records. Her name: Alicia Keys. When Alicia was eventually dropped by Columbia, she was picked up by Arista.
Last year, when Davis left Arista, he took Keys with him. Mauldin, meantime, is still her manager. Tonight, Keys performs the second of her two showcases at the Bottom Line in New York. Her debut album comes out in June.
From all signs so far, it looks like she will be a gigantic new star. It's not clear whether Mottola realizes that Mauldin, whom they fired, is now managing Keys, whom they dropped.
And Wyclef? Without Blair to help him, his second solo album for Columbia was a bust — even though it should have been a bestseller and a Grammy nominee.
Like its predecessor, The Carnival, the The Ecleftic is an ambitious, funny, musically complex piece of work. Now that Wyclef has moved his label away from Sony, it's only a matter of time before he probably tries to exit as a solo act.
Of course, his value to Sony remains because of one dangling carrot — the possibility that he will somehow make another Fugees record with Lauryn Hill.
But Hill seems adamantly opposed to that idea. As Wyclef raps on Ecleftic — "Fugee this, Fugee that, Where Fugee at?"
And to think that Barbra Streisand and James Brolin want to do a TV series about all this. Not even The Sopranos is this violent.
As for Sony, there's always that Train album. Love that Train album.
People ask me, "Why do you pick on Sony Music all the time?"
I'll tell you why. At least there are people to talk about. At Sony's former rival, Warner Bros. Records, the game is over. Eric Clapton's newest album, Reptile, was on and off the charts in record time. No one's run that shop for a long time, and it shows. At least Sony's out there developing and releasing some new artists.
(Taken From: Fox News 411) APRIL 05, 2001 VIRGIN RECORDS BETS BIG ON CAREY'S $80-MILLION DEAL
Pop singer Mariah Carey has signed a four-album contract with Virgin Records worth an estimated $80 million, a deal representing a colossal wager on the label's international marketing machine.
The Virgin deal, announced Tuesday, won out over rival offers from Arista Records and several other labels, sources said. The contract is the first such blockbuster in several years, following a series of mega-deals in the 1990s by stars such as R.E.M., Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, U2, Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones.
Such mega-deals have fallen out of favor, analysts say, because they failed to deliver the profits hoped for. Indeed, rival executives said they were stunned at the size of Virgin's offer, suggesting the company would never see a profit.
But in an industry filled with single-hit acts, a superstar like Carey is considered the closest thing to a sure bet. The superstars also provide the companies with leverage in seeking retail space for their other offerings.
The deal comes at a time in the record business when sales are essentially flat, the number of record retailers is shrinking and the Internet is potentially threatening already-thin profit margins.
But competition for market share among the five conglomerates, including Vivendi Universal, remains fierce, and Virgin's parent, British music giant EMI Group, is behind. EMI, which also includes the Capitol record label, has 11.1% of sales of current albums in the U.S. this year, ranking it fifth, behind AOL Time Warner, according to SoundScan.
For Virgin, the deal is a chance to demonstrate its ability to market a U.S. star globally at a time when many competitors are trying to increase sales by developing local acts in their international territories. Indeed, sources said bidders were required to submit a global marketing plan to Carey for her next album, a soundtrack for the film "All That Glitters"--though record executives hadn't viewed the movie.
The pact also comes at a crucial juncture for EMI, which has been the subject of takeover rumors for years.
Adding Carey to its roster should provide EMI with luster in the event it fails in its current negotiations to merge with German media giant Bertelsmann. EMI was set to merge with AOL Time Warner's Warner Music Group before the objections of European antitrust regulators pressured the companies to scrap the deal in October.
The giant contract "shows the world, and Bertelsmann, that they're not just going to die a slow death if there's no [merger] deal," said Michael Nathanson, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. "They haven't [signed] a new U.S. superstar in quite a while. She's a bona fide superstar."
But Nathanson warned that "superstars aren't selling like they used to," and added, "I wonder about the return on their investment."
Representatives for Carey and Virgin declined to comment on the deal, which was negotiated by EMI music Chief Executive Ken Berry, Virgin Music Group Vice Chairwoman Nancy Berry and the singer's attorney, Donald Passman.
But sources said the deal includes paying the 31-year-old Carey a $20-million advance upon signing, part of which is an estimated $7-million non-recoupable payment to reimburse her for the cost of buying the rights to the last album on her Sony contract, the movie soundtrack. The deal, which covers four albums of new material and gives Carey full creative control over her work, guarantees an estimated $20-million advance per album plus a 25% royalty on each record sold. Virgin will deduct money from her royalties until the advances are paid off.
The film soundtrack is to be her first Virgin release. Sources said Sony retains the album's distribution rights in Japan, one of the areas where she is most popular.
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) APRIL 05, 2001 CAREY AWAY
Superstar R&B chanteuse Mariah Carey has signed on at Virgin Records, leaving her longtime home of Columbia Records. Her first title on the EMI imprint -- the soundtrack for "All That Glitters," her upcoming 20th Century Fox film -- comes out in late summer.
(Taken From: Washington Post) APRIL 05, 2001 BOCELLI'S ARTISTRY ARISES PASSION
To read his press clippings, you'd have to conclude that Andrea Bocelli is either:
1. One of the great Italian tenors of all time, not to mention a compelling and inspiring entertainer, whose gifts are obvious to everyone except a few clueless classical snobs and critics.
2. An overreaching pre-packaged commodity who has inexplicably captured worldwide acclaim, mostly undeserved.
Few musical performers arouse more polarized thoughts than Bocelli, the 42-year-old blind tenor, who has become known in this country on the basis of several bestselling CDs and two popular PBS specials. He will appear Wednesday night at the Hartford Civic Center, accompanied by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.
But it's not just Bocelli: Something is going on in the music world. As more and more music courses continuously through Walkmans and MP3 players and thumping car systems and streaming audio websites, there is a corresponding sense that musical value judgments, when they are attempted at all, will be met with either a shrug or raised fists.
The mere suggestion that certain musical performers are intrinsically "better" than others increasingly feels - in some quarters - like an outmoded, condescending way of looking at things, so yesterday.
True, a few prized artists, by virtue of longevity or the already-accumulated weight of shared opinion, have been grandfathered in.
Nobody would dispute that the vocal scattings and ornaments of Ella Fitzgerald are more interesting than the promiscuous, random stylings of a Mariah Carey.
Similarly, no one would contest that Frank Sinatra's basic take on most standards would be preferable to, say, Jerry Vale's, to name another Italian-American singer of roughly Frank's generation.
Yet apart from a few icons, most of whom belong to another era, the attempt to make value judgments on music and musicians has become increasingly irrelevant, or alternately, increasingly contentious.
One reason may have to do with music itself and the way it works these days. Unlike books, which impart ideas and knowledge; or the visual arts, which convey form and structure, music to most people is experienced as, simply, an immediate and highly personal source of comfort and diversion. Something to dance to, drive to, do one's job to. Something to help us get through the day, or as the case may be, night.
By music, of course, I mainly mean pop music, since that's what most people themselves mean by music. And since nearly everybody has some connection to some pop music, it follows that everybody is equally at home defending their slice of it.
People know what they like and like what they know.
If you ask a person what kind of music he or she likes, very often the answer will be, "Oh, I like all kinds of music - metal, techno, hip-hop, pop, even a little bit of country!"
In the face of this happily undifferentiated stew (usually missing, however, the ingredients of jazz and classical), it really shouldn't surprise us that trying to make distinctions of good or bad - which Duke Ellington once said was the only distinction in music worth making - would seem quaintly passe.
For a while, thanks to the Beatles and a few others, there was a brief flirtation with the idea that popular music could be, or at least strive to be, art.
