Nicki Minaj says she was so surprised that she got a call to work with Mariah Carey on the remix of "Up Out My Face" that she kept the collaboration very hush-hush.

"That one, I didn't believe until I was physically in the studio that I was doing with something with Mariah," the New York native told MTV News last week. "I didn't even tell anyone I shot a video with Mariah, because I didn't even believe. In the back of my mind, I felt like, 'This video is not gonna come out. There's no way I'm gonna do a video with Mariah Carey before I even put out my album.' Then, when it came out, I think it was the #1 video on YouTube in one day, something crazy like that. She's an icon, I've loved her since I was little, like 'Vision of Love,' 'Someday.' I was one of those little girls in the mirror singing her songs with my mother."

Much like her fellow Mariah Carey collaborator and good friend Gucci Mane, Minaj said the real Mariah was nothing like she imagined.

"When I met her, she was so funny and silly," Nicki recalled. "I thought when I was gonna work with Mariah, [she] was gonna be like this diva. But we were cracking jokes the whole day. She's a sweet, down-to-earth person."

Nicki and Mimi had their names written on two giant baby doll boxes in the video. In the Nick Cannon-directed clip, the two bust out and have a good time changing outfits and playing with men. The doll angle plays perfectly with Nicki's "black Barbie" persona.

"I think it was dope," Minaj said about the video. "A lot of times, more famous artists or more confident artists take from a younger artist but they'll never include you in that. I feel like she liked the whole doll thing and she wanted to do it with me. But she said that: She said, 'Everybody's gonna say "she's doing Nicki." But I told her, she's always had a doll persona, like all that 'doll baby' [stuff]. So it goes perfect with Barbie and we had fun. That's all that matters."

Source: MTV News

REQUEST AT RADIO
Please take a few moments to request "Up Out My Face" feat. Nicki Minaj and "Angels Cry" feat. Ne-Yo. Below are phone numbers and online links to some of the biggest radio stations across the country.


You may also check out our Radio Request page if your radio station is not listed above.

VOTE FOR THE MUSIC VIDEOS
The music videos for both songs have premiered on BET's 106 & Park but have yet to make its Top 10 Videos countdown. Keep voting as many times as you can here!

STREAM THE MUSIC VIDEOS
"Up Out My Face" video is available for streaming at Yahoo! Music; and "Angels Cry" at Yahoo! Music and AOL Music. Click on the links to watch now! Video streams at Yahoo! Music and AOL Music count toward the Billboard charts so please be sure to keep streaming the videos as often as you can.

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Brits stripped the shelves of the new Haiti charity single yesterday after it hit shops a day early. Extra lorries were even drafted in to get the star-studded cover version of REM's Everybody Hurts into stores.

Tens of thousands of copies were sold as big-hearted fans dug deep to help the quake-hit country. And as music lovers flocked to buy the single from record shops, thousands went online to send it rocketing to the top of the download charts after less than a day of sales.

The charity ballad is tipped to be the biggest and fastest-selling track of all time and is expected to raise millions of pounds. Even some shops that do not normally sell CDs put it on display. Bhs, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Oxfam and BP all agreed to ship in Simon Cowell's disc at the 11th hour. Gennaro Castaldo, of HMV, predicted it would stay at No 1 for weeks.

Star names on the track include Mariah Carey, 39, Jon Bon Jovi, 47, Kylie Minogue, 41, Rod Stewart, 65, Leona Lewis, 24, Miley Cyrus, 17, Susan Boyle, 48, and X Factor’s Cheryl Cole, 26. The single also saw former Take Thatter Robbie Williams, 35, and ex-bandmates Gary Barlow, 39, Mark Owen, 38, Howard Donald, 41, and Jason Orange, 39, reunite to record their first track since 1995.

Figures showing how well the song is selling will be out tomorrow. To become the biggest seller of all time it would have to beat Elton John's 1997 hit Candle In The Wind, which shifted 4.8million copies.

