Mariah Carey savours a charmed year
From Melinda Newman

LOS ANGELES—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 September 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. “Don’t Forget About Us” — the first single from an ‘ultra platinum’ “Mimi” reissue released November 15 — is currently No. 2 on the Hot 100. The reissue contains four new songs, while a limited-edition version boasts a DVD featuring the five videos from “Mimi” and other treats.
A bevy of honours have come Carey’s way this year as well, including four Vibe Awards, one American Music Award and five Billboard Music Awards. Two days after snaring her BMAs, she received eight Grammy Award nominations, including coveted album, record and song of the year nods.
Q: DO YOU CONSIDER “MIMI” A COMEBACK?
A: 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” 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.”
Q: 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?
A: 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.