The classical composer Ned Rorem, in one of his diaries, writes about how during the '60s he and his fellow serious composers barely paid any attention to one another's music, but that everyone paid close attention to the Beatles. The feeling was that perhaps some stimulating new synthesis of art music and popular music was beginning to materialize.
Almost 40 years later, the term art-rock now sounds as dated as a Peter Max poster.
True, there are pop figures doing wonderfully inventive and important work. I thought about this during the Academy Awards telecast: Björk got roundly teased for her odd swan dress, but nobody seemed interested in pointing out that her song was a brilliant and original piece of work, whereas at least two of the other nominated songs, Randy Newman's and the one from "Crouching Tiger," were achingly trite and unmemorable. To me, it was weird having them clustered together as if they were roughly equivalent. At least the trite ones didn't win, but then neither did Björk.
(It was a nice TV moment to see Bob Dylan get an Oscar, but his tune was not, in all honesty, an artistic envelope-pusher.)
But back to Bocelli.
A lot of his most passionate fans are Italian women of a certain age, who find something endearing about the young tenor's ability to project "feeling." I know these women are out there because I have heard from them in the past whenever I have written something they regard as insufficiently respectful.
In fact, one of them called a few weeks ago. She had just learned of Bocelli's upcoming concert, and called just to admonish me from even thinking any anti-Bocelli thoughts.
But interestingly, a lot of Italians I know who are serious opera fans - the one constituency Bocelli would most dearly love to cultivate - are among his more serious detractors.
These folks are convinced that, however much the young tenor might wish to see himself in the league with Gigli and Del Monaco and Pavarotti, the voice is simply not there, at least yet.
Why are the feelings surrounding Bocelli so strong? I think there are two reasons.
One, both he and his organization tend to make extravagant claims about his standing. How you define yourself is important in the arts. Years ago, in the course of interviewing the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Annie Dillard, I asked her where she saw herself within the hierarchy of American letters.
"Humbly, if at all," she said.
By contrast, Bocelli openly invokes that "great tenor tradition" in a way that makes it clear he regards this as territory he occupies.
He almost invites doubters to take potshots at him.
Second, by virtue of having been spawned on public television, Bocelli arrived with a certain perceived, if illusory, validity. The sad fact is that public television - which has brought forth Helmut Lotti and André Rieu and John Tesh and Yanni, etc. - can't automatically be regarded as any kind of artistic guardian.
Still, a lot of viewers are convinced that if PBS endorses him, there must be something extraordinary about the man.
And in one sense they are right: Whatever we can say about Bocelli's talent or musicality, thousands of people will spend a lot of money to see him Wednesday night.
I remember the first time he was here, a few years ago at the civic center, I was startled by the thunderous reaction this man with the rather reedy voice was getting.
Bocelli, I've come to see, may not be the artist he would like to be, or that his fans claim he is.
But he obviously has something that speaks intensely and compellingly to a lot of people.
I just wish I could say for certain what it was.
(Taken From: CTNow.com) (Courtesy: Matt) APRIL 05, 2001 CAREY BIDS ADIEU TO COLUMBIA
Octave-busting songstress Mariah Carey has left her longtime label, Columbia Records, and reportedly has snagged a $20 million-per-album deal with Virgin Records.
Carey released her self-titled, multiplatinum debut album with Columbia in 1990. In the past year, however, she had expressed dissatisfaction with the promotion of her music by the label.
(Taken From: Austin American Statesman) (Courtesy: Elin) APRIL 05, 2001 BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT: KIDNAPPING
In the college where all kidnappers are trained, a new module seems to have been added to the course. One can imagine a lecturer, some distinguished-looking figure with a codename such as “Jaguar”, gently tapping a whiteboard with his bamboo cane. “Gentlemen,” he would say. “Forget politicians, forget heiresses, and for God’s sake forget racehorses. These days, if you want to kidnap someone, go for a celebrity.”
If recent events are anything to go by, a large selection of the world’s villains seems to have been taking his advice. The past month has seen kidnap threats on no less eminent members of the celebrity circuit than Russell Crowe, Antonio Banderas, Pierce Brosnan and Ricky Martin. Even Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas are reported to have stepped up the security surrounding their son Dylan.
The attempt on Crowe kick-started the trend. The Oscar-winner is said to have been targeted by a US-based gang who planned to snare him, chop off a finger and then keep chopping until a demand for £9 million was met. Their first approach, when Crowe was in London for the premiere of his latest film, Proof of Life, was apparently thwarted in a combined effort by Scotland Yard and the FBI.
Since then Banderas has been targeted by the Basque separatist group ETA, and Bond actor Brosnan had to employ former Israeli secret service agents to watch his back while filming in Colombia, when local drug lords planned to ransom him for £2 million. Martin, on the other hand, had the relatively mundane experience of being virtually run off the road while on his motorbike by an obsessive fan, who then did his best to coax the Latin singer into his car. “He said he wanted to be with me and take me around the world,” a shaken Martin revealed. Livin’ la Vida Loca indeed.
It is in the Martin direction that the trend of celebrity kidnap has the greatest potential. “The biggest threat to public figures doesn’t come from the Russian mafia,” says a spokesman for the International Bodyguard Association, an agency that has guarded clients such as Naomi Campbell, Mariah Carey and the Duchess of York. “The biggest threat comes from quirky individuals. They will rarely succeed in abducting anyone, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t pose a danger.” Official bodies such as Scotland Yard and the National Criminal Intelligence Service would appear to agree. While both refuse to comment on kidnappings as a matter of policy, both acknowledge that the risk of stalkers has risen in the past ten years. In an age when any Tom, Dick or Harry can suffer from an obsessive nutter who lurks in their rhododendrons, devoted celebrity stalkers need to go that extra distance to keep ahead.
Can it be a coincidence that the first of these alleged conspiracies came to light in the week that Billie Piper was reliving her own stalker hell in court? Stalkers are a B-list curse these days. For the true Hollywood star, nothing less than an attempted abduction will do.
(Taken From: The Times) APRIL 05, 2001 CAREY'S CONTRACT FIT FOR A QUEEN
Mini-dressed, maxi-voiced pop singer Mariah Carey cut a high-dollar deal with Virgin Records that is being hailed as the biggest recording contract of all time, according to the New York Daily News.
We’re talking bigger than Janet Jackson’s implants -- and her $20-mil-an-album deal. Carey’s first release on the Virgin label will be the soundtrack to her film All That Glitters. The album debuts in August, with the movie following on Labor Day weekend.
(Taken From: Orlando Sentinel) (Courtesy: Elin) | ||
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VIRGIN SIGNS MARIAH CAREY
Virgin Music Group Worldwide is proud to announce that it has signed international superstar Mariah Carey to an unprecedented multi-album, multi-million dollar recording agreement, the details of which have not been disclosed. The announcement was made today in Los Angeles by Ken Berry, president and CEO, EMI Recorded Music, and Nancy Berry, vice chairman, Virgin Music Group Worldwide.
Commenting on the new agreement, Mariah Carey said, 'I am elated about my new partnership with Virgin Records and I look forward to being a part of their uniquely creative musical environment. Hallelujah!! '
Mariah Carey is a truly versatile, multi-talented superstar whose success crosses all fields and genres. She rose to superstardom on the strength of her stunning five-octave voice that swiftly moves from glossy ballads and gospel, to dance-pop and hip-hop. In addition to her vocal talents, Mariah co-writes as well as co-produces her songs, including all of her Number One hits (with the exception of her cover of 'I’ll Be There').
Ken Berry, president and CEO, EMI Recorded Music, comments, 'An incredible voice and fantastic creativity make Mariah one of the world’s most special talents in the recording business. Her signing with Virgin enhances an already rich roster of artists, and we are thrilled Mariah has chosen Virgin as the place where she will write the next chapters of her career. The entire company is looking forward to working closely with her.'