You can buy the CD for £3.99 at shops including HMV, Marks & Spencer, BP Extra, House of Fraser, BhS, Oxfam, Argos, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda; or online at HMV UK, Amazon UK and Play.com. It is also available for digital download for 99¢ at iTunes.

Related News:
• Helping Haiti charity single tops download charts (Mirror UK)

Source: Daily Star

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push by Sapphire will be released to theaters in Israel on Thursday, February 18th. A special advance screening will be held at Cinematheque in Tel-Aviv on Wednesday, February 10th at 10pm. Details here.

The weekend edition of Yediot Ahronoth, the most popular newspaper in Israel, featured an interview with Mariah. The interview took place the day after Precious was screened in Cannes, and the article covered Mariah's career, image, new marriage, new album and her role in Precious.

Below, find the Israeli Precious poster; and scans from Yediot Ahronoth.


Other International release dates:
• Chile - February 11
• Brazil - February 12
• Hong Kong - February 25
• Germany - March 25
• UK - Now showing (released Jan. 29)
• Australia - Now showing (released Feb. 4)
• Spain - Now showing (released Feb. 5)

Source: Tzachi | Sabine | Martin | Bernard | Rodrigo

TV Guide Network will air an exclusive one-hour special on the six-time Academy Award nominated film "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," a Lionsgate release. The special, hosted by veteran television personality Tanika Ray, documents the film's extraordinary journey from page to screen, and includes never-before-seen film footage, exclusive interviews with the director and cast members, and emotional reactions from filmgoers who have seen the movie and been touched by its story. "Precious: The Story Behind the Movie" premieres Saturday, February 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on TV Guide Network.

Already a multi award-winning film, "Precious" was recently nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique), Best Adapted Screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher), Best Director (Lee Daniels), and Best Film Editing (Joe Klotz). Director Lee Daniels, the first African American director to receive a "Best Director" nomination for a movie that was also nominated for "Best Picture," spoke exclusively to TV Guide Network about the journey "Precious" had taken from its introduction at the Sundance Film Festival to becoming one of the most talked about films of the year. "I'm proud to have been a part of this, and it's not just me...I'm proud for my cast..." He continues, "I'm happy for African American filmmakers...This is a statement...it's a very exciting time for me."

PRECIOUS, which has already garnered more than $45 million at the North American box office, expanded to more than 650 theatres nationwide this past weekend after the recent announcement that the film has earned six Academy Award nominations. PRECIOUS received Oscar nods for Best Picture, Best Actress (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique), Best Director (Lee Daniels), Best Adapted Screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher) and Best Editing (Joe Klotz).

The film has already won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique). It has also earned nine NAACP Image Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture, and it earned a nomination for the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award In Theatrical Motion Picture (Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness), a Directors Guild of America Award nomination for Lee Daniels as Best Director and a Writers Guild Award nomination for Geoffrey Fletcher (Best Adapted Screenplay). PRECIOUS has been named to AFI's list of 10 best films of the year and dozens of year-end critics' 10 Best lists.

Source: Business Wire

FAN REVIEWS
Maurie & Matthew (Tour Correspondents): "You've gotta ask yourself, is it worth driving 5 hours to see a concert? Tonight, the answer would be a big yes. Despite complaining of a bit of a cold on stage, she gave it 110% and killed it. A big round of applause to everyone- the dancers, band, trey & sherry. MC was, as she always is, outstanding. Taking time to chat with the audience with a splash of humor and that mariah charm we all love. The set list was steller; with some old and new songs. We all wanna hear "up out my face" but without it, we still loved the show. Feel better MC, can't wait to see you in Toronto."

April Winter: "I need to start out by saying, Mariah sounded the best I've heard her in concert to date (this is my 4th tour). It's definitely not an easy feat to please the 'not so enthused' Ottawa crowd (nothing like the Toronto audience I'm used to). Everyone was up on their feet for most of the night. This was my 10 year old son's first live concert and he was thrilled with most of the set list, having heard his favourites. I did notice the crowd was a little lost during the Impossible, but thankfully she picked them back up with Love Hangover/Heartbreaker. Mariah's shows are always over before I'm ready for goodbyes, so of course, I would have been thrilled to hear another song or two (apparently 3 songs had been cut from the set list). All in all, Mariah was still amazing!"

