Sunday, November 23, 2003

Mariah's Random Jottings
In the rich showbiz tradition of seriously fading superstars coming to Manila in a desperate attempt to halt their careers from spiraling to the South Pole, the once sultry soul sister Mariah Carey -- whose last notable performance was at rehab -- surfaced in town for a last hurrah and accompanying paycheck.

The super-duper VIP treatment she was accorded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (spurred on by the pseudo-adulation showered on cue by the assembled rent-a-crowd) and the police outriders escorting her with sirens blaring to her five-star Makati hotel must have so stirred to the surface all of Carey’s diva pretensions that she put to sleep a long time ago.

So no sooner had she got to her hotel suite than she threw an operatic tantrum because the bedsheets and pillow cases were not in black satin as she had stipulated.

Somebody should, of course, have taken Carey aside and discreetly informed her that black was last year’s thing. But always anxious to please, the hotel promptly dispatched someone from housekeeping to the nearby Glorietta Mall to get a supply of bed linen in the required color. And at least it ensured the pricey artifacts in the suite were not smashed against the walls in customary pop- star pique.

That was not all. Turning up at her post-concert party held in a bar of the very same hotel, Carey’s face contorted into a scowl as she hissed that the “lights were too bright.”

When the lights were eventually dimmed after three attempts to her preferred level of darkness, the guests had to virtually feel their way around the place. (Source: ABS-CBN News)

Saturday, November 22, 2003

Learn More About The Island: What's With Amanpulo?
Last Monday, a day after her very successful November 16 concert at the Fort Open field in Taguig, it was reported that Mariah Carey cancelled her Singapore Airline flight back to New York City to fly off instead to Amanpulo Island in Palawan, Philippines. Mariah, who was accompanied only by her manager and two bodyguards, flew 200km east of Palawan using a private plane.

Philippines is known internationally for having lots of undeniably beautiful scenery and breath-taking tourist spots, but what does it really takes for Amanpulo Island for Mariah to make a detour on this side of the world for a week-long vacation? Below are some information about the island who also got recent visitors like ramp model Naiomi Campbell and award-winning actors Robert de Niro and Tom Cruise.

Images courtesy of TravelSmart.com

Amanpulo (Peaceful Island) was created for travelers seeking the idyllic beauty of an exclusive tropical island. Situated on the private island of Pamalican, 200 km east of Palawan in the Philippines, the 220 acre isle is surrounded by white sand, crystal clear sea and well preserved coral reefs (50-300 m. offshore). Guests arrive from Manila by chartered plane which lands directly on Pamalican.

The surrounding waters yield a wide variety of marine life and dive sites. The average temperature is 26 degrees celsius with underwater visibility ranging between 15-30 m., superb for all water activities: swimming, sailing (hobiecats, lasers and windsurfers), rowing, fishing, boat trips, snorkeling and scuba diving, ranging fro introductory to advanced, are also available (some with certification). In addition to watersports, Amanpulo offers guided eco-walks, cycling, tennis, picnicing, and massage in the privacy of one's casita.

Image by TravelSmart.com

The resort's main building, The Clubhouse, contains The Restaurant and its terrace, The Lobby and Bar, The Library, Art Gallery and Boutique. The Beach Club is a short walk away. All watersport facilities, except scuba diving, are available from the Beach Club. The Dive Shop is a five-minute golf cart ride from The clubhouse.

40 airconditioned casitas are set amongst beachfront or hillside vegetation. Designed as a Filipino bahay kubo, all casitas feature polished timber floors, kingsize beds, window divans, CD players, spacious bathroom and dressing areas, sunken baths, and private outdoor terraces for lounging and dining. Each casita comes with its own battery operated cart for traveling around the island.

Guest facilities include a restaurant; bar; lobby lounge with antique panolongs from Mindanao; library with a large selection of books, magazines, CD's and boardgames; boutique and art gallery featuring Filipino artifacts, antique jewelry and clothing; meeting room; picnic grove; beach club; swimming pool; day and night all-weather tennis courts; and 24-hour room service.

The island's weather is tropical, with a dry season from November to May and scattered rain showers from June to October. The mean annual temperature is 27.2oC (81oF). January is the coolest month, with an average temperature of 25.5oC (78oF) and May the hottest at 29oC (84oF).

Pool Side	Beach Front	Sailing
Images courtesy of TravelSmart.com

Time Difference Pamalican Island is eight hours ahead of GMT and the same time zone as Manila. Language Filipino (Tagalog) is the official language. English is used for business and legal transactions and is spoken almost everywhere.

Guests are met at Manila's international airport and taken by complimentary cartransfer to Amanpulo's lounge. From there, they are flown by private charter directly to Pamalican Island. Visitors to the Philippines must have a valid passport. Most passport holders are allowed entry without a visa for up to 21 days provided they have valid return tickets.

According to NAIA Assistant General Manager Antonio Atutubo, Mariah will reportedly pass through another international airport when she returns to the United States tomorrow (Nov 23, Sunday) to avoid a repeat of an incident at the NAIA Centennial Terminal when she arrived last Saturday (Nov 15). (Source: Philippine Mariah Carey FanClub | Information and Images courtesy of TravelSmart.com)

Mariah-designed shoes go up for charity auction
In celebration of her first retail store, famed designer Michelle K asked several celebrities to embellish pairs of Michelle K shoes, which debuted at a grand opening celebrity-attended party on Wednesday, November 19, 2003, on Robertson Boulevard, one of the hippest shopping streets in Los Angeles. The decorated and designed Michelle K shoes will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the charity of each celebrity's choice.

Among the celebrity-designed shoes was a pair from Mariah. The embellishment was classic Mariah style: opened-toe stilettos complete with entrustments and jewels and a butterfly attachment. She even signed her name in gold to finish the deal.

Mariah and actress Kristen Davis, who also contributed a design, were unable to attend the release party due to scheduling conflicts. Celebrities who did manage to attend the party include Courteney Cox, Christina Applegate, Natalie Cole, Kathy Griffin, Melissa Joan Hart, Sarah Wynter, Kate Bosworth, Karolina Kurkova, and Joy Bryant. (Source: Mariah Daily)

Mariah song evokes inspirational promise
Driving home one night a year ago, Gloria Sanderson heard Mariah Carey's song, "Through the Rain," on the radio. As program director of the Local Initiatives Support Coalition, which helps rebuild homes for those in need, Sanderson immediately thought of a client, Margaret Saavedra, a mother of four whose house was falling down.

Carey's voice filled the car: "I can make it through the rain. I can stand up once again." At that moment, Sanderson promised that if she could help rebuild Saavedra's home, she would sing that song at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Last week, microphone in hand, Sanderson softly sang the words in front of her client's brand new house, freshly painted in yellow and green. The emotion brought Saavedra to tears and visibly touched a dozen others who gathered to see the final product of their donated time, money and labor. (Source: Houston Chronicle)

Friday, November 21, 2003

PGMA to attend Moore’s anti-AIDS concert
American pop sensation Mandy Moore’s concert tonight at the Fort Bonifacio Global City will have an unlikely fan in the audience in President Arroyo. The President accepted Moore’s invitation to be at the concert and is scheduled to make brief remarks and have a photo session with Moore.

Moore will perform her hit songs "Cry," "It’s Gonna Be Love" and her remake of "Someday We’ll Know, "among other hits, for the MTV Music Summit for AIDS that aims to spread AIDS awareness and raise funds for those stricken with the deadly disease.

Moore arrived Monday night for a concert at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City and the MTV Music Summit for AIDS. The live performances for the AIDS music summit begin at 7 p.m. and the President is scheduled to arrive at the event at 9 p.m., in time for Moore’s segment.

At a press conference at Camp John Hay in Baguio City yesterday, the President refused to comment when asked about Moore’s courtesy call on her, vis-a-vis the fact that American pop diva Mariah Carey was given no such honor. Carey was in Manila last week for the Manila leg of her Charmbracelet world tour.

Carey’s bodyguards had a run-in with Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) officials led by general manager Edgar Manda. Carey’s bodyguards shooed Manda and the other NAIA officials out of the VIP lounge at the NAIA Centennial Terminal Saturday night while the pop star was retouching her makeup.