Adds Nancy Berry, vice chairman, Virgin Music Group Worldwide, 'Mariah has proven herself to be the kind of artist who can master anything she takes on. With an unparalleled music career, and now a move into film, it is obvious she possesses limitless talent. Virgin plans to devote its entire global strength to propelling Mariah to even greater success.'
The best-selling female performer of all-time, Mariah Carey has sold more that 140 million albums and singles worldwide and has earned an incredible 84 RIAA gold, platinum and multi-platinum certifications. Her incredible career began with the release of her first album, the self-titled Mariah Carey, in 1990, which produced four Number One singles, and she has continued to make history with each release. 'Heartbreaker,' the first single from her last album Rainbow, made music history on September 29, 1999, when it became Mariah’s 14th Number One single on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. This feat is rivaled only by the Beatles (with 20) and Elvis Presley (with 17 or 18, depending on whether one counts 'Don’t Be Cruel' b/w 'Hound Dog' as one or two records). Her songs have held the Number One position for a record-setting sixty weeks, sixteen of those with 'One Sweet Day,' her duet with Boyz II Men, another record-setting accomplishment. She has had a Number One single with every initial single release from each of her albums-all of which have also gone to Number One-and she has had a Number One single every year for the last ten consecutive years. In total, Carey has had fifteen Number One songs to date, more than any other female artist ever. At the 1999 ceremonies, Billboard appropriately named Mariah their 'Artist of the Decade.'
For more information, contact Yon Elvira of Virgin Records America, 310-288-2419, for Virgin Music Group; or Cindi Berger of PMK Public Relations, 212-582-1111, for Mariah Carey.
(Taken From: Virgin Records) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH NOW A VIRGIN
Yesterday, the New York Daily News's Mitchell Fink reported that Mariah Carey had finally left Columbia Records for greener pastures. She signed a very lucrative recording contract with Virgin Records, a division of EMI. Virgin is also home to Janet Jackson and The Rolling Stones.
For Mariah, this was presumably her escape to freedom from ex-husband Sony CEO Tommy Mottola. However, Carey had owed Sony one more album, which was almost recorded. It's the soundtrack to her fall movie, All that Glitters. The first single is due for release in June. Mottola apparently let Carey take the soundtrack with her to Virgin rather than release it himself.
One wonders though what Sony's owners in Japan must think. One of the biggest stars in the record business just waltzed away to a competitor, with an album that was theirs under her arm. Jennifer Lopez was being groomed as Carey's successor, but now that her J-LO album has been a financial disappointment, the company will have to start looking elsewhere.
And Carey, I predict, will have a hit with the movie and the soundtrack. Director Vondie Curtis-Hall tells me that Carey has acquitted herself well in the film. "She won't be embarrassed," he told me last week. So all the nay-sayers, myself usually among them, will have to carp about something else.
On the brighter side, Sony does have the group Train and their album Drops of Jupiter. It's probably too sophisticated for the average teen of 2001, but boy, it's good. Just like the old days, when bands were musically adept and had melodic rock songs. It made me want to get out my Poco and Spirit albums.
(Taken From: Fox News 411) APRIL 04, 2001 CAREY SIGNS 4-ALBUM VIRGIN RECORD DEAL
Pop diva Mariah Carey has signed a four-album contract with Virgin Records worth an estimated $80 million, a mega-deal that ranks among the biggest ever awarded to an entertainer, said sources close to the negotiations.
The New York native, who turned 31 last week, has been the target of a fierce industry bidding war since she began approaching the end of her Sony contract, which was set to expire with the release of a soundtrack album this year. Speculation about her exit had mounted since her marriage to Sony Music chief Thomas Mottola broke up in 1997.
But executives at several other record labels dropped out of the bidding because they believed that their companies could not make enough money under the terms sought by Carey.
The pact, which could be announced as early as today, comes at a crucial juncture for Virgin's parent, British music conglomerate EMI Group, which is lagging behind its four industry competitors in the U.S. music market and has been the subject of takeover rumors for years.
EMI was set to merge with AOL Time Warner's Warner Music Group before European antitrust regulators' objections pressured the two companies to nix the deal in October, and it is negotiating to join with German media giant Bertelsmann. Adding Carey to the roster provides luster to the company in the event the negotiations fail and EMI winds up on the auction block.
Representatives for Carey and Virgin declined to comment on the deal, which was negotiated by EMI music Chief Executive Ken Berry, Virgin Records Chairwoman Nancy Berry and the singer's attorney, Donald Passman.
But sources said the deal paid Carey a $20-million advance upon signing and guaranteed an estimated $20-million advance per album plus a 25% royalty on the retail price of each record sold. Virgin will deduct money from her royalties until most of the cash advances are paid off.
Besides giving Carey complete artistic control over her work, the new deal covers four albums of new material and provides an estimated $7-million non-recoupable payment to reimburse her for the cost of buying out the last album on her Sony contract. Sources said Sony retains distribution of that album in Japan, one of the areas where she is most popular. According to Sony's Columbia Records, Carey has sold an estimated 120 million records worldwide.
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH NOW A VIRGIN
Mariah Carey has quit Sony Music and signed a massive deal with Virgin Records, paving the way for new material from the diva as early as June. The deal is the richest in history and will net the singer at least £60 million, according to reports.
Mariah is the biggest-selling female artist of the ´90s, selling more than 120 million albums worldwide. She has been keen to leave Sony since her divorce from label boss Tommy Mottola in March, 1998. Of the new deal, she said: "I am elated about my new partnership with Virgin Records and I look forward to being a part of their uniquely creative musical environment. Hallelujah!!"
Mariah´s next album will be the soundtrack to the forthcoming film ´All The Glitters´, in which she also stars. It is thought that Mariah was attracted to Virgin because of the high number of female R´n´B vocalists, including Janet Jackson, Aaliyah and Kelis.
Sony´s Columbia Records confirmed the split in a statement released on Tuesday, April 2. "Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world," it read. "We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve."
(Taken From: MTV Europe) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH INKS VIRGIN DEAL
Mariah Carey has signed a multi-record, multi-million dollar recording contract with Virgin Records, a subsidiary of EMI, exiting Columbia Records, her label of the past ten years. The details of the new deal have not been disclosed.
"I am elated about my new partnership with Virgin Records," Carey said in a statement, "and I look forward to being a part of their uniquely creative musical environment. Hallelujah!!"
That creative environment includes a lineup of heavyweights like David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz and fellow diva Janet Jackson.
Carey leaves an impressive record behind at Columbia. She stands as the best-selling female performer of all time with 140 million albums and singles sold worldwide, and she has had a Number One single every year for the last ten years. Carey recorded six full-length albums, one Christmas album and an MTV Unplugged EP for her former label, which is run by her ex-husband, Tommy Mottola.
Carey's first Virgin release will be the soundtrack to her upcoming film, All That Glitters. Carey plays Billie, an inner-city youth and burgeoning pop star who gets her big break when she is discovered by a DJ (Max Beesley) and a relationship develops. The film also stars Eric Benet and Da Brat and is scheduled for an August release.
(Taken From: Rolling Stone) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH'S NEW TUNE
Mariah Carey, 31, and her music label of more than a decade, Columbia Records, issued a joint statement on Monday that confirms that the two parties have gone their separate ways. "Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world. We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve," Sony Music, Columbia's parent company, said in a statement. Carey, whose Columbia albums and singles (including her 1990 debut "Mariah Carey") have sold more than 140 million copies worldwide, was first brought to the label by Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola, whom she married in 1993 and divorced in 1998. Last year, Carey voiced some complaints about the way Columbia was promoting her music -- or not promoting it. On Monday night, TV's "Access Hollywood" reported that Carey is set to sign with Virgin Records in a deal that will bring her $25 million per album.