Rana & Dana Diab: "Wow. We are a bit overwhelmed. This is our first Mariah concert and we are huge fans and have been for a very very long time. She did not dissappoint. Her voice was phenomenal, and she looked beautiful. The sparkles, the glitter, it was ALL there! She performed well considering she was starting a cold. She seemed a bit tired but regardless she was still comic and spoke to the fans, and performed really well. We love Mariah and wish the concert was longer as we couldnt get enough! We wish her the best on the rest of her tour and can't wait till she comes back again!"

Kevin Williams: "Hey Fellow fans. So I attended Mariah's concert tonight at Scotiabank Place here in freezing Ottawa (-21C with the wind) and I am still speechless. She sounded incredible! She hit all the high notes on point although she claimed she had a cold. I like how she engaged all sections of the crowd. I was seated on the side of the stage and thought before the show started that maybe I would not be able to connect with her but she handled the stage well. I enjoyed all the song selections especially being a fan from the beginning. In my opinion the songs of the night were Fly Like a Bird, Angels Cry, My All (really showed that she doesn't depend on the backup tracks and delivers) and We Belong Together. Long Live Mimi, a True Legend! Can't wait for the Remix ablum!"

Source: --

The official Mariah Carey Angels Advocate Tour online store is now open! Below is a list of tour merchandise currently available to purchase. Select an item and order today!

ANGELS ADVOCATE TOUR MERCHANDISE Tour Program $20 Laminate $15 Poster $10 Red Angel Tee $35 AA Dateback Tee $35 Swirly Girls Tee $40 White Camisole $35 White Shorts $25

Source: Bravado | Bernard

Sniffles, rather than sizzle, mark Mariah Carey's Ottawa debut
Superstar diva's voice still surprisingly strong
By Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen

Mariah Carey made her performance debut in Ottawa last night in front of a smallish crowd of 2,900 at Scotiabank Place. Although she arrived on stage late, seemed to rush through songs and took breaks to conserve her energy, these were not simply attention-getting techniques from the famously difficult diva.

No, the superstar had a little cold, she informed us early in the evening, picked up from one of her dancers. It cut into her sleep, she added, "but here I am. The show must go on."

In a gold-and-sequined princess dress that showed off her ample cleavage, Carey made a fashionably late entrance dangling in a cocoon-like bundle that descended from the ceiling to the stage.

The full-length gown was torn away, revealing a short, leg-baring skirt as her breathy soprano fluttered into Butterfly, then darted from Shake It Off, Touch My Body and Fly Like a Bird.

Her voice was surprisingly strong, despite the sniffles, but there were backup singers and electronic effects enhancing her natural vocal power. A full band and a contingent of dancers accompanied Carey on stage, and she occasionally let them take over while she rested her voice and changed outfits.

"I'm not going to complain because I love everybody," Carey said, as if to remind herself not to complain. "No matter what you do, you can't make me hate you.”

At one point, Carey played up her diva reputation with a tongue-in-cheek bit that involved calling her hair and make-up folks onto the stage for a touch-up.

It was evidently supposed to be playful and self-deprecating, but the sense of fun was dampened by her poker-face delivery, probably due to the fact that she repeats the gag every night.

Sipping something from a champagne glass (she said it was water, Carey seemed to come to life a bit later, and made a point of referring to her new line of champagne.

On the whole, though, Carey gave an uninspired performance — one hopes her champagne isn't quite so flat.

Diva's dazzle fades by finale
By Denis Armstrong, Ottawa Sun

Mariah Carey was at her diva-best at Scotiabank Place Saturday night, and not in a good way. You would think that a star as big as Carey – 175 million records sold and a trunkload of Grammy awards – would have been a major event.

