When it comes to songwriting and producing music, Mariah Carey is phenomenal on her own. The multi-awarded vocalist is even more magnificent in the studio with songwriting and production duos who share her love for strong vocabulary and enchanting melodies.
Nearly two years after her work with The-Dream and Tricky Stewart on Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, Carey spent much of her time recording with Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for her follow-up, Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse.
The recording sessions for Carey’s 14th studio album date back to 2012, while she served as a judge on season 12 of Fox’s American Idol. In the summer months, the songbird released a promo single titled “Triumphant (Get ‘Em)” featuring Meek Mill and Rick Ross.
A year later, Carey released an official lead single, “#Beautiful” featuring Miguel, which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) two months after it premiered. She followed up with two more singles – “The Art of Letting Go” and “You’re Mine (Eternal)” – that was well-received and added more steam behind the anticipation of the album, after just a few release date changes.
“Life happens, and that added to the making of this album,” Cox told Billboard in February 2014. “Over the past couple years we’ve added songs, scratched songs, slow-baking this record like a honey-baked ham. And when you take a bite of that ham — people will be extremely and pleasantly surprised.”
Surprised is right, dahling. Me. I Am Mariah … The Elusive Chanteuse is nicely packaged with ballad inspiration from her career start and connected her with the current times of music with production support from hitmakers Mike Will Made-It, Hit-Boy and DJ Camper.
On May 27, 2014, Carey finally released her album in a traditional album manner, despite the rumors about a similar ‘digital drop’ as her colleague Beyonce. Although there were minor blemishes in the album presentation leading up to its release, each well-written record was exalted by her impeccable five-octave range and the diverse productions.
In celebration of Me. I Am Mariah …. The Elusive Chanteuse’s anniversary, here’s a look at five songs from the album that were exceptional on the grand scale of MC.
1. “Cry”
Writers: Mariah Carey and James “Big Jam” Wright
Producers: Mariah Carey and James “Big Jam” Wright
When you’re one of the reigning queens of balladry, drowning in a bottle of emotions comes with the territory. Graced by dramatic piano notes by the late James “Big Jim” Wright, the imprudent vocalist bares how significantly flawed she was during a previous relationship.
“And maybe I didn’t give you your space back then / And maybe I should have just held out a little bit longer / But I was seduced by you, and I didn’t know enough / Truly too enchanted to disregard the words you said to make me yours,” she sings beautifully.
Her expressive range is exquisite here as she hopes to retain her old flame long enough for them both to sit down and sob about their romantic strifes. Besides her nostalgic vocal nuances, the piano elements in the beginning of this ballad are reminiscent of “Vanishing” from her self-titled debut.
2. “Faded”
Writers: Mariah Carey, Michael “Mike WiLL Made-It” Williams, and D. “Blu June” Andrews
Producers: Mariah Carey and Mike WiLL Made-It
Even wordsmiths, like Carey, have to proofread texts before they press send. Carrying little of her guilt-ridden sentiments from the opening track, the songbird crafts a clear-cut message to her man who performs disappearing acts when he should be present.
“I call your name baby, subconsciously / Always somewhere but you’re not there for me,” she vocalizes.
Though released almost 20 years apart, both “Faded” and “Slipping Away,” from the Daydream era have lyrical similarities.
3. “Dedicated” featuring Nas
Writers: Mariah Carey, Chauncey Hollis, James Fauntleroy, Nasir Jones, Dennis Coles, Robert Diggs, Gary Grice, Lamont Hawkins, Jason Hunter, Russell Jones, Clifford Smith, and Corey Woods
Producers: Mariah Carey, Hit-Boy, and DJ Camper
The timeless sophistication of Carey and the Wu-Tang Clan sample makes the framework of this hip-hop-heavy track sound contemporary, though her then-label missed the radio impact mark.
She and her in-studio hip-hop heads reminisce about the good times in music while attempting not to knock the gimmicks that are in heavy rotation. She also recalls iconic life moments, shaping each long-standing memory to roll off beautifully with her supreme whistles and low tone inflections. Oh, and she brought Nas along to volunteer rhymes for the wistful tribute.
4. “Make It Look Good”
Writers: Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, Bunny Sigler, and Allan Felder
Producers: Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox
Mariah Carey’s mama didn’t raise a fool; although she wouldn’t mind being a fool in love on this track. With an interpolation of The O’Jays’ “Let Me Make Love to You” and the blues from the incredible Stevie Wonder’s harmonica, Carey uses this mid-tempo solo as a platform to daydream about being involved with a pleasure-seeker.
“Around you I know I ain’t supposed to be / Acting like I know you notice me / Fantasize about the way you lick your lips / Fingertips on my hips as we dip,” she utters in a swift fashion.
5. “Camouflage”
Writers: Mariah Carey and James “Big Jam” Wright
Producers: Mariah Carey and James “Big Jam” Wright
A typical way to deal with pain is to mask it. Carey disguises her heartache on “Camouflage,” a theatrical ballad that finds her detailing the intimate moments she couldn’t express to her cold-shouldered lover.
“I remember so many nights in the bed alone / Wondern’ could I must the strength to exist in the bitter cold? / But you showed up once in a while, I guess that’s alright / ‘Cause I told my heart that you needed time for yourself, that’s fine,” she reflects in the opening verse.
Painting the canvas of this dark ballad in her many vocal colors, a soul-rooted choir assists Carey with the emotional strokes. Though, even in the face of potential heartbreak, the chanteuse longs for her lyric muse to tell her that he still loves her.
*Honorable mention*
“Supernatural” with special guest “Dembabies” a.k.a. Ms. Monroe & Mr. Moroccan Scott Cannon a.k.a. Roc ‘N Roe
Writers: Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox,
Producers: Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox
As far as Mimi is concerned, the bond between herself and “Dembabies” is magical and unreal. MC lauds in the glory of motherhood on “Supernatural,” a precious sonnet that captures the supreme vocalist letting down her diva walls and engaging with the innocent voices of her young children behind a disc-scrubbing production.