(Taken From: People.com) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH'S MEGABUCKS RECORD DEAL
Mariah Carey has signed a new deal with Virgin Records which is believed to be the biggest recording contract of all time. The singer will receive £20m per album. Her first album for the new label will be the soundtrack to her film All That Glitters which was to be released by her former record company Sony before the Virgin deal was signed. Her first single from the album is due out in June, followed by the album in August. Carey's deal is expected to net her over £60m for three albums with Virgin. Carey left Sony Records after divorcing Sony label boss Tommy Mottola who originally signed her to the company.
Previously, Virgin's highest paid artist was Janet Jackson who received £15m per album. But Mariah is the biggest-selling female artist of the '90s. She has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide and had 14 US No 1 singles. Her deal dwarfs those signed by REM who signed a £52m contract in 1996 and Madonna who signed a £40m contract.
(Taken From: World Pop) APRIL 04, 2001 CAREY HASN'T SIGNED A NEW DEAL, YET
Contrary to reports in the New York Daily News, pop diva Mariah Carey has not yet signed off on a major record deal with Virgin Records, but she will, according to a source close to the deal. The multi-album contract is rumored to be in the $17 million range and will likely kick off with the soundtrack to her upcoming film, All That Glitters. Carey has spent her entire career on Sony's Columbia Records, with her last studio effort, Rainbow, surfacing in 1999. Sony Music did confirm that Carey is no longer among its ranks in a statement released late Monday (April 2), as quoted by the Associated Press. "Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world," said the statement. "We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve."
(Taken From: AllStar) (Courtesy: Savitri) NOTE: We all know Mariah has already signed a deal with Virgin Records. Also, Virgin Records even confirmed it and held a press conference. It's obviously ture. APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH CAREY JUMPS TO VIRGIN FROM COLUMBIA
Mariah Carey had exited Columbia Records and signed with Virgin Records, Billboard Bulletin reports. The pop superstar and Columbia issued a joint statement yesterday (April 2) confirming Carey has left the label where she produced nine multi-platinum albums. Virgin Records Sr. VP of Promotion Michael Plen confirmed that Carey's first Virgin single will be from her upcoming movie, "All That Glitters," due in theaters in late August.
Carey was one of Columbia's best-selling artists, with 15 No. 1 hits including ''Fantasy,'' ''One Sweet Day'' and ''Honey.'' According to the label, she has sold more than 140 million albums and singles worldwide.
''Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world. We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve,'' Sony Music, Columbia's parent company, said in a statement.
Carey, who was signed to the label by Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola, released her self-titled, multiplatinum debut album in 1990. Mottola and Carey later wed, then divorced. In the last year, Carey expressed dissatisfaction with the promotion of her music at the label.
(Taken From: Billboard) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH CAREY: LIKE A VIRGIN
Diva Mariah Carey has left Sony's Columbia Records and inked a new multi-album deal with Virgin Records, reportedly worth $20 million-plus per project. A spokesperson for Sony Music Entertainment said the company and singer "mutually and amicably agreed to part ways". Carey, 31, said she is "grateful to both Columbia Records and Sony Music". Carey was signed in 1990 by Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola, whom she later wed, then divorced. Sony retains rights to reissue Carey's catalog and will release the soundtrack to her upcoming film, Glitter, in Japan.
(Taken From: USA Today) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH CAREY FLIES OVER TO VIRGIN
Superstar R&B chanteuse Mariah Carey has signed on at Virgin Records, leaving her longtime home of Columbia Records. Carey is slated to release her first record on the EMI imprint - the soundtrack for "All that Glitters", her upcoming 20th Century Fox film - in late summer.
Columbia Records confirmed Monday that the multiplatinum-selling artist, who has been with Columbia for more than a decade, had left the flagship imprint of Sony Music. Carey has recorded six full-length records, plus an EP and a Christmas album, for Columbia. Her eponymous debut LP yielded four No. 1 singles, including "Someday" and "Vision of Love", and earned a best new artist Grammy.
The singer went on to release more than a dozen No. 1 singles - more than any other solo female artist in rock - and to sell a total of 140 million albums and singles worldwide. Carey's top-selling LP, 1993's "Music Box", has moved more than 24 million copies to date.
(Taken From: RealColumbus.com) (Courtesy: Elin) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH'S NET FORTUNE
Mariah Carey has signed a massive recording deal with Virgin, believed to be the most lucrative in music history. The full details of the "multi-album, multi-million dollar" deal have not been confirmed by the label, however it is believed to be in the region of £20 million per album.
Carey, celebrating putting her signature to the phenomenal contract, said: "I am elated about my partnership with Virgin Records and I look forward to being part of their uniquely creative musical environment." She concluded, somewhat understandably: "Hallelujah!"
Mariah, 31, has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, achieving 14 US Number One singles.
(Taken From: Dot Music) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH CAREY LEAVES COLUMBIA RECORDS
Mariah Carey is bidding farewell to her record company. She and Columbia Records issued a joint statement on Monday confirming the pop superstar has left the label. Carey was one of Columbia's best-selling artists, with a string of hits that included "Fantasy", "One Sweet Day" and "Honey". According to Columbia, she has sold more than 140 million albums and singles worldwide.
"Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world. We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve," Sony Music, Columbia's parent company, said in a statement.
Carey, who was signed to the label by Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola, released her self-titled, multiplatinum debut album in 1990. Mottola and Carey later wed, then divorced. In the last year, Carey expressed dissatisfaction with the promotion of her music at the label.
The New York Daily News reported Carey, 31, had signed a deal with Virgin Records worth $20 million per album. Virgin did not return calls seeking comment.
(Taken From: Inland Empire Online) (Courtesy: Regina) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH CAREY GLITTERS ANEW AT VIRGIN
Mariah Carey is feeling a little like a Virgin these days. The New York Daily News reports the singer has ended her unhappy relationship with Sony Music by signing a new deal with Virgin Records. It's estimated to be worth more than the $20 million per album given to both Janet Jackson and R.E.M.
Earlier reports had suggested Carey was looking for $25 million per album and had asked labels to submit sealed bids, but the negotiations with Virgin went ahead the old-fashioned way, with the label and her reps haggling out the deal. Carey's first album for the label will be All That Glitters, to be released on the Labour Day weekend.
Carey, who is divorced from Sony Music boss Tommy Mottola, had fallen out with the label over its handling of her career.
(Taken From: JAM!) APRIL 04, 2001 THEY CALL THE WINDFALL MARIAH
Virgin Records has signed superstar diva Mariah Carey to a four-album deal valued at close to $100 million, sources confirmed. The pact, which was signed Friday (3/30) and calls for a $23.5 million advance per album, will see the artist leave Sony Music, where her records have cumulatively sold over 100 million units worldwide.
Carey owed one album on her previously existing contract with Sony, which was going to be the soundtrack to "Glitter", in which she makes her feature-acting debut. To make the Virgin deal, Carey bought back the rights to "Glitter" for about $10 million. Said soundtrack will now be her first release for Virgin and has been slated for a summer release. The film, distributed by 20th Century Fox, is directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall and will be released at the end of the summer.
As part of the deal, Sony Music will retain distribution rights to Carey's next release in Japan, while Virgin will get the rest of the world. Through her years at Sony, Carey has been a consistent top seller, with her best topping out at 23 million worldwide, while her latest, "Rainbow," sold 6.8 million units. In the United States, her top-selling album surpassed 9 million units, while her last studio disc clocked in at just over 3 million.
"Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world," reads Sony's part of a joint statement following the announcement. "We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve. We look forward to working with her on future endeavors, including the release of the 'Glitter' soundtrack in Japan and the reissue of her amazing catalog of albums."
For her part, Carey proclaimed: "We've shared enormous successes together, and I'm grateful to both Columbia Records and Sony Music and their employees worldwide for all their efforts."
Insiders were surprised by how quickly the Virgin-Carey deal was completed. Carey joins a stable of artists that includes such similar divas as Janet Jackson and Aaliyah. Carey's deal was brokered by music attorney Don Passman, who also handles Jackson, and Virgin's Nancy Berry.
(Taken From: Hits Daily Double) (Courtesy: Elin) APRIL 04, 2001 CONTRACT HIGH?
Mariah Carey has officially jumped from Sony's Columbia label to Virgin Records, according to industry sources. Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reports that Virgin will pay the songstress nearly $25 million an album, the biggest recording contract of all time. Her next album, the soundtrack to her upcoming movie, All That Glitters, comes out in August.
(Taken From: E-News Online) APRIL 04, 2001 CAREY REPORTEDLY SIGNS HUGE RECORDING CONTRACT
It’s being reported that Mariah Carey has signed the biggest recording contract of all time - more than $20 million. The New York Daily News reported that Virgin Records will pay the diva more than the $20 million per album that Janet Jackson and REM are getting.
The paper said that Carey had been asking for $25 million per album. Her first CD for the new label will be the soundtrack to her upcoming movie "All That Glitters". The first single is due in June. The album will hit stores in August and the movie comes out Labor Day weekend.
(Taken From: MSNBC) (Courtesy: Mariah Carey Archives) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH'S NEW DEAL
Mariah Carey isn't quite touched for the very first time (no Tommy Mottola jokes, please), but the Grammy-winning diva is definitely feeling like a Virgin.
The pop superstar and freakishly high-pitched songstress has left Columbia Records and signed a lucrative deal with Virgin Records, sources confirmed Monday.
An official announcement is still pending, but Virgin informed its staff Monday morning that Carey had indeed signed on. Terms of the deal were not yet known, but various published reports contend the payday is significant: The New York Daily News claims Carey's deal is "the biggest recording contract of all time," more expensive than even the $20 million-per-album forked over to artists like Janet Jackson and R.E.M. Music site CDNow, meanwhile, claims the final figure is closer to $17 million.
Either way, it's not too shabby for the New York-born songbird, who just turned 30 last week. With the deal, Carey joins Virgin's stable of music heavyweights that includes the Rolling Stones, Lenny Kravitz and another diva-esque pop queen making loads of cash, Janet Jackson.
Reports had been swirling for some time that Carey planned leave Sony's Columbia Records--her home since 1990 and the label that helped turn her into a multiplatinum megastar. Carey's self-titled debut for the label spawned four number-one singles and two Grammys, including one for Best New Artist. She was also the biggest female artist of the '90s, selling more than 140 million albums worldwide and putting out a near-unending string of hits including "Heartbreaker," "Fantasy" and "Always Be My Baby."
Columbia also is where Carey found her first husband. Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola, the then-head of Columbia who signed the high-powered singer after hearing her demo tape at a party, married Carey (20 years his junior) in 1993.
But their professional relationship lasted longer than their wedded bliss. Carey and Mottola divorced in 1998, and many speculated the split would end Carey's relationship with the label.
Columbia's parent, Sony Music, released a goodbye statement Monday. "Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world. We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve," the company said.
Sources told the New York Daily News that Carey went label shopping with a $25 million-per-album asking price. No word on whether she got her wish.
Meanwhile, Carey's first album for Virgin will be the soundtrack for her upcoming film, All That Glitters, a story developed by Carey about a young singer from the projects who gets her big break when a DJ hears her demo, eventually sparking a romantic relationship. (Sound familiar?) Carey insists, however, that All That Glitters is not an autobiography.
The film, released by 20th Century Fox, is due to hit theaters Labor Day weekend. Her first single is due out in June and the album will make its way to stores in August.
(Taken From: E! News) (Courtesy: Savitri) APRIL 04, 2001 MARIAH CAREY SIGNS £18M DEAL
Mariah Carey has signed what is believed to be the most lucrative music contract in history, believed to be worth US$25 million (£18 million) per album, with Virgin. Mariah, 31, has sold more than 125 million records. Carey has recorded six full-length albums, plus an EP and a Christmas album, for Columbia. Her eponymous debut LP yielded four No. 1 singles, including "Someday" and "Vision of Love", and earned her a Grammy as best new artist.
In all, the Long Island-born chanteuse has recorded more than a dozen No. 1 singles - more than any other female solo artist in rock - and has sold a total of 140 million albums and singles worldwide, according to Variety. Her most successful LP, 1993's "Music Box," has sold more than 24 million copies to date.
Virgin will now be home to two of the world's biggest-selling female singers - Carey and Janet Jackson, who signed one of the richest deals in recording history when she left A&M Records for the EMI label.
(Taken From: This Is London) (Courtesy: Elin) APRIL 04, 2001 THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS
Finally Mariah Carey gets what she wants at her new record company. Virgin Records is willing to give the star the most lucrative recording deal of all time. The American pop diva will exceed both Janet Jackson and REM, who get 14 million pounds per album, dotmusic reports.
That will be about 180 million Norwegian kroner. Carey, however, wants 30 million more, and Virgin Records has signed a contract which will give her that. Carey recently left Sony Records, because she felt like they were neglecting her career.
Her first album for Virgin will be the soundtrack to the movie "All That Glitters", where Mariah will also play the principal role.
(Taken From: Nettavisen) (Courtesy: Elin) | ||
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MARIAH IS FREE AND HAPPY
[Sings]: I am free. [Laugh]. Holler.
This is what Mariah says in her latest voice message, left on her official website. Although it's only eleven seconds long, it holds a deep meaning. Mariah seems extremely happy in the message and perhaps she is speaking of being "free" from her ex-record label, Columbia Reocords, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It is widely known that Columbia Records wasn't doing their job with promoting Mariah and her music. They refused to give permission for radio stations to play "Can't Take That Away" and Mariah had to fight for a commercial release for the inspirational ballad. Due to a lack of promotion and resistance from Sony with radio, the single turned out to be Mariah's least successful single ever, although the song itself may be one of her best ever. MCWNO is enabling you to download Mariah's latest message. Just simply use the links below to start the message and choose your format:
MARCH 29, 2001 MARIAH CAREY LEAVES COLUMBIA RECORDS
Mariah Carey is bidding farewell to her record company.
She and Columbia Records issued a joint statement on Monday confirming the pop superstar has left the label.
Carey was one of Columbia's best-selling artists, with a string of hits that included "Fantasy," "One Sweet Day" and "Honey." According to Columbia, she has sold more than 140 million albums and singles worldwide.
"Mariah Carey is one of the most talented artists in the world. We have shared many commercial and creative successes, and we wish her only the best as her career continues to grow and evolve," Sony Music, Columbia's parent company, said in a statement.
Carey, who was signed to the label by Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola, released her self-titled, multiplatinum debut album in 1990. Mottola and Carey later wed, then divorced. In the last year, Carey expressed dissatisfaction with the promotion of her music at the label.
The New York Daily News reported Carey, 31, had signed a deal with Virgin Records worth $20 million per album. Virgin did not return calls seeking comment.
