To put it mildly, 2005 has been a good year for Mariah Carey. Her April release, The Emancipation of Mimi, is her best-selling album since 1995's Daydream, which has sold 7.5 million copies in the United States. Mimi has sold 4.2 million copies in the States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Island Def Jam says total worldwide sales exceed 7 million.
The three previous years were a roller coaster ride for Carey, marked by the disappointing sales of the soundtrack to Glitter (which was released Sept. 11, 2001), EMI's buyout of her contract and the subpar performance of Charmbracelet, her first album under her new deal with Island Def Jam.
But this year, her success has come swiftly and surely. “We Belong Together,” the first single from The Emancipation of Mimi, spent 14 weeks atop The Billboard Hot 100, more than any other song in 2005. The song tops Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Airplay year-end chart, with another Carey single, “Shake It Off,” coming in at No. 10. “Don't Forget About Us” — the first single from the ultra platinum edition of Mimi, released Nov. 15 — is No. 2 this issue. The platinum edition contains four new songs, while a limited edition also comes with a DVD featuring the five videos from Mimi and other treats.
A bevy of honors have come Carey's way this year as well, including four Vibe Awards and five Billboard MusIc Awards. Two days after snaring her BMAS, she received eight Grammy Award nominations, including coveted album, record and song or the year nods.
Do you consider Mimi a comeback?
It's a comeback to the top of the charts if you're looking at a solo record. It was not even two years ago I was on “I Know What You Want/rdquo; with Busta [Rhymes], which was a really big record. And me and Jadakiss had a big urban record as well, so I've always been around doing little things. But, yes, this is a comeback if you want to be technical about it, because it's an album of songs that have come from my heart that I didn't have to battle the record company about. It was like, “We support you as an artist.”
You have always taken an active role in songwriting and production, but it does not seem like you get credit for that. Does that bother you?
I've always been very involved, but there used to be limitations as to where I could go musically in terms of what was acceptable to the record company. I understand [that] when you have somebody just starting out. That mentality lasted for a long time. And then I had the period that they'll call “the slump” or whatever words they want to use. Everybody and their mother had their opinion: “You need to start singing ballads again. Why aren't you singing ballads?” I never stopped singing ballads. “Oh, she's got to stop working with all these rappers. It's terrible.” Next thing you know, the remix of “We Belong Together” is No. 1 for however many weeks on the hip-hop charts.
It's kind of difficult for people to see me as this diva and then to also realize that I do write my songs and produce the records. Quite frankly, it's much easier for men to get credit than women, particularly [since I am] not sitting behind a piano or a guitar. My voice is my instrument; it always has been.
You had a record label, Crave, while you were on Columbia. Any plans to start another imprint?
Well, that was a bleak experience, because it wasn't even my idea to do it. And then I got blamed for it not working out. And it conveniently didn't work out when I left my husband [then-Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola], which I still can't believe I was married [to], but we won't go into that. So that was a lot to put on somebody's shoulders who really didn't want to do it.
Why did you decide to do the ultra platinum edition of Mimi?
I'm saying it's for everybody, but it's definitely for my true fans. It really is like a packaged thank-you to them. But also “Don't Forget About Us” was really the inspiration for the rerelease, because Jermaine Dupri and I had started writing the song in Atlanta and I was going to take it and finish working on the bridge.
So the single was not ready for the original version released in April?
No. Once we put that bridge in there it was like, “OK, we really need to put this out.” It was just sort of like a combined feeling of, “Let's have a celebratory moment with this ultra platinum edition.”
Were you concerned that your fans might have to buy the same material twice?
I think that my real fans would want the new stuff because it's also the new packaging. These are die-hard fans I'm talking about. And I plan on continuing to add on to this DVD link. It's not like they would have access to this any other way, so I think it's a cool thing.
For the Nov. 15 release of the ultra platinum version, fans camped out overnight for your appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Los Angeles. Does their devotion surprise you?
When I heard they were camping out, I was like, “Oh no!” I just want them to come in the morning and don't get cold. I try to send them cocoa and doughnuts, but only half the people get them. And [then] I have another guilt fest. I really tried to stay that day and sign every last person's autograph.
My real fans have always been with me through great times and not-so-great times, and that's why I think we have a really close, special connection.
Why does the relationship with IDJ chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who was executive producer on Mimi, work so well?
He's a music man. I respect his opinion. When he has something to contribute, it's not like he's giving me some weird kind of direction from out of the blue that makes no sense. He is definitely much more in tune with urban music than any other executive I've ever dealt with and understands the fact that I feel urban music, but I have the ability to make songs that can crossover. So I think rather than try to squash something within me, he embraces it.
You have 16 No. 1s on The Billboard Hot 100. The Beatles hold the record at 20. How important is breaking that record to you?
I'm so not about that, because I don't even think people want anybody to beat the Beatles' record. How can I even put myself in a category with these people? I so don't. Hearing [my records] on the radio so much and feeling the love from the fans, that seems real to me and that's what I look toward.
When do you plan to tour again?
I don't know. I know I have to do it, but I really want to do it right. I want to be able to do as much of the new material as possible while still giving the fans some of the older stuff because I, as a concertgoer, hate it when people don't do their older songs.
I enjoy [touring], but it's really rough on me because I have to take two days off between each show. It's just the nature of my songs.
How do you follow up Mimi?
Just live life and keep growing creatively. The more you survive, the more you're able to not let the hurt turn into hate. I mean, there'll always be some element of sadness at the core of who I am, because I've had a lot of difficulties and things to overcome. I think people tend to think I floated out of my mother's womb in a sequin gown. The great thing is it's not about topping this, it's about living in the moment.
I prayed to get through everything I got through, and I prayed for this record to be really good and really strong and for me to be proud of it, and God always answers my prayers, and I'm just thankful.