Manda gave the more amiable Moore VIP courtesies when the 19-year-old singer accepted Filipino hospitality and reciprocated with warmth and smiles.

The President dodged questions from the press on the matter by asking Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon to comment on the influx of foreign entertainers like Moore and Carey for performances in the Philippines. Besides Moore and Carey, American crooner Stephen Bishop is also here for a concert with Filipina singer Lani Misalucha.

Mrs. Arroyo is a staunch activist for AIDS awareness benefit programs and has been drumming up support from world leaders for AIDS prevention and awareness programs. Despite this, the government has shifted funding from artificial programs that promote the use of condoms, among other contraceptives, to education programs for natural family planning. Condom use and safe sex practices are considered among the best ways to prevent the transmission and spread of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

AIDS is a viral infection that attacks the immune system and destroys the body’s ability to fight off disease. It is spread by unprotected sexual contact with an infected person, from an infected mother to her unborn child, needle-sharing among drug addicts and contaminated blood transfusions. AIDS is not transmissible by casual contact with an infected person, kissing or other non-sexual contact.

There is no cure yet for AIDS, though anti-retroviral therapy has been known to prolong the life and improve the quality of life for people infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. (Source: Marichu Villanueva - The Philippine Star)

Nina Sang TTR
Soul Siren Nina along with Paolo Santos and Gladys and The Boxers were the few performers who recently graced the cocktails sponsored by The STAR at the gardens of the Manor Hotel on Wednesday night to welcome the more than 3,000 delegates to the 18th PAC. Nina sang love classics such as the late Ric Segreto’s "Loving You," Stevie Wonder’s "Overjoyed" and Mariah Carey’s "Through The Rain." (Source: The Philippine Star)

Thursday, November 20, 2003

Mariah Mania in Manila!
Mariah Carey was late. Her flight was delayed a few minutes and her concert, which supposedly was to start at 8 p.m., started 90 minutes after the publicized time actually. But I, and the thousands and thousands of Mariah maniacs forgave her. After all, Mariah Carey is Mariah Carey.

Mariah opened the Manila stop of her Charmbracelet tour with the infectious “Heartbreaker.” She was wearing a silver bra top with matching micro-mini skirt and her signature stiletto heels. She came from the audience area where she was accompanied by numerous bodyguards that seemed to say that not only are they heart-breakers but bone-breakers as well if you’ll do something bad. The crowd went wild when she shouted, “Hello, Manila!” By the time the opening strains of “Heartbreaker” was heard, everyone wasn’t only on their feet – they stood on their monoblock chairs gyrating to the R&B beats of the song.

The next song was “Dreamlover.” It was by this time people in the back were starting to complain that they couldn’t see anything so the ushers and usherettes urged everyone to come down from their chairs and just sit down. Surprisingly, a lot of them cooperated except for a number up front at the R5,000 row. Apparently money really couldn’t buy breeding.

Anyway, “Dreamlover” was a song from her third album and was very popular when it was released. But hearing it live for the first time made me want to rush home right after the concert to hear how good the song was, over and over again.

After “Dreamlover,” Mariah greeted the crowd and everyone was feeling ecstatic everytime the word Manila escapes from her lips. For her third song, Mariah sang “Through The Rain,” which according to my friend is fast becoming a karaoke favorite (which will probably be in the league of “My Way” for the oldies and “My Heart Will Go On” for the ladies). She sang “Through The Rain” sitting on a couch and ended it with her signature birdlike shrill. Well I’m sure seeing her sing the song live would dampen the spirits of the thousands of wannabes who sing “Through the Rain” in the karaoke.

Her next song was another karaoke favorite: “My All” which is from “Butterfly,” according to Mariah, her most favorite album of all time. The crowd really went wild hearing this song. It was a very stirring rendition and it was also at this time that the camera (there were giant screens on the sides of the stage) focused on her ring which was a diamond encrusted platinum butterfly. And like a butterfly, at the end of the song, Mariah exited the stage for a metamorphosis. By the time she came back, she was wearing a very sexy long gown in matte gold and sang “Can’t Take That Away From Me.” She knelt at the high part of the song proving that she can reach those high notes even if she’s in a precarious position.

But the transformation wasn’t complete for Mariah! Apparently, the gown was just for one number because as soon as “Can’t Take That Away From Me,” she rushed backstage to change to her next outfit – a short blue dress with a slit til kingdom come! This time, she sang “Honey” (the video shown in the screens in between her costume change was the opening of “Honey”). “Ay! She changes her outfit per song!” shouted my friend.

Next song is one of her latest chartbusters: “I Know What You Want,” collaboration with Busta Rhymes. The video again was shown onscreen and by the time Mariah’s part came, she came charging onstage in a black tight fitting shirt and denim hot pants to sing her portion live – which was only a few stanzas actually. After that song, she left the stage again for another costume change. “Ay! This time, per half song is her costume change!” remarked my friend.

She came back wearing a black gown (“This is a new ensemble,” she told the crowd) and sang “My Saving Grace,” which for me was the best part of the concert. “My Saving Grace” is from her latest album Charmbracelet and this is the song she wrote after her much publicized physical breakdown. The performance was soulful indeed and after watching this, you know that right in front of you is a Mariah who’s made it through the rain and has survived through a lot of trials and is still fabulous at that.

After this, she freestyled to introduce her bandmates and her back-up singers. It was done in a R&B beat and once in awhile, injected Manila during this number which made everyone again shout in delight. And during this part, she adlibbed that there was a bug onstage that’s scaring her. This brought laughs from the audience and at this point, I imagined what if the bug went up her skirt!!?? That would have been fun but those thoughts were erased right away from my mind because she then introduced her back-up singers, which included Trey Lorenz, her collaborator in her hit remake “I’ll Be There.” As expected, they sang the Jackson 5 original. Trey did a solo number after which.

Mariah came back singing “Fantasy” wearing a green midriff shirt with the words Automatic Princess on it and tight pink shorts. She danced a little with chairs as her props. She probably knows she’s no Madonna or Britney because this is the only number with any choreography featuring her. But her next number still dazzled the audience because it was an all-time favorite: “Always Be My Baby.” She then sang “Make It Happen” and said goodbye to the audience.

As expected, her concert ending kinda abruptly was only a gimmick because one of Mariah’s dancers came out and signaled to shout if we wanted more. Of course we wanted more and after awhile, Mariah came out in a beige ensemble which resembled an Oscar de la Renta collection. She sang “Without You” and even went down onstage. She then sang her debut single “Vision of Love” and capped the night with “Hero” which ended with a few strains from the song “Butterfly.” It was a glorious ending – an ending which really bookended the concert.

It was a very impressive concert. Congratulations to Mariah and the producers East West Global Entertainment. At least there weren’t any major mishaps during the concert. Even the weather seemed to have cooperated because it didn’t rain during the show. I hope that this would be a signal to the promoters to bring more international artists as well as to continue to stage shows for our local talents as well.

Mariah, in a past interview said that in more ways than one, the “Charmbracelet World Tour” serves as her thanksgiving to her legions of fans, who never wavered their support for her, in spite of the ups and downs of her colorful career. “I am passionate about doing something more intimate for my fans,” Mariah told the media. “I’m used to doing arena tours. But, this tour is about my music and my fans. It’s my way of thanking them.”

Well, you’re welcome Mariah. And thank you too for bringing your music to Manila. (Source: Manila Bulletin)

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Mariah is diva as diva gets
Yes, Mariah Carey is the diva. "Mariah is a girl that every man wants to do, every girl wants to be and every transvestite wants to look like," joked my concert seatmate Mike Sandoval, who, along with more than 20,000 urbanites, braved The Fort open field to watch La Prima Mariah.

Whether they were star-struck fans or sick pleasure-seekers, the crowd filled the field from here to eternity. I didn't actually expect to see the whole of Manila to be there. From society mavens to basketball stars to glitz-biz denizens, they were all there to witness the charms of Miss Honey herself.

While waiting for Mariah's arrival, the male voices of the Akafellas made sure the audience had their fill of aural delight. Kudos to them for the fab feat. They were one front act that the audience actually enjoyed. For a while, I wanted to listen to them for the whole night. And then she arrived.