(Taken From: Associated Press) APRIL 03, 2001 EVERYONE WANTS CAREY
The rivalry between Clive Davis at J Records and Arista honcho L.A. Reid is heating up - with the latest round going to Davis when Barry Manilow quietly left Arista last week. "Barry has been with Arista from the beginning, but it was Clive's Arista," said a Manilow friend. "There's no place for Barry at the new Arista. The label had no time for him." While the pal concedes that Manilow "is no Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera . . . Barry is a consistent money-maker. He usually cranks out an album a year. But since Clive left Arista, he has done nothing." Manilow is said to be moving to J Records any day now. But another, bigger battle between the titans is brewing over Mariah Carey - who was just released from her Sony contract. "We really want her - but Clive is going to give us a lot of trouble," predicted an Arista insider, adding that Carey was "making the rounds with everyone to see who would give her the priciest deal." Representatives for both Arista and J Records said they were unaware of Manilow's departure from Arista, and both noted that "everyone wants" Carey. A rep for Carey claimed to know nothing about her musical-chair negotiations.
(Taken From: Page Six Gossip) NOTE: We all know Mariah has already signed a deal with Virgin Records. So therefore, I think Clive Davis' and L.A. Reid's labels are officially not in the pictue anymore. But that's gossip for you. APRIL 03, 2001 MARIAH SIGNS NEW DEAL
After a five-year marriage with label boss Tommy Mottola, and a 10-year union with his Sony Music label, pop diva Mariah Carey is getting a fresh start, and a big new paycheck, with Virgin Records. According to the New York Daily News, the multialbum deal tops Janet Jackson's Virgin pact as the biggest recording contract ever.
The singer was seeking $25 million per album - and had sought to even top that by taking sealed bids by the major labels. But the deal with Virgin, according to the paper, was secured through a traditional, in-person negotiation.
Carey's first project for Virgin, which is a division of EMI Group, will be the soundtrack for All That Glitters, a musical, semiautobiographical movie starring Carey as an aspiring singer in the '80s. The soundtrack was originally set for release on Sony, until Carey negotiated out of her remaining contract two weeks ago.
Carey worked odd jobs - as a waitress, coat checker, and beauty salon janitor - in New York, as she pursued her singing career, until a gig as backing vocalist for R&B singer Brenda Starr gave her = the opportunity to give Mottola a demo tape.=0A=
The Sony head sought her out, and her self-titled debut was released in 1990, quickly becoming a hit. A string of albums in the '90s made her the top-selling female singer of the decade.
The Cinderella story began to crumble, however, with her 1998 divorce from Mottola. Butterfly, the album she released that year, had numerous references to a troubled marriage and a desire for freedom.
(Taken From: Wall Of Sound) APRIL 03, 2001 MARIAH CAREY SIGNS DEAL WITH VIRGIN
Mariah Carey signed a major recording deal with Virgin Records on Friday (March 30), according to the New York Daily News. Though a spokesperson for Virgin Records declined to comment, the Daily News column says Carey is rumored to receive more than $20 million per album, which is more than the massive deals scored by Janet Jackson and R.E.M (news - web sites).
The June soundtrack for Carey's film All That Glitters is said to be her first release for the label. The soundtrack was originally scheduled to be released on Sony Music, as Carey's final album for the label.
Carey debuted on the Sony-distributed Columbia Records in 1990 with her self-titled album. She has since released an album nearly every year, including 1991's Emotions, 1992's MTV Unplugged EP, 1993's Music Box, 1994's Merry Christmas, 1995's Daydream, 1997's Butterfly, 1998's #1's, and 1999's Rainbow. She is expected to release a new album on Virgin Records in August.
(Taken From: Launch.com) APRIL 03, 2001 MARIAH CAREY AND JULIA ROBERTS ARE SISTERS WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY
Julia Roberts may make $20 million a picture, but her sisters in the recording industry have never come close to getting such a huge paycheck...until now! Mariah Carey signed a multi-album deal with Virgin Records that guarantees she’ll be making MORE than $20 million per album-the biggest recording contract of ALL time, according to the Daily News. Mariah’s first album for Virgin records will be the soundtrack for the upcoming movie "All That Glitters," which she also stars in! Mariah sure doesn’t need a dream lover to come rescue her now!
(Taken From: CosmoGirl.com) (Courtesy: Regina) APRIL 03, 2001 HALE'S NO HAVEN FOR HOMELESS
Two Harlem apartment buildings bought from the city for just $3 by Hale House, a revered charity established by the legendary Mother Clara Hale, are being rented out by her daughter to working- and middle-class professionals in violation of a legal obligation to serve homeless, formerly drug-addicted mothers and their children.
The buildings, located along Morningside Park, were renovated with millions of dollars in city and federal funds. They were supposed to be the cornerstones of an aggressive expansion of Hale House services under Dr. Lorraine Hale, who assumed control of the charity after her mother's death in 1992.
But a month-long Daily News investigation has found few, if any, of the tenants at Homeward Bound or Hale Haven meet the criteria for troubled residents, who under the agreement with the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development were to pay rents as low as $280 a month.
Instead, tenants include office workers, musicians, health-care workers, architects and retirees, whom Lorraine Hale charged as much as $800 a month rent. The vast majority have never completed a drug program or lived in a homeless shelter, nor have they had children in foster care - all requirements for residency.
They were not referred by the city's Human Resources Administration, another requirement, but found their apartments the way many New Yorkers do: through word of mouth or inquiring about rentals.
"If you want me to assume responsibility, I will," said Hale. "But I don't even go down to the buildings. I don't do that. I'm up here with the children."
Hale, the $200,000-a-year president and chief executive officer of Hale House, ultimately controls all money raised and disbursed by the charity and its affiliates.
The News found that she rents to her niece as well as Hale House staff, including George Ugor, the manager of Hale House Kids! - the charity's upscale East Village thrift shop.
Moreover, the social programs that were supposed to be the hallmarks of Hale Haven and Homeward Bound appear to exist in name only, according to residents of the buildings as well as people familiar with Hale House's operation.
The only sign of the not-for-profit programs are rooms in the lower floor of each building at W. 113th St and Manhattan Ave., that are occasionally used for the toddlers housed at Hale House's headquarters on W. 122nd St., half a mile away.
Nonetheless, Hale Haven and Homeward Bound are used as selling points to donors around the country, and are listed on Hale House's letterhead and fund-raising literature as "affiliated programs." Each has been designated as not-for profit by the IRS, exempting them from paying federal and New York real-estate taxes.
"Hale House has continued to offer much more than just food and shelter," reads a message from Lorraine Hale in the charity's 2001 "Faces of Love" calendar, which celebrates 30 years of caring for AIDS (news - web sites) and drug-addicted babies. "There's also Homeward Bound, a relapse prevention facility for mothers who have completed drug rehab and are reunited with their children in a safe and nurturing environment."
When callers inquire about what Hale Haven does and how they can make a donation, they are told by staff members: "It's a facility for low-income, single mothers and their children. Just make the check out to Hale House."
Annette Fernandez, who worked at Hale House for a year as an administrative assistant until her position was eliminated in a budgetary move on Feb. 2, said: "When donors call about Hale Haven and Homeward Bound to get more information or to take a tour, they don't get a call back because the programs don't exist. Just the buildings."
The News' findings raise serious questions about Hale House's violation of its contract with the city and whether it is in compliance with state and federal charity laws.
The investigation also raises thorny questions about Hale's stewardship of her nationally known charitable empire, which has brought in $40 million in the past eight years, according to Hale House's tax returns.
"If there is serious evidence that Hale House or the charities under their umbrella - Homeward Bound and Hale Haven - are in violation of the state's charities laws, our office will look into it," said a spokeswoman for Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.
For more than two decades, Mother Hale was considered a secular saint for taking in abandoned, drug-addicted babies; her donors and admirers included such celebrities as Tony Bennett, John Lennon and Lena Horne. In a 1985 White House ceremony, Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) called Clara Hale "a true American Hero."