But fewer than 3,000 glammed-up, hardcore Carey worshippers even bothered to show up for her current Angel's Advocate show, which is touring North America and getting mixed reviews.

Perhaps it was the price of tickets, which went as high as $175 a piece. Ouch!

To be honest, after the show on Saturday night, I'd be surprised if she even got enough of an audience to fill the National Arts Centre, based on Carey's performance on, and off stage.

Mariah is the goddess of Grammys, the Princess Di of the divas, as frail as she is fabulous. But when she sings, she turns into a soul-singing superhero, with a five-octave range that can still shatter crystal champagne glasses.

And last night, she did plenty of both.

I've never been to a concert before that was so much about the star, rather than the music. Celine Dion's show here in 2009 had its narcissistic moments, but nothing on Carey's scale.

All the self-centred diva-like antics might have been worthwhile if they were sincere but Carey's struck me as all part of the show. And a bit of a lazy show at that.

The show started some 40 minutes late. Of course, all was forgiven the instant Carey finally made her entrance, and as grand an entrance as you would expect, with Carey suspended 15 metres in the air, hanging there like an angel, one with God-like cleavage in a dress that resembled a glass of champagne while the band played the Butterfly Intro and Daydream Interlude.

Then, it all seemed to go downhill from there.

For a scant 90 minutes, Carey treated the fans to a slickly rehearsed, loosely choreographed musical fantasy into her glittery life, parading nearly as many expensive evening gowns and sexy outfits as there were songs, mostly taken from her last album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel with a few classics thrown in.

Backed by a five-piece band and with 10 dancers providing a little boogie, a hoarse Carey opened with Shake It Off, Touch My Body and Fly Like a Bird while posing like a contestant in a beauty pageant at centre stage.

Later, she blamed being late on a cold that one of the 10 dancers she's touring with gave her. So it wasn't her fault. Hand that girl an Academy Award nomination for best dramatic performance by a diva.

I mean, c'mon, who else but Carey would bring her own makeup artist onstage for a quick touch-up, or performing Always Be My Baby from a white chaise-lounge and drinking from a fluted glass?

From that point on, Carey seemed to lose interest in the show, spending half her time backstage and leaving her backup crew to cover yet another costume change with an able cover of Michael Jackson's Rock With You before la Carey re-emerged to channel Diana Ross on Ain't No Mountain/Love Hangover in an inaudible whisper.

By now, the novelty was wearing about as thin as Carey's pablum pop, including Obsessed and Emotions, tunes as girly as gigs get. Like watching a Say Yes To The Dress marathon. I wasn't that disappointed when Carey seemed suddenly in a hurry to quit the show.

Source: Ottawa Citizen | Ottawa Sun

Mariah makes her second Canadian stop in Ottawa, Ontario tonight! Mariah Daily Journal is there with its tour correspondents Matthew, Maurie and Atusa reporting live from the Scotiabank Place starting at 7:30pm EST.

Setlist:
01. Butterfly Intro/Daydream Interlude
02. Shake It Off
03. Touch My Body
04. Fly Like a Bird
05. Make It Happen
06. Angels Cry
07. Always Be My Baby
08. It's Like That
09. The Impossible
10. Love Hangover/Heartbreaker
11. Honey
12. My All
13. Obsessed
14. We Belong Together
15. Hero