From her car, she walked with a caboodle of bodyguards, walking along the grass field of The Fort. Of course, pandemonium ensued. Good thing the organizers had complete control of the situation. Everybody was forced back to their seats. This was not the case during another concert sometime ago where the whole crowd moved towards the stage! Well, I overheard from the MTV folk (hats off too you, Francis Lumen!) that for this concert alone, 80 bouncers, 200 ushers and 350 Philippine National Police officers were dispatched all over The Fort. There were so much armed men that one of Mariah's back-up vocalists, Tikka, said, "I've never seen this much armed men in my life!"

She came out in seven outfits and sang a total of 15 songs. She started with a barely there bling-bling dress that was just enough to cover her privates and ended with a bang in a feathered Roberto Cavalli ensemble. In the middle of her performance, she would ask the audience and her band members -- "So, do you like the ensemble?" while shaking her b-o-o-t-y. As if anyone in his right frame of mind would dare say no.

A funny thing happened onstage when, as she was introducing her band members through a song, she all of a sudden said (again, half-singing), "There's some sort of bug onstage and it's scaring me," which drove the audience in stitches. The humble Pinoy ipis (cockroach ) stole the show. Maybe he was a big fan of Mariah as well.

Some people were disappointed that she didn't sing "Bringing on the Heartache," which is the latest single in her album. But most people were more than pleased with her repertoire. She sang one hit after another, showering the audience with a nonstop sprinkling of charmbracelet gooosebumps.

Her last song, "Hero," brought the house down. A friend was asking if some parts were lip-synched, but I'm not an expert on those things, so I really wouldn't know.

At the after-show party at Shangri-La's newest spot Red (the former Cheval Blanc), guests waited for her. The whole Shangri-La lobby was filled with fans who got hold of where she was staying. Security was extra strict though, so nobody could go near the spoiled songbird.

Two hours after, Globe VIPs and contest winners were ushered upstairs to the presidential suite where a meet-and-greet was to take place. Again, she made everyone wait. A member of the production staff said that she had to take a bath after the concert and had to redo her makeup.

When she arrived, everyone fell silent. She was actually big in person. Big, as in Ruffa-big. Larger than life if you want to call it that. After an hour, she was downstairs at Red for her after-concert party.

The first thing she told me when she got to the party venue was, "Too bright, too bright!" Apparently, Miss Mariah was very particular about her lighting. I panicked and told the Red staff to dim the lights. All of a sudden, the venue became dark. Thumping R&B music played on the background. Indeed, what Mariah wants, Mariah gets. (Source: Yaparazzi)

Mariah Carey: A Thing and Sound of Beauty
Being a great fan of hers, I was there when Mariah Carey, celebrated New York triller, performed at The Fort Global City open field auditorium in Makati late Monday night. Charmbracelet is her latest album, and this promotional trip around the world is dubbed, Charmbracelet Tour 2003. She was in China before here, and then Singapore after here.

The 33-year old multi-platinum singer is very good at her job, using her seven-octave voice for vocal fireworks. Her modus operandi as described by Knight Ridder: Start slow and seductive, then explode into glass-shattering histrionics. In a fixed hand-on-hip position, five-inch heels will do that to you. She doesn't have much to say, lyrically or between the songs. At times she resembled a beautiful mannequin, set to a permanent flashy smile.

"I never used to perform. That was management's choice, but I understood it. I wasn't raised in the 'Mickey Mouse Club.' I started out as a background singer; I wasn't the one out front with all that pizazz. I was standing there flat-footed. It took me a long time to feel confident."

Her best performance was My Saving Grace, introduced as "the story of my life set to music." While the gospel lyrics were more universal than personal, it was easy to read Carey's well-publicized traumas into the line, "I've loved a lot/learned a lot/been burned a lot."

Melisma, a tactic of Carey emulation. Don't hold back from trilling eight notes where one would be enough. "In the popular music sense, it's a series or group of notes surrounding the original pitch, usually maintained by one syllable, that's used in a decorative fashion," said Celeste Delgado, professor of vocal jazz and commercial music at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music.

"A lot of people think that melismatic singing, as Mariah Carey's, originated a few years ago. In actuality, it started back in Europe in the days of classical music. There are numerous improvised cadences at the ends of compositions that were very melismatic and have been through many generations of musicians."

Throughout her career, which began in 1990 with four straight No. 1 hits, Carey has sung the kind of heartbreak that great soul singers can turn into classics. Carey has experienced dream-like success and painful reality. At the turn of the millennium, the best-selling female singer of the '90s put her career on the line as never before with a new movie, a new record and a new contract estimated at $100 million.

Unfortunately, her personal anguish. a strange appearance on MTV's "TRL" and her subsequent hospitalization for an emotional and physical breakdown made all the news. This coincided with the disastrous releases of her film "Glitter" and the titular album. She took a nearly $30 million buyout to part with Virgin Records. She married Sony Music CEO Tommy Mottola in 1993 and divorced him in 1997.

The two-hour show was interrupted by Carey's seven costume changes ranging from her signature silver-halter top and mini-sarong to a sweet dress with flower print, a gown with a low back, a light-colored dress with feathers.

She opened her performance with Heartbreaker, her 1999 No. 1 hit. She nailed every high note with impressive squeaks and moans showcasing her stratospheric vocal pyrotechnics. "It is about my life and my faith. Two years ago, I was touring and promoting and sleeping one hour a night, if that. I was going through troubles with Sony. It was more than any human could possibly endure.

"I just went to therapy and did things that were healing. I think a lot of celebrities go through stuff like that and their 'people' keep it quiet. But I'm comfortable enough to say, 'Yeah, I'm human.'"

Carey admitted she's had a lot of emotional baggage to sift through. "Now I just rest during the day. I sit with my little humidifier, pampering and babying my voice." (Source: Malaya National Newspaper)

VIP treatment for Mandy; none for Mariah and Co.
American singer Mariah Carey and her party will not be given the VIP treatment at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for her return flight to the United States after an unpleasant incident Saturday night involving her bodyguards, a top airport official said yesterday.

Another singer, Mandy Moore, who arrived in the country Monday night, will be accorded VIP treatment at NAIA upon her departure, should she request it. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Edgardo Manda said he instructed airport personnel to give Carey and the rest of her party "normal security" at NAIA when they return to the US.

"Just consider them normal, regular passengers. No extraordinary VIP treatment, but provide security. If they do request for VIP treatment, they have to pass through the normal channels… and we will provide security only," he said. The MIAA’s airport police will provide security to Carey and her group.

Manda and his chief security, Gen. Angel Atutubo, were sent out of the NAIA Centennial Terminal presidential lounge by Carey’s bodyguards while the famous singer was retouching her make-up at the lounge. Sources said concert organizers paid for the use of the presidential lounge so Manda, though angry, was not able to do anything.

"I would say that we were quite indignant about the way we were treated by (Carey’s) security. Our intention was just to give her (VIP treatment), the way we are doing to Mandy Moore," he said. Manda explained that VIP treatment means that a celebrity like Moore and her party do not have to fall in line and can simply stay inside the dignitaries’ lounge of NAIA Terminal 1 while airport personnel process their documents.

"It’s part of our Filipino hospitality, making sure everything is okay, and they are welcome here in Manila, so the first impression will be good," he said. "No less than the airport officials are doing it for the country." This kind of VIP treatment will not be accorded to Carey and her group, according to Manda, who said "they will have to pass through all channels. They will have to fall in line. No extraordinary treatment."

Eleven of those who arrived as part of Carey’s party left Nov. 17 for Hong Kong without any VIP treatment. They had to fall in line and pass through all the procedures, including body inspection. This group included David Miller, one of Carey’s bodyguards who sent Manda and Atutubo out of the NAIA’s presidential lounge. Sources said Carey was in Amanpulo, Palawan to avoid any more controversy and might even pass through another international airport when she returns to the US.

Moore, on the other hand, arrived at the NAIA Terminal 1 Monday night to do a one-night concert at the Araneta Coliseum. She was met by Manda, who gave her flowers, as well as other MIAA officials, journalists, airport employees and fans. Manda said Moore’s party requested for VIP treatment upon their arrival but have not requested it for their departure.

"I would say compared to Mariah and Mandy, (Mandy’s) has better security coverage here. We have a very cordial working relationship with the organizers of this group, better than the group of Mariah," he said.