Since her death in 1992, Hale House, under her daughter, Lorraine, has remained a darling of the city's political elite and corporate giants, as well as average New Yorkers. Supporters include Mariah Carey, Spike Lee, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump and corporations such as Mercedes-Benz, Morgan Stanley and Andersen Consulting.
Hale sponsors a lavish awards dinner each year to showcase the 18 or so children who live at Hale House and the work it does. Honorees have included Rosie O'Donnell and the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, bringing in millions of dollars to the charity.
But donors are unaware that their contributions to Hale House are also being used to subsidize two apartment buildings that have nothing to do with the stated purpose of Hale House or its affiliate charities, Homeward Bound and Hale Haven.
The two not-for-profit organizations operate at a loss, Hale House records show. According to a financial report prepared by its accountant "as of June 30, 2000 and 1999 Hale Haven owed $613,859 and $505,438, respectively, for advances received from Hale House Center, Inc."
Former Mayor Ed Koch, who said he did not recall the details of the buildings' sale to Hale House a dozen years ago, told The News: "The matter should be turned over to the Department of Investigation to see whether the buildings the city sold them went for the purpose they said."
During a half-hour telephone interview with the News, Hale, 70, gave a flurry of evasive, confusing and contradictory answers to questions about Homeward Bound and Hale Haven.
Asked about the discrepancies between the charities' stated purpose and the apparent reality, Hale denied any knowledge. "My shoulders are broad and my lap is deep but I don't do everything," she said.
Pressed again, she displayed specific knowledge about individual tenants and how long they had been in the buildings.
Asked a third time about the discrepancy, Hale offered still another view. "If we find out that we have people in those buildings who do not fit the criteria, we will move heaven and earth to get them out - I don't have any problems with that," she said.
During an earlier sit-down interview at the elegant Hale House brownstone in Harlem, Hale said of the residents at Homeward Bound and Hale Haven: "They come from jail. They're incarcerated women, women who have used drugs. They have done very well. ... My thinking is, when we treated them like drug addicts, they acted like drug addicts. When we treat them like people, they act like people."
A closer look at Homeward Bound and Hale Haven tells a far different story.
(Taken From: New York Daily News) APRIL 03, 2001 RUSSIAN DOLL
You know Russia is changing when you spend Saturday night in the Kremlin, watching a Spice Girl perform with a local teen queen hailed as the next Britney Spears. Last month, MTV Russia hired part of the Kremlin to host what it was calling a "girl-power gig". It was headlined by Mel C, but the star attraction was Alsou, a 17-year-old Russian who, in her homeland, is bigger than Britney, Limp Bizkit and the Backstreet Boys rolled into one.
Modern Moscow looks like a cross between Salford and St Moritz. Between derelict buildings and concrete tower blocks, you'll find shiny, five-star hotels and classy nightclubs with gambling rooms. On street stalls, shady traders sell counterfeit CDs and videos. In Milanese- style malls behind them, you can buy MaxMara mittens, Fendi furs, Gucci, Versace, Dior and more diamonds than even Puff Daddy would know what to do with.
The uneasy juxtaposition of old and new styles was epitomised by Alsou's concert at the Kremlin. As gig venues go, the Kremlin has to rate pretty highly, not least because the bouncers - who check your passport as well as your ticket - are armed guards in gorgeous grey uniforms and big furry hats.
Inside, things got even odder. After some dire Russian singers, two dressed as schoolgirls, two as Las Vegas showgirls, Alsou strode on stage looking like a sexy extra from The Matrix. The teenager, wearing tight black trousers and a bra top, began with a couple of Russian Mariah Carey-like ballads, to which the crowd sang along. Then something strange happened. Without warning, Alsou morphed into a slick, R&B babe, performing funky, uptempo tracks in English, backed by a group of choreographed dancers. She looked like Aaliyah, sounded like Christina Aguilera and did a dance routine with chairs. Her fans couldn't believe their eyes.
"I guess I shocked some people," she says afterwards, in a small dressing room backstage, with every appearance of satisfaction. "In Russia, I'm known only for old-fashioned ballads, which people seem to love. My fans range from five-year-old kids to grandparents. They're used to seeing me in long skirts, not dancing in tight trousers. I don't know what they'll think of me now."
In just two years, Alsou has become a phenomenon in Russia, selling more singles than anyone else, appearing on the covers of magazines such as Russian Elle and Cosmopolitan, duetting with Enrique Iglesias and even winning the country second place in last year's Eurovision Song Contest with her first-ever English song, Solo. Now she has her sights set on the West.
Since becoming the first Russian singer in pop history to sign an international record deal, however, Alsou has undergone a dramatic transformation. She lost 2st, took dance classes and hired a designer to overhaul her wardrobe. With her debut UK single, Before You Love Me, released next week, and an album due out in July, she is also set to swap the romantic ballads that made her famous for funky, teen pop - hence the schizophrenic show.
"I love ballads," she says. "But I always wanted to do uptempo music, too, because I'm young and it's good to be current. I listen to a lot of R&B, so that's the music I've made. My new album is just for Europe. My second album will be different, because I want it to break into the States. That's my aim, to be big in America."
What Alsou wants, you suspect, Alsou gets. After all, she's used to it. Born in the mainly Muslim Tatar Republic in East European Russia, but brought up in Siberia, she belongs to one of the country's wealthiest families. Her father runs Russia's largest oil company. His work saw Alsou move to Moscow at eight, New York at nine and Denmark at 11, before settling in London at 13, where she went to boarding school. She liked the city so much, she stayed, and now has her own flat in Mayfair, which she shares with her brother.
Despite her privileged upbringing, Alsou insists she's not spoilt. While she doesn't seem like the type to throw tantrums - she's polite, softly spoken and surprisingly shy - she's wearing a diamond-studded Gucci watch and being watched over by Mariah Carey's former minder, poached from the star by her father, who never appears in public without his own bodyguards.
Later, someone tells me that, in Russia, most people think Alsou's father paid for her to become famous. They even make unfounded snide comments about him buying her second place in the Eurovision. In fact, Alsou was discovered by accident. "Singing is all I've ever wanted to do. I took piano lessons from the age of five, and bought every Whitney and Mariah songbook. I planned to wait until I'd finished school before I started a singing career. Then, three years ago, I sang Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You at my brother's wedding in Moscow. It was just for fun, but a friend of my mum's heard me and said he knew a manager I could talk to in Russia. I met the manager, sang for him and he loved my voice. We started working on an album straightaway."
The following year, Alsou's first single was a huge hit. She had two more successful singles and a big album before someone from a record label saw her on MTV and signed her up. The first English song she recorded was put forward for Eurovision.
"I didn't even know I was entered for that," says Alsou. "My manager sent the song in. It won the competition in Russia and I went to Sweden for the contest. It was the most nerve-racking week of my life, because in Russia, everyone watches Eurovision. I was pleased to come second. I didn't think I'd win, but
I knew I'd do well, because I'd heard the other songs. I'm not being mean, but some of them were awful."
Since then, Alsou has released a duet with Enrique Iglesias, a ballad called You're My No 1, which became Russia's biggest-selling single ever. For her album, she has worked with top pop producers such as Sturken & Rodgers (Britney, 'N Sync), Brian Rawlins (Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera) and Artful Dodger's Mark Hill. Incredibly, she has even lured Wham!'s former manager, Simon Napier-Bell, out of retirement to manage her over here.
"I know a friend of her father," says Napier-Bell. "He asked me to help Alsou find a manager, but as soon as I met her, I decided to do the job myself. She has a sensational voice and a charming manner. She's not like those awful stage-school kids with no character.