Tidbits:
• 07:50pm - Still playing music, people are still coming in and lights are still on.
• 08:00pm - Opening act RydaznRtist hits the stage. Venue almost full now.
• 08:08pm - RydaznRtist performing their third song "One Last Time" now.
• 08:17pm - Opening act done with their set. Michael Jackson songs now being played while waiting for Mariah to hit the stage.
• 08:28pm - Still playing MJ. They say Mariah is supposed to come out at 8:30pm.
• 08:45pm - More MJ plays as people get to their seats.
• 09:06pm - Mariah's gotten into her swing above the crowd. She's in her perch.
• 09:09pm - Show starts.
• 09:13pm - "Shake It Off" now.
• 09:18pm - She talks about drinking water. And the need of cough medicine because she has a cold - she claims she got it from one of the dancers.
• 009:20pm "Fly Like a Bird" now.
• 09:24pm -"Make It Happen" with dancers. Leaves stage to change.
• 09:27pm - Mariah back on stage to finish off "Make It Happen."
• 09:31pm - "Angels Cry" now.
• 09:36pm - Talks about one day singing "Standing O." "Always Be My Baby" now.
• 09:45pm - Slight primping/diva chat. Upset they took her sofa away.
• 09:46pm - Mariah now performs "The Impossible."
• 09:55pm - Trey Lorenz just finished "Rock With You." "Love Hangover/ Heartbreaker" now.
• 10:06pm - Talks about the fact that a lady can't pour her own drink so she has a dancer do it. And has a splash.
• 10:08pm - "My All" now.
• 10:16pm - Band introductions by Trey Lorenz.
• 10:18pm - "Obsessed" now.
• 10:25pm - She says thanks and goes off stage after performing "We Belong Together."
• 10:27pm - Back on stage for encore song "Hero."
• 10:32pm - Show ends.

Photos:


Many thanks to Atusa, Maurie and Matthew for the great updates tonight!

If you were in tonight's show, we would love to receive your brief review/show experience; and pictures, audio and video recordings to share with everyone. Please send to contact@mariahjournal.com.

Mariah's last Canadian concert will be held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario on Tuesday, February 9th at 7:30pm EST. Our MDJ Tour Correspondents for the night will be Maurie, Atusa, Sean and Lisa.

Source: MariahDailyJournal

To the right is a photo of the contents of the VIP Package for the Angels Advocate Tour. This one was for the NYE show at Madison Square Garden, New York.

The VIP package consists of a tote bag with Mariah's signature printed on the front in silver, a blanket with the inscription "Mariah Angels Advocate 2010" and a laminated lanyard. The MSG show got a star lanyard, all other shows get a butterfly lanyard.

Source: Kathryn

The "Up Out My Face" video made Entertainment Weekly's Must List for the week:


Also in this week's EW issue is Nick Cannon's exclusive interview with the magazine in which he talks about his growing career and his high-profile marriage to superstar Mariah Carey. Below are scans, courtesy of NickCannon.com.

Source: EW | Jason | Scans: NickCannon.com

Mariah Carey at the Bell Centre:
A Barbie Girl in a Barbie World
By Marc-André Lemieux, Metro

It was like the kingdom of Disney ... or inside of the bag of Barbie. Mariah Carey, perched on a swing, dressed as the princess in the animated version of Beauty and the beast, waited on by four dancers dressed in Tuxedos, as she approached the ground. Everything was music worthy of a jewelry box. The scene was a kitschy. One did not know whether to laugh or cry.

This feeling has taken over much of the evening yesterday, passing from the American singer at the Bell Centre. For nearly two hours, Miss Carey served her pop-R & B in a package so sweet that there was sometimes the impression that the theatre was transformed into dollhouse.

All rhinestones
With Shake It Off, Touch My Body and, especially, her pair of heels, Mimi began the concert. Needing help from a dancer for two steps to the right and three to the left, the artist seemed to be stifled in her gold corset. The fans, they didn't seem to mind, applauding wildly when she raised her beautiful voice.

This is undoubtedly the greatest tragedy of this whole affair. A star of the caliber of Mariah Carey (who, remember, has sold over 175 million albums around the world) deserves better than cardboard scenery, staged and uninspired choreography worthy of a bad jazz ballet. Unlike most of the pretenders to such a throne, this beauty is not devoid of talent, far from it. The puissance of her vocal chords is no doubt, small and shrill cries that she likes to run here and there to answer the call.