Moore, a Penshoppe signature model, is in town to promote AIDS Awareness alongside the United Nations. She will also be participating in MTV Philippines’ music summit and promoting her latest album, "Mandy Moore Coverage" under Sony Music. (Source: The Philippine Star)

Mariah, Mandy and Mom
I have always been a music buff. Even my dreams seem to have their own soundtrack! My mom loved music too. She was a die-hard Elvis Presley fan. I remember her telling me that she was so disappointed when Elvis did not respond to the fan mail she had sent him during her high school days. But when she became a celebrity herself, she realized why it wasn't humanly possible to answer each and every letter from the fans.

So it's no surprise why my daughter Bianchi and my sister Clara turned out to be music fanatics too. Their vocabulary seems to be limited to only letters, and that's M.T.V.

I know my mom was as delighted as I was when Bianchi and Clara watched Mariah Carey's awesome concert at the Fort last Sunday. They were even able to hobnob with the superstar diva at the exclusive party organized by the incomparable Tim Yap. But if my mom were around, she would not have allowed them to stay that late for the party. It was almost dawn when they got home, but the dreamy and dazed look on their faces erased whatever worries I had earlier.

When I asked them if they were able to have their pictures taken with Mariah, both said: "Who needs pictures? That night will forever be vivid in our memory!" Bianchi and Clara still have a "Mariah hangover," but here comes another dream-come-true in the works. Both will be watching Mandy Moore's concert Thursday night -- thanks to Arnold Vegafria. (Source: Inquirer News Service)

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

Anna Fegi evolving!
Powerful belter Anna Fegi is evolving. This is very evident in her latest album “Straight Ahead” in which she tries to conquer one of her fears – to sing in Tagalog. Having grown up in Cebu, Anna was not used to speaking Tagalog. Thus, she was partial to English songs, to the music of international singers Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston.

But that was four years ago. Now, the singer is not about to shirk away from the challenge of belting out songs in the vernacular. In her latest album, she went “straight ahead” as the title suggests and recorded a 14-cut OPM album with BMG Records Pilipinas. “I’m just scared of the punto. But I’m trying to practice my Tagalog. My friends are helping me this predicament,” Anna says.

The album is far different from her first one, “Anna Fegi: Every Step of the Way,” being basically a Tagalog album with only two songs in English. Thus, one will easily relate to the music. “Madaling sakyan kasi Pilipinong Pilipino ang sentiments,” she says. The most glaring difference, however, is that the Anna Fegi legendary full and curly mane is gone, as she is sporting a new straight look for the album cover.

At this point in her career, Anna says she is into experimenting and dreaming. “I’ve always loved to experiment. Dreaming is also the thing that inspires me. It drives me to improve myself. “People don’t know this but I love to dance. I’ve always loved to do upbeat songs. If they would give me a chance, I would love to sing and dance at the same time.”

Anna’s experiments also include composing songs. Although she has written several, she is still not confident enough to have them included in her album. Most of her compositions have a universal theme. “It’s mostly about my life and my relationship with my friends and family. I have songs about love, pain, inspiration. The music industry has been great to Anna. She acknowledges that she has more things to learn, many more things to improve in her career, more lessons to be learned, but she’s eager to go through all these to enrich herself. "I’m growing with the industry. I’m having so much fun.” (Source: MB Online)

Fans gate-crash Mariah's concert
About a hundred Mariah Carey die-hard fans last Sunday rushed into the general admission section of an open field in the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, causing a makeshift fence to collapse.

Mariah performed in Manila for the first time as part of her "Charmbracelet Tour 2003." But no one was reported injured when a makeshift fence collapsed at 9:50 p.m. last Sunday, according to Superintendent Cesar Rendon, officer in charge of the Taguig City Police.

The Binondo Co Kim Eh Rescue Foundation, however, reported a case of a concertgoer spraining his ankle during the rush. Another incident also in the general admission section caused the crowd to react wildly, throwing empty water bottles and soft drink cans onstage, said PO1 Romeo Dimaculang of the Southern Police District.

The general admission gate is only one of the seven entrances to the open field, which can accommodate a crowd of 30,000. The other entrances were marked as Gold left, Gold right, Silver left, Silver right, Bronze left, Bronze right. About 250 policemen were deployed for the concert, including 15 Makati City cops who escorted Mariah and her entourage from the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, where they were billeted, to the concert venue.

Rendon said the Taguig Police would conduct a debriefing on the incident this week. "We will try to study our lapses," he told Inquirer Entertainment on Sunday. "This is in preparation for the upcoming F4 concert on Nov. 29 here at The Fort." Taiwanese superstars Jerry Yan and Vic Zhuo of F4 will have a one-night show on Nov. 29 titled "Happy 50 TV."  Rendon said Taguig Police would triple the number of security personnel for the F4 show. "We expect twice the number of people who showed up to watch Mariah to watch the F4 show," he said. "We have to prepare for anything."

Many of the estimated 30,000 people who came to watch the pop diva complained of losing their cellular phones and of their cars being forcibly opened in the parking area. Concert usher Jing Pascual said she was disappointed to see policemen standing idle in their stations when she and some of her friends lost their bags after her car was forcibly opened.

Concert producers MTV Philippines and Tommy Hilfiger Watches deployed 160 ushers and 54 bouncers for the show. Mariah's "Charmbracelet Tour 2003" started at 9:45 p.m. with the A Cafellas opening the show for the pop diva, who sang 15 songs, including her version of the Jackson 5 original "I'll Be There." She sang the Mowtown classic with R&B artist Trey Lorenz, Mariah's most popular backup singer.

The pop diva had seven costume changes. For her opening number, "Heartbreaker," the 33-year-old singer wore her signature silver halter top and miniskirt. After singing three more songs, Mariah changed into a dainty blue floral dress and sang "Honey" from her "Butterfly" album. She then slipped into a sexy backless gown and sang "My Saving Grace."

"This song is about my life and my faith," said the singer who was reported to have suffered an "emotional breakdown" last year. Mariah ended the two-hour show with her hit song "Hero," wearing a cream dress with ostrich feathers.

A few hours before the concert, Mariah chatted with Ryan Ignacio, 19, a fan who wrote the GMA Network public service program "Wish Ko Lang," requesting that he meet his idol. "Mariah was really touched to see Ryan that she hugged him," said Melo Esguerra, "Wish Ko Lang" executive producer. "Ryan was so overwhelmed." GMA 7 paid for Ryan's round-trip ticket to Zamboaga del Sur province and his weekend stay at the Linden Suites in Ortigas Center.

Mariah arrived in Manila from Shanghai, China, at 9:05 p.m. on Saturday. She had to be whisked to the presidential lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when airport police could not control screaming fans, which included airport employees. But Mariah posed for press photographers after her arrival, Inquirer photographer Roger Carpio said. The singer left Manila Monday at 3:55 p.m. on board a Singapore Airlines plane to New York City.

The entourage, which included backup dancers, singers and band members, were not given VIP treatment when they left Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 1 p.m. Monday, said Carpio. "They lined up and personally checked in their baggage just like the other passengers," he said. (Source: By Marinel R. Cruz Inquirer News Service  inq7.net)

Monday, November 17, 2003

Sunday, November 16, 2003

Airport officials not allowed to watch Carey put on makeup
Airport General Manager Edgardo Manda and his chief security officer, Angel Atutubo, were ejected from the airport’s presidential lounge by pop star Mariah Carey allegedly for being “peeping toms.” This came about after Carey flew in from Shanghai, China, Saturday night for a one-night performance at The Fort in Makati.

Carey, accompanied by makeup artists, proceeded to the presidential lounge, which was rented by the show’s promoters from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), to fix her face.

A large crowd of Carey fanatics was waiting outside the terminal building of NAIA 2, trying to get a glimpse of the international singing sensation. But before Manda and Atutubo could make themselves comfortable in the presidential lounge, two bodyguards of the singer sent them out of the room.

“I am the general manager here, it’s almost my home tapos palalabasin ako,” Manda stood his ground.

However, the Carey show organizers pointed out that they paid for the use of the lounge and therefore, they have the right to the privacy that the client wanted. Carey flew in on Philippine Airlines Flight PR-337 but even mediamen were asked to stay as far as 15 feet away from her and were asked not to take pictures until she had her face ready for the cameras.