Is she spoilt? No, but she knows what she wants and she'll get it. Just wait and see."
(Taken From: Sunday Times) (Courtesy: Matt) | ||
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MARIAH'S CDS GO GOLD WITH BIG NEW VIRGIN DEAL
Our long national nightmare is over. Mariah Carey has a new recording contract.
On Friday, the singer signed a multi-album deal with Virgin Records that insiders call the biggest recording contract of all time. I'm told the deal is more expensive than the $20 million-per-album scored by previous big-money titleholders Janet Jackson and R.E.M.
Carey had been looking for $25 million per album. Though her reps had asked prospective labels to take their best shots with sealed bids, they never carried through. Negotiations with Virgin were conducted the old-fashioned way - mano a mano.
Carey's first album for her new label will be the soundtrack to her upcoming film, "All That Glitters." Sony had the rights to the record, which was to have been her last for that label, until a deal was worked out nearly two weeks ago.
Carey's first single from "Glitters" is due out in June. The album follows in August. The film will be released by 20th Century Fox over Labor Day weekend.
(Taken From: New York Daily News Online) APRIL 02, 2001 BUTT-KICKING DESIGNS
When the world's favourite female private investigators Charlie's Angels fight crime, they still have to look good.
And if their sexy battle gear doesn't fit just right, they turn the designer to mincemeat.
Updating the pioneering sexy jiggle television series into a blockbuster film starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu, New York designer Joseph Aulisi had to give the girls a major fashion makeover.
Producers of the high-octane update of the '70s action-comedy wanted the film to be a "bigger-than-life wardrobe experience."
"From a designer's point of view this was a dream assignment," said Aulisi. "The original show, the girls were similar shape and size.
"Designing for one actor in a feature film is enough," says the 58-year-old couturier, "designing for three principals was the biggest job I've taken.
"I had to design 50 separate outfits for each character and then build as many as 12 copies for stunts and special shots. In total, I created almost 2,000 outfits with lots of last-minute changes and additions.
"I couldn't do three versions of the same outfit," says Aulisi. "I had to create a full look and line for each of the three characters because they have such different looks and personalities and functions."
Barrymore was able to give her character Dylan some of the free spirit she's known for. Dylan is "a neo-hippie, sexy siren," says Aulisi. "I gave her a relaxed look, bright colours offset by neutral tones to give her a strong but playful character."
"Cam is a classic California girl," he enthuses. "At 5-foot-9 and a perfect size four, she's gorgeous and easy to dress."
Aulisi worked closely with Diaz to create once-in-a-lifetime outfits like a gold mesh bikini she wears in the film.
Lucy Liu's Alex is "together and very sophisticated. Her style is conservative and her colour scheme is black."
And at a svelte size two Liu is "a good fashion foil for Diaz and Barrymore."
The biggest challenge facing Aulisi was in creating clothes that were both sexy and functional, form-fitting and easy to fight in. The Angels took rigorous martial arts training for four months before shooting to ensure they'd look as buff in bathing suits as they would in their fight sequences.
The solution? Spandex. "I approached Charlie's Angels the same way I design for Broadway dancers," Aulisi confesses. "Tight and sexy but still loose and funky, showing lots of skin with lots of stretch material."
The designer, who's previous films include the Eddie Murphy comedy Bowfinger, Nicole Kidman's Billy Bathgate, Shaft and The Pope of Greenwich Village with Mickey Rourke, has just finished dressing Mariah Carey in her new film, All That Glitters.
(Taken From: JAM!) APRIL 02, 2001 JOY IN MUSIC
I want people to buy my album because they feel the music, feel my sincerity and they feel me as a person,'' says upcoming pop star Joy Enriquez.
This sincerity is served in healthy proportions in her self-titled debut album that features eleven songs crafted by pop music's best producers Babyface, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins, Soulshock & Karlin and Ian Prince. The album's first single "Tell Me How You Feel," which she co-wrote, is a bouncy dancefloor song that gives Joy the opportunity to show her skills as a writer and prove her vocal prowess.
Joy Enriquez established a name for herself as a promising singer in her hometown of Whittier, California. The talented Latina singer graced national television in 1995 when she appeared on the famed "Star Search," winning in the female vocalist category for eleven straight weeks. Lucrative recording deals came shortly after that but Joy wasn't quick to take any offers, as she had her mind set on working with Babyface. It didn't take too long.
In 1999, she signed with Babyface's LaFace Records and right away broke into the international scene via the hit ballad "How Can I Not Love You," which she recorded for the motion picture soudntrack of "Anna & the King." The song comes as a bonus in her own album. She was also part of the historic teaming of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey in the song "When You Believe" from "The Prince of Egypt" soundtrack by singing background vocals. "It was an honor to be singing for two people who I really admired." Joy says. "They're two divas I have looked up to and to know that my name is on the same record with them was the icing on the cake."
(Taken From: Manila Bulletin) | ||
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MARIAHCAREY.COM
Mariah Carey was the biggest-selling female recording artist of the 1990's, and continues to be one of the most popular music artists in the world. With a new feature film and album due out this summer, Mariah's official website will be the number one destination for fans looking to keep up with the pop diva's exciting career. MariahCarey.com is the ultimate source for up-to-the-minute Mariah news, innovative multimedia features including audio messages from Mariah, and an entire section devoted to her fans. Here are MariahCarey.com's standings:
30% Male
70% Female
12-17: 30% of audience composition
18-24: 58 % of audience composition
25-34: 13% of audience composition
35-90: 05% of audience composition
(Taken From: MusicVision) APRIL 01, 2001 MARIAH CAREY - FREE AT LAST
The relationship between MC and Sony, one that began in 1990 with the onset of her recording career, terminated in 1998 with the separation from her husband, Sony President Tommy Mottola. Although it was an open secret within the company, it wasn't until last week that she finally had the opportunity to officially terminate her contract with Sony Music.
According to a spokesperson for Sony Records in NY, Luis Miguel's girlfriend has not had direct contact with the company for approximately 3 years. Her recordings and other musical productions are done outside the company and she has had minimal involvement in the promotion of her recent projects.
She has not attended a single planning meeting and she preferred to keep her distance from the record company. It is very probable that this estrangement was a result of her divorce from Tommy Mottola, according to an anonymous source.
The same source assured us that the first one to learn of Carey's decision to leave the company, and to accept her decision, was Tommy Mottola himself. According to this informant, Mariah received an offer from a rival record company a few weeks ago, and while she was seriously considering the offer, she asked Sony Records for a contract that would pay her 20 million dollars per album over a three year period, an offer that the record executives refused to consider.
Sony argued that there was no need for "negotiation" since Mariah and Sony had an established relationship. They offered her additional money but her representatives turned down the offer, leaving the legal matter in the hands of their attorneys to officially terminate the contract, and announce the decision to the press and the media in general.
The offer from a rival record company was presented to Carey when she revealed that her contract with Sony was nearly over, and that she only owed the company one more recording, the soundtrack to her movie "All That Glitters" - which will be released and promoted this August.
The first offer was 20 million dollars for three recordings over a period of four years; but now she (Mariah) is looking for a contract that would pay her 25 million dollars over five years, for recordings every 12 months, an arrangement that would make her the highest paid figure in music.
Warner Music is the company that has been the most vocal in expressing an interest in signing the Long Island born singer; but Universal, Interscope and Jive are also considering making an offer. However, none of the Mexican representatives for these companies would make a public comment on their plans.
Mottola was married to Mariah Carey for five years, he was the one who "discovered" her when she was a waitress in Manhattan, and signed her to a recording contract after hearing a demo tape given to him by dance-music singer Brenda K. Starr.
(Taken From: Reforma) (Courtesy: Regina) | ||