When she finally came out of the room it was a vivacious Carey that the crowd saw, smiling and waving, her face glowing and the sexy body inviting attention. She boarded a limousine escorted by policemen in motorcycles and was cheered on by the crowd as her convoy sped away. Some airport officials, however, said that the crowd was hakot (bused in). (Source: ABS-CBN News)

Tonight’s the night for Mariah Carey
Tonight is the big night for all Mariah Carey fans out there. All roads will surely be leading to The Fort Open Field in Fort Bonifacio Global City in Makati for Mariah Carey’s “Charmbracelet World Tour 2003.” We expect all those local divas we have here, those who earn a living by either mimicking or aping Mariah Carey, to be present tonight.

Mariah is expected to sing her well-known hit songs, ranging from “Visions of Love” (her first no. 1 hit song back in 1990 from her self-titled debut album), to her anthemic songs “Butterfly,” “Fantasy,” “Always Be My Baby,” “Never Too Far,” “Someday,” “Emotions,” and to her latest chart-topper, “Bringing on the Heartbreak from her multi-million selling album “Charmbracelet.”

To those who still haven’t secured their tickets to this musical event in Manila, tickets are available at Ticketworld outlets in all National Bookstore branches. We were told that the concert will start on time, at 8 p.m., but gates will open as early as 3 p.m. So be sure that you’re there early to avoid queueing up the long line.

Organizers said that there will be tight security measures during the event. They also advise not to worry about parking spaces because there will be enough to accommodate the crowd who will troop to The Fort. Ambulances and medical tents will be mobilized for emergency measures. Firetrucks are parked for its services as the need arises with four PNP outposts.

A total of eight entrances with signage's will be used to facilitate easement of entry. In any event that a non-ticket holder will be able to enter the venue or a ticket holder in the wrong area is spotted, they can be reported to the bouncers in the area who will bring them out of the venue and won’t be allowed inside anymore.

This, I think, are additional measures that they undertook after learning from the F4 experience earlier on. See you tonight then! (Source: The Manila Bulletin Online)

Thursday, November 13, 2003

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Calling All Mariah Fans In The Philippines
This is your chance to get a FREE TICKET to see Mariah live at The Fort in Manila on November 16 courtesy of Universal Philippines! To find out how, phone Manila 244-5591 (ask for Leslie) or 727-4011 (ask for Joanne). You must live in the Manila area no transportation or lodging will be provided. There are a limited number of tickets available that will be awarded on a first come first serve basis so call straight away! (Source: Universal Records Philippines | MariahCarey.com)

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

Monday, November 10, 2003

Pop Diva Mariah Carey Arrives in Shanghai
Looking every inch the pop diva, Mariah Carey said Monday she was surprised by the warmth of her welcome in Shanghai, where she is to perform at a government- sponsored concert — one of the biggest international acts ever to appear on stage here.

"I didn't know what to expect," Carey said at a news conference, a day after her arrival at Shanghai's Pudong International airport, where newspapers said she was greeted by about 100 Chinese admirers and a phalanx of cameramen. "It was really, really nice to see all the fans," Carey said.

Carey, 33, is to perform Wednesday and Friday at Shanghai's Hongkou soccer stadium as part of the city's international arts festival before continuing to a concert in the Philippines.

Carey's performances mark another milestone for China's development as a market for international pop culture — and for the country's recovery from this spring's outbreak of SARS. The outbreak forced the postponement of her concert and the cancellation of others, including performances by the Rolling Stones in Shanghai and Beijing.

Carey arrived almost an hour late for the news conference, sheathed in a strapless black dress atop black stiletto heels with sparkling hoops in her ears. Asked whether the sudden arrival of cold, wet weather in Shanghai, would affect her choice of stage gear, Carey said she didn't have that option. The star said she expects to make seven or eight outfit changes over the course of a concert, ranging from funky street wear to vintage clothing and original designs.

"If it's raining and cold, I'll still be wearing the same skimpy outfits as if it's warm," Carey said. But she wouldn't offer up what numbers she would perform, saying she likes to keep her shows "improvisational" and respond to fan requests for songs posted on her Web site.

Carey also offered no new information about news reports she might record the title song for the next James Bond movie. American media have reported Carey might also have a cameo role in the upcoming film, the 21st in the series, but the singer said only she "wasn't sure" about such possibilities.

Carey, a native of Long Island, burst onto the scene in 1990 with her debut album showcasing her amazing seven-octave range. During the 1990s, she scored 15 No. 1 hit singles and won a pair of Grammy awards, but suffered a breakdown in 2001 and was dropped from her label, Virgin, following disappointing album sales.

Currently preparing for a U.S. tour next month, Carey said traveling requires her to take special precautions with her voice, including drinking plenty of water and "sleeping as much as possible." Some local media questioned whether Carey was as big a catch as billed. Saying she had entered the "high-risk age" for pop singers, the Shanghai tabloid Life Weekly warned Carey could spoil her image with Chinese fans if her performance went down badly. (Source: Associated Press)

Mariah arrives in Shanghai
Mariah successfully arrived in Shanghai, China today at 6:45pm via the Pudong International Airport. She was greeted by hundreds of devoted and excited fans carrying gifts and welcome signs. Her arrival has reportedly caused a "Mariah Mania" spread throughout China and has made every headline story of the Chinese media. A press conference will be on November 10th at 1:45pm Beijing Time at the Hilton Grand Hotel, Mariah's current living headquarters. (Source: Mariah Daily)

Mariah to co-produce film adaptation of Wifey?
The New York Observer reports that Lawrence Blume, son of author Judy Blume, may soon be involved in co-producing with Mariah Carey a film adaptation of Wifey, his mother’s novel about a bored suburban housewife in the late 60’s who lets her freak flag fly. (Source: The New York Observer | M-C.org)

Mariah Carey to play TCC
Pop diva Mariah Carey is heading to Tucson, making up for skipping the Old Pueblo when she swung through the state in August. Carey is bringing her Charmbracelet Tour 2003 to the Tucson Convention Center Arena Dec. 19. Tickets - $35.50, $45.50 and $55.50 - go on sale Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets, 321-1000.

Carey's show could rank as one of the biggest, if not most-anticipated, pop concerts in Tucson this year. Her superstardom, though dimmed a little in the past couple of years, is fueled by an awesome five-octave vocal range that easily bounces from hip-hop dance tunes to soulful R&B. She's scored 15 No. 1 singles and two Grammys since bursting onto the scene in the early 1990s. In recent years, her offstage persona has dominated, including very public breakdowns and her high-profile divorce from Tommy Mottola, ex-boss of her former record label, Sony. (Source: Arizona Daily Star | Mariah Daily)

Mariah's Moulin Rouge
4,500 spectators (half the amount who saw a disappointing show three years ago) have applauded Mariah Carey at the Filaforum yesterday evening. This was the last European concert of her Charmbracelet World Tour, which has been greatly criticized but found an enthusiastic audience in Milan.

Mariah Carey is the woman that sold the most records in pop history, but the story of her life could be the screenplay of a musical comedy or melodrama. The singer, who came from humble beginnings, found herself in the center of a love story with Tommy Mottola, the aged boss of Sony Music. He transformed to the Princess of Pop and later married her. But the marriage didn’t last and the problems began for the diva, who entered the lifestyle of a billionaire superstar too quickly.

After her separation from Mottola came the love problems with Luis Miguel and Eminem, the flop of the autobiography movie Glitter, the nervous breakdown and exhaustion with consequential recovering time, the sacking from Sony, and then from Virgin Records. A rebirth seems to have come from a new contract with Universal Music Group. And above all, Charmbracelet, Mariah’s latest album release, has sold two and a half million copies, and the critics have been kind towards the album. A survey from MTV has established that Carey’s voice is the greatest of the last two decades. The Guiness Book of World Records writes that she is the singer that holds the highest note in the world. But in regards to Carey’s performance tour, perhaps for her prima-donna attitude, the American newspapers have been harsh.

But how was the show, truly? It began at 9:25pm and was spectacular from the moment Mariah appeared in a glittering outfit, singing “Heartbreaker.” Prelude of one pleasant show: paintings, circus, dancers, acrobats dressed like in a post-modern Moulin Rouge, clowns, paparazzi, a painter wearing a red jacket. The outfits changed during the show: hip-hop dresses, Chinese outfit, short skirts, long dresses, etc.

Carey included in the set list some of the tracks the fans chose by internet. The choices were: "Can't Take That Away", "One Sweet Day", "Love Takes Time", "Vision Of Love". She offered an hour and a half show with a set list centered essentially on the last album and some successes of the past. After the Milan show, she will perform in Shanghai next Wednesday and Sunday the 16th in Manila. Then the Tour will be interrupted in order to restart in Seattle on December the 10th for the last leg.

Starting January 2004, she will begin in London the rehearsal for the play "The Prince and The Showgirl" in which she will hold the part that Marilyn Monroe had in the movie directed by and co-starring Laurence Olivier. (Source: Della Sera Courier)

Sunday, November 09, 2003

Mariah makes it happen in Manila
It's almost like Muhammad Ali coming back to the Philippines for a repeat of the legendary "Thrilla in Manila." OK, maybe that's pushing it a bit. How about, say, like some monstrous tropical storm hitting -- in a good way -- these parts of the world? No, that's not quite right either. Let's just put it this way: when Mariah Carey -- a certifiable diva, nothing like the diva-divahan to be found here -- steps onto Manila soil in her designer stiletto heels, it will be one of the most scintillating superstar arrivals since, well, George W. Bush's recent visit. Damn, these analogies are difficult.

In any case, it will be big. When news of it first came out, people already started e-mailing the official and unofficial Mariah websites to check if the diva was indeed coming to Manila. It was initially canceled, true, but with the other legs in Asia of the Charmbracelet World Tour finally getting the greenlight, Mariah in Manila was cemented.

My bitch of a friend, who believes more in the Gospel According to Madonna rather than Mariah, heard the song "Loverboy" from the soundtrack of the ill-fated Glitter, sneered with eyebrows raised, "I just don't get it. She sings, "I want a sugar daddy!' in that song but, like, didn't she just leave one?!?!" He, of course, was referring to Mariah's divorce with record company mogul Tommy Mottola. Still, when he heard that Mariah is coming to town earlier than Santa, he called the ticketron right away and grabbed a ticket in the priciest section. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!" he remarked. "Mariah is Mariah, 'no!"

Who could blame him? And mind you, he is not alone. There are millions and millions of him around the world who can never get enough of Mariah mania, physical and nervous breakdowns be damned. But like my friend, I'm just being mean. After all, the current Charmbracelet World Tour is a triumphant climax for Mariah's successful comeback bid that began with the December 2002 release of the chart-busting album Charmbracelet (which incidentally sold more than a million copies in the US alone and a whopping 3 million copies worldwide). The album includes the fast-growing karaoke favorite (to replace "Butterfly" or even "My Heart Will Go On" by fellow diva Celine Dion) "Through The Rain." It also spawned the hits "Boy (I Need You)" and "Bringing On the Heartbreak," as well as her collaboration with Busta Rhymes, "I Know What You Want."

"Writing Charmbracelet was a cathartic experience," she has said. "I've been through a lot, personally and professionally. I lost my father this year, after we had reunited and become close. It was very hard for me and a lot of that emotion is on the album." Mariah even wrote and dedicated a song for her departed dad. "The experience of recording this album is almost like the experience of my life," she confided to her fans on her website. "Going through it, dealing with things, and remaining hopeful."

Mariah has always seemed straightforward in her press interviews, moreso in her songwriting. Most of her songs, in fact, resonate with her personal experiences and feelings. Truth be told, her platinum-minted repertoire mirrors her ongoing evolution, from a naive and bright-eyed dreamer to the more pragmatic and yet stubbornly optimistic diva that she is now.

In 1990, the first time she heard her debut single "Visions of Love" on the radio, she was ecstatic to say the least. She enthused, "I was in a car with a friend of mine and we were both screaming and calling people on the phone. It was definitely a memorable moment!" That same soaring ballad effortlessly hit No. 1, the first in a succession of chartbusters (she holds the record for the most No. 1 singles, a total of 15 hits). "I still didn't understand the whole chart thing at the moment, but I still freaked out to see my song on No. 1,Ó she said, looking back.When she performed the same song at that year's Grammy Awards, where she brought home two trophies (Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance), Mariah was on needles and pins. "I was so nervous during the performance and the acceptance," she gasped, "that I couldn't really enjoy the moment."

Although only a year had passed since "Visions of Love," by 1991 Mariah had already scored five No. 1 singles in a row with her album Emotions. "I was totally ecstatic but, again, everything happened so fast it was hard to take it all," she intimated.

By 1995 Mariah had become a seasoned pro. She even directed the music video of "Fantasy," her first attempt as director. "I had so much fun doing that," she said. "Especially that scene with the clown. That was the best part." "Fantasy," from her Daydream album, also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but that banner year also coincided with a turbulent time in her personal life. "I was incredibly happy, of course," she revealed, "but I was at this point in my personal life that I was feeling very stifled." A week later, Daydream also hit No. 1. "I worked very hard on that album and, of course, I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment."

The year 1996 was another record-breaking year for Mariah. "One Sweet Day," her collaboration with Boyz II Men, made history by staying at No. 1 for an unprecedented 16 weeks. "Everyone involved in my career worked so hard for that record and the song was very special to a lot of people,Ó she remarked. "So it was even more gratifying."

In 1997 she released Butterfly, her most favorite album to date. "That album is so close to my heart," she acknowledged. "I was really excited about it. It's such a personal album and my favorite work so far. I was extremely grateful for its success."

She capped the '90s with a big bang, being declared Artist of the Decade by Billboard magazine in 1999. "I'll never forget that moment," she beamed with pride. "I felt such a sense of accomplishment and was so proud. I really felt like my fans had played a huge part in helping to make that happen for me."

And that can be the secret to her enduring appeal. Mariah's honesty, her sincere desire to reach out to her fans by being true to her art and by being real about her life. In her past interviews, she openly talked about her struggles as a multiethnic teen who encountered racial discrimination, as an aspiring singer who rose above her poverty-stricken background. Mariah's Cinderella story could very well be the story of her many fans.

Before hitting it big with her powerhouse voice, she worked as a waitress and admitted to being fired from "20 restaurants" because of her "sassy attitude." She also labored as a coat-checker, beauty salon janitress and part-time backup singer. It was that last gig as backup vocalist for R&B chanteuse Brenda K. Starr that changed Mariah's destiny. It was Brenda who gave Sony Music Entertainment top gun Tommy Mottola Mariah's demo tape in a party. Legend has it that Mottola played the demo on his ride home and ordered his driver to immediately return to the party so that he could meet Mariah. As soon as he did, he offered her a recording contract right there and then.

In more ways than one, the Charmbracelet World Tour serves as Mariah's thanksgiving to her legions of fans who never wavered in their support for her, notwithstanding the ups and downs of her colorful career. The Manila show, her very first concert appearance in the Philippines, promises to be an eventful evening for both the diva and Pinoy fans. "I am passionate about doing something more intimate for my fans," Mariah told the media. "I'm used to doing arena tours. But this tour is about my music and my fans."The title Charmbracelet, both for her world tour and her album, is largely symbolic for Mariah. "Charmbracelets have always had a personal and sentimental significance for me," she explained. "Charms are like pieces of yourself that you pass on to other people. Items that tell your story and that can be shared, like a song. The bracelet represents the foundation of this album, a body of work that encompasses my feelings."

The Manila stop of the Charmbracelet World Tour is set on November 16 at The Fort Open Field, Fort Bonifacio, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Tickets are available at Ticketworld (891-5610, 634-2160) and hot lines 0916-4674790, 0927-2415082, 0918-58-8960 and 0919-4127461. The concert will start on time at 8 pm but gates will open as early as 3 pm. Tight security measures will be taken so as to avoid any mishaps and there will be enough parking space. Ambulances and medical tents will be mobilized for emergency measures. Fire trucks will be on hand and there will be four PNP outposts. A total of eight entrances with signages will be used to facilitate entry. In any event that a nonticket holder would slip into the venue or a ticket holder is spotted in the wrong area, they can be reported to bouncers and, once caught, they will be brought outside the venue and not be allowed inside anymore. (Source: ABS-CBN News)

R&B queen Mariah Carey to perform in Shanghai
Shanghai audiences can consider themselves very lucky - they have finally gained the chance to attend a live concert by R&B queen Mariah Carey, the pop star with five octaves at her easy disposal. The diva is coming to Shanghai after canceling the other stops on her Asian tour.

Although the concert will last only 90 minutes, the repertoire includes almost all her greatest hits, such as "Hero" and "One Sweet Day". The concert will offer the sugar-sweet melodies, register-defying vocals and slick R&B groove most of Carey's fans will be hunting. The fans need only buy the tickets and sit there at ease, popcorn in hand, to enjoy Carey's voice, which is capable of trajectories as unpredictably beautiful as a dancing feather in the wind.

However, the local working staff involved in the concert are not so lucky, as they will face a huge number of tasks appointed by the willful and arrogant pop queen. In a period of less than a week, the staff have to make all the preparations to accommodate Mariah Carey, which will nearly drive them crazy.

This time, Carey's tour team will comprise a total of over 60 persons, which will occupy over 70 rooms of the Shanghai Hilton. As for Carey herself, she requires the most luxurious suite in the hotel, whose windows should all be shielded with black paper. In the suite, there must be six air-conditioners and three international direct-dial lines.

Meanwhile, the beverage list she has drawn up is quite long - one bottle of crystal champagne, two bottles of Santa appetizers, two bottles of first-class red wines, six bottles of Coca-Cola, six bottles of Diet Coke, six bottles of mineral water, six bottles of lemon iced tea, herbal tea, fresh orange juice. So far, no one knows how many costumes Carey will wear during her concert, but she has asked the hotel to provide at least 50 clothes racks.

A "limousine" does not suffice to define what Carey demands of the hotel, she specifies the latest six-seat Lincoln or Benz S-500. The chauffeur should be fluent in English and be available within a minute at any time. (Source: China View)

Mariah Carey adds her magic to the Holiday Season
The world's best-selling female performer of all time comes to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for the first time with a special holiday concert, A Mariah Carey Christmas, December 22 at 8 p.m. in Segerstrom Hall.

Carey will sing a show-stopping mix of her top hits and holiday favorites. Tickets for Billboard's Artist of the Decade are $140, $120, $100 and $75, and go sale November 16 at The Center Box Office, online at The Center's Web site at www.ocpac.org, by phone through Ticketmaster at (714) 740-7878 or (213) 365-3500 and at all Ticketmaster outlets. The Center's TTY number is (714) 556-2746.

Mariah Carey's career is truly the stuff of legend - with an incredible 15 No.1 singles, two Grammy Awards and eight American Music Awards. She has been honored with the World Music Award for World's Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium. And along the way, she has achieved the seemingly impossible - being the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s. With "Heartbreaker," she even pushed ahead of the Beatles as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

With a spectacular seven-octave range, Carey is equally at home singing ballads and pop, and often incorporates elements of dance and hip-hop into the mix. And, perhaps most impressively, she composes all her own material.

Carey's self-titled debut on Columbia Records in 1990 spawned an extraordinary four No.1 singles - "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday" and "I Don't Wanna Cry." This led to her Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist. Her next recording, Emotions, was another smash, with the title track soaring to her fifth consecutive No. 1 single and with "Can't Let Go" and "Make It Happen" reaching the Top Five. MTV Unplugged EP, scored another No.1 with her cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There."

Music Box became her biggest seller ever as "Dreamlover" and "Hero" topped the charts. Daydream included "Fantasy," which debuted at No.1 and made Mariah the second artist in history and the first female performer ever to accomplish that feat. Subsequent albums, including Butterfly, Rainbow and Glitter, as well as sold-out concerts have made Carey one of the undisputed legends of the entertainment world. (Source: OCPAC Online | Daniel Garcia / Mariah Daily)

Alicia Keys fans praise Mariah concert
Alicia Keys fans have praised Mariah Carey's performace and voice at the Charmbracelet World Tour concert in London on Thursday, October 30. One fan commented on the official Alicia Keys website, "All I gotta say is she has still got it! I was at the Mariah Carey concert in London and it was the best concert I've ever been to. "Her voice was phenominal, she had lots of costume changes, her set was amazing and she played so many of her amazing songs; both new and old. After all the bad coverage she had received she proved everybody wrong by singing the house down!" (Source: Mariah, Inc.)

Friday, November 06, 2003

Mariah-signed car goes on auction
Michael Jackson announced Tuesday that he is putting up for auction a custom 2001 Bentley used to shuttle entertainers to his Neverland Ranch. The car, featured in the making of the video for "What More Can I Give?" (Jackson's long-shelved 9/11 charity anthem) was signed by all the participants including Mariah Carey, Beyonce Knowles, Justin Timberlake and Celine Dion. It will be sold to the highest bidder as part of a classic car auction set for January 25. (Source: Shanghai Daily News)

Mariah may or may not star in "The Sleeping Prince"
Mariah Carey is serious about starring in "The Sleeping Prince" on the London stage. But while Variety has Carey starting rehearsals in January, her rep says Mariah is "in negotiations." Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Oliver starred in the 1957 movie version, "The Prince and the Showgirl." (Source: New York Daily News)


Charmbracelet Tour video release confirmed
Universal Music France confirmed that Mariah's entire concert at Bercy Palace in Paris was filmed and will eventually be released as a home video and DVD along with footage of Mariah's promo tour and travels from earlier this year. Pictures of the concert in Paris can be found at http://www.mariahfanclub.com. (Source: The French Mariah Carey Fanclub)

Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Mariah Carey: R&B Diva Sings At HP Pavilion
This week's Ticket 2 Day's features five pairs of tickets to see R&B diva Mariah Carey at San Jose's HP Pavilion on Friday, December 12th! All you have to do is watch Mornings On 2 Tuesday to get the secret word and then enter the contest at ktvu.com.

Her career has taken a number of peculiar turns over the last few years, but Mariah Carey's remarkable five-octave voice continues to bring the singer her share of fame and success. The daughter of an opera singer, Carey was encouraged to develop her vocal skills at an early age. By her late teens, she was performing in New York City and soon landed a gig as a back-up singer for Brenda K. Starr.

The job gave Carey newfound access to producers and label heads; a month after handing her demo to Colombia Records exec Tommy Mottola, she was signed to her own deal. Her debut album, 'Vision of Love,' and follow-up efforts made Carey a huge star as she racked up hits on the pop, R&B and adult contemporary charts. She also married Mottola in 1993, though their union was destined to be short-lived.

Carey made the leap from chaste adult-contemporary singer to sultry hip-hop soul vixen with her 1997 album 'Butterfly.' Drastically changing her image, Carey asserted her independence from Mottola and found a new direction for her career.

Unfortunately, the singer spread herself too thin in the new millenium after signing the biggest solo deal in music history (an $80 million contract with Virgin). She produced her first bonafide flop in the double-barrelled disaster that was her film debut and accompanying soundtrack, 'Glitter.' Worse still, Carey exhausted herself to the point of her now-infamous meltdown on MTV's 'TRL' before finally checking into a hospital for some much needed rest.

Carey and her new label parted ways last year with the singer getting a hefty payout of $28 million. Where she might have taken time off to plan her next move, Carey instead dove into work with a new record company (Island/Def Jam) backing her own MonarC imprint. 2002's 'Charmbracelet' returned Carey to the signature sound that fueled the success of 'Butterfly,' while her recent two-disc collection 'Remixes, brought her catalogue of hits to a new perspective. Still a fan favorite who manages to appeal to housewives and hip-hoppers alike, Carey obviously aims to stay on the scene for many years to come. (Source: KTVU Online)

Monday, November 3, 2003

Mariah Carey at the M.E.N. Arena
Of all the welcoming words we may have expected Mariah Carey to utter to us, the least obvious were: "Eh up, chuck". Yet she attempted the local lingo, presumably fresh from having deployed "Och aye the noo" in Glasgow and "Gor blimey, it's a real peasouper" in London. Mariah was clearly eager to please.

Busily theatrical, the show began on a Moulin Rouge theme and proceeded to go all over the shop. One moment we had Mariah as sophisticated diva warbling the trite but strangely moving survivor's anthem, Through The Rain. Soon after we had stiltwalkers and circus apparatus on stage for the song, Clown. Switch from this cheesy cabaret to Mariah bumping and grinding on the big screen in Harley Davidson bikini while a video incarnation of rapper Busta Rhymes accompanied her on I Know What You Want.

Then, another jerky gear-change with Carey reclining in white dress on a grand piano. Mariah took her bow to the juddering funk of her oldie, Make It Happen, her pink hot pants, blonde mane and gaudy singlet putting you in mind of an off-duty lapdancer. Then she returned, sophisticated diva yet again, to belt out Hero.

This dizzying Las Vegas-style entertainment mirrored the fact that in her 13-year career, Carey has tried to be all things to all people. The thousands of empty seats discreetly curtained off, told their own story about the current state of that career.

You can see, in her furious ornamentation of a melody and her melodramatic hand gestures, the legacy she has given to so many other female singers. But you feel, too, that the world has moved on, and no amount of big-noise guest star rappers or acres of exposed cleavage will woo it back. But when Mariah does the thing which first attracted us to her, and wraps that five-octave voice around a monumental song, she still enthralls.

She did it on My All, Without You and Hero, finishing that encore with the kind of stratospheric high notes which sound someone summoning a sheepdog. So she tried to speak our language, she moved among us (arriving at the stage from the rear of the auditorium like a boxer would) and she even joked at her own expense about her reputation as a diva.

All nonsense, she said, though even as she spoke, her hairdresser was scurrying on stage to make running repairs simply because she had taken off her headphone microphone. (Source: Manchester Online)

Sunday, November 2, 2003

Ear's a gift: Mariah gets £30k earrings from prince
What do you give the girl who has everything? Well, her Charmbracelet album didn't prove a success, so a £30,000 pair of earrings was probably a far better bet. And so it proved for Mariah Carey in the early hours of yesterday. Songbird Mariah threw a lavish fancy dress party to celebrate Halloween, the end of her British tour and her 34th birthday at exclusive venue The Collection in South-West London.

She splashed out £250,000 on the bash - but was soon weighed down with presents from the guests. Leading the way was the Sultan Of Brunei's son Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, 29, who was happy to lavish a pair of sparkling diamond earrings on the diva. Knowing a good thing when she sees one - bachelor Haji is heir to a £30billion fortune - Mariah immediately put them on.

Following a successful British tour, the star showed off her new confident and happy side early yesterday morning. Dressed as a mermaid with a green and white skirt and just a few well-positioned shells covering her bare chest, Mariah couldn't keep off the dance floor and didn't stop smiling. And as for the diva image? Even that seems to be taking more of a back seat.

One guest said: "Mariah has always been known as one of the world's biggest divas - but everything's changed. I've never seen her happier - or as friendly." OK, as well as thousands of rose petals littering the floor, there were no-smoking signs across the club - proving Mariah remains as health-conscious as ever. But the beauty was determined to let her hair down - and at one point she even took to dancing on the tables.

A whole host of Mariah's celebrity pals were only too happy to dress up for the big night as well. Atomic Kitten Liz McLarnon arrived as Marie Antoinette, while Hollywood actor Stephen Dorff also got into the swing of things. As for Alicia Keys, she arrived as cat woman - just purrfect for Mariah. (Source: Sunday Mirror | Martijn Leegwater)

Mariah's Expensive Halloween Bash
Singing star Mariah Carey is throwing a spectacular star-studded Halloween party in London tonight -- costing a staggering $400,000. Carey, who is currently in Britain on her Charmbracelet tour, has invited pop peers Beyonce Knowles, Pink and Atomic Kitten to the bash at plush club The Collection.

Revellers can expect to enjoy Dr. Frankenstein-themed cocktails, pumpkin pie, fortune tellers and fairground rides. Everyone must arrive in fancy dress -- described as scary but sexy -- and Mariah herself will be dressed as an enchantress. A source says, "It's the biggest party she's ever thrown -- there's been nothing to this extent before. She's really excited about it.

"It's a real chance for her to relax. Mariah's been on tour for the past five months in Asia, America and Europe so it will be a chance for her to let her hair down." (Source: Starlocity)

Brosmania Makes A Comeback
Brosmania made a brief comeback last night when the lovely Matt Goss opened for Mariah Carey at Wembley Arena. "It's great to be back in London," Matt told us afterwards. "I'm a bit tired, I've been working non-stop for my single I'm Coming With Ya, which is out on Monday. But touring is what I love most."

Mariah also clearly enjoys performing live. During her incredible two-hour set, she even poked fun at her diva reputation by bringing on her hairdresser. "He's here so you all know what a diva I am, getting a primping on stage," she joked. Other pop stars who saw the 33-year-old pop queen strut her amazing stuff included Will Young, and Westlifers Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne. Let's hope the boys were all taking notes. (Source: The Mirror)

Playboy Barbie proves she's no circus freak
With her background firmly established in poverty, Mariah Carey again proved on Saturday she had soared shining brightly like a phoenix from the ashes into the main spotlight a triumph which she has managed to sustain for 10 years.

With Matt Goss as support, warbler Mariah greeted 3,000 fans dressed in a Kylie-esque spangly costume to screams as piercing as her superstar status demanded. Her appearance was that of a playboy Barbie physically altered from her dowdy tentative steps into the charts in the early 1990s.

With hits such as Dreamlover, Hero and debut single Vision of Love, she dug deep into her soul roots and delighted the audience with vocal acrobatics. Mariah's set was a circus led bya top-hatted MC, complete with clowns, big top and trapeze artists to prop up the ever-costume changing diva.

But the Long Island songstress stood alone. Standing not five feet away, her 10-octave vocal ability was amazing and the show ran seamlessly, no doubt due to an extensive background entourage co-ordinating every move.

But even Mariah had to admit to her renowned diva behaviour, tongue in cheek though it was, as she was primped between songs, much to the delight of her fans. Her need for adoration was evident as she held the footlights of the stage during her encore, gently touching the adoring mass in a religious-like way.

It brought a tear to my glass eye. Truly wonderful, truly diva, truly Mariah. (Source: Daily Record)

Saturday, November 1, 2003

Mariah Carey backs remix album with U.S. shows
Mariah Carey, who spent much of the summer touring the states, returns to the U.S. theater circuit in late 2004. Carey so far has booked a handful of December shows in the West; the majority of her July, August and September dates focused on the Midwest and East. The singer had originally announced plans to mount a large-scale arena tour earlier this year, but quickly downsized those plans for the more modest theater outing.

Carey is touring the world behind her December 2002 release, "Charmbracelet," which has sold more than a million copies in the U.S. and more than 3 million copies worldwide. It includes the singles "Through The Rain," "Boy (I Need You)" and "Bringing on the Heartbreak," as well as "I Know What You Want," which features rapper Busta Rhymes.

Though her December tour dates are part of her "Charmbracelet" tour, Carey is also supporting the recently released "The Remixes," a two-disc set features re-tooled versions of previously released tracks.

Carey took a nearly $30 million buyout to part with Virgin Records in January of 2002 after her first album for the label, "Glitter," and its namesake motion-picture--which starred Carey--both flopped. She quickly signed a new deal with Island, and "Charmbracelet" is her first release for the label.

Carey was hospitalized in 2001, just prior to the release of the "Glitter" album and movie, after suffering what her publicist termed "an emotional and physical breakdown." Presale tickets for Carey's upcoming concerts will be available at Ticketmaster starting November 3rd and 4th. (Source: Live Daily)

'ALL I WANT 4 CHRISTMAS' remade for upcoming film
Child actress Olivia Olsen, who plays Joanna Anderson in the upcoming romantic comedy Love Actually starring Huge Grant, remakes Mariah’s "All I Want For Christmas Is You" for a performance piece in the film.

A snippet of that performance can be seen in one of the movie’s TV spots airing on various networks across the nation. It can also be seen by clicking here. In addition, the festive rendition will be included on the Love Actually soundtrack alongside artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Dido, Norah Jones, Wyclef Jean and others. Love Actually hits theaters on November 7. (Source: Mariah Daily)