All she needs, really, is someone who has the courage to tell her that all the rhinestones and sequins affect her more than anything else. Forget brushing, manicuring and plunging necklines, Mariah. Next time, take up with some musicians, a stool and a microphone. Simplicity is often best taste.

Source: Metro | Scan & Translation: Michael

FAN PHOTOS
[Thanks to Charlie, Jordan, Robert, Alexander, Michael & Lili!]










FAN REVIEWS
Michael Perry (Tour Correspondent): "As soon as I stepped foot into the arena, Mariah's signature colours, pink yet lavender, were on display for all to see! I was filled with much anticipation as I awaited her arrival on stage. This feeling was later overshadowed when the 'angel' came down from the ceiling and began singing Butterfly Reprise. Her voice was off the chain! She quickly made Montreal the happiest place on earth. She smiled and pointed at me when she sang the lyrics, 'You and I will always be.' She did not sing 'It's A Wrap' and 'Emotions' and so I was a bit disappointed. We followed her tour bus to the hotel at which she is staying. While trying not to seem obvious, we were too late and so missed out! All in all it was a great concert!"

Robert Ficara (Tour Correspondent): "I was a little upset she did not perform Up Out My Face and It's A Wrap, but she was great. After the show, we followed her tour bus to the hotel and that's where I met her. We were about 4 people. She gave a little girl a hug and signed some autographs. I asked her to say my name and she said my full name!"

Simon Noel: "Sooo, yesterday was the concert! I can start by saying Mariah's voice was in great shape, she was talking a LOT to the audience, asked if there was a good restaurant she should try, buying some time 'cause the next song wasn't ready hehe. It was really great! But Mariah started really late (but apologized sincerely after) and the setlist was very short, she removed at least 3 songs! She looked tired but gave a great show. It was amazing she looked beautiful. Like I said the only negative point, the setlist was too short, no 'It's A Wrap', no 'Emotions', no 'Up Out My Face'. Maybe next time! It was my 4th Mariah concert."

George Krstic: "The Mariah concert performance at the Bell Centre in Montreal was simply amazing. Her voice sounds as fantastic as ever. Yes, our diva was late but her fans didn't mind the wait. Montreal fans are crazy and loud and were very energetic from start to finish. Angels Cry, a beautifully written song was performed with a male and female acrobat suspended in the air. Brought tears to my eyes. Definitely worth the price of admission."

Jean-François Loubier: "I just came back from Mariah's concert in Montreal. She did not perform It's A Wrap, Emotions and Up Out My Face. It would have been great to hear those songs, especially the new ones. But the show was still amazing."

Alexander Christopher: "This was THE best show ever! Some people are saying the show was short because it was a smaller set- but Mariah performed all out! The show was spectacular! I was in the front row and Mariah did a little shout out to me! I am sooo pumped for Ottawa and Toronto!"

Edouard Sigward: "Okay she was late! So what? It just made the anticipation even more striking and the show a late Christmas gift. I mean, had she been on time, wouldn't it have been boring and disappointing? It would have been predictable and that's not what Mariah is about! You know what she's about: the voice, the strength and frailty, the glamour, the humour, the firmness and the realness too. The setlist could have included 1 or 2 other songs but quality's better than quantity right? And Mariah sure did her thing last night. She was so on point that I was almost surprised. Not that I had any doubts but people don't necessarly realize how hard it is to sing live. For this Tour her way of singing is more powerful which makes every nuance and subtlety even more enjoyable. She delivered and that was impressive. The energy was high here in Montreal even though it took the crowd a few numbers to overcome the frustration of her being late. She was sorry though and not faking her apologies. I can tell! Mariah was in control, even a little contrived for the first two numbers but by the time Fly Like A Bird started she was in connection with herself, God and the entire crowd. I was there and I heard her. She was empowered and empowering. Also very persuasive with The Impossible and its reprise. I first thought this choice of a song wasn't very appropriate for a show because of its ethereal quality. But she turned it into something more than just another baby-making-song. It became kind of a mantra as she repeated with the utmost conviction: it's all possible!"

Alma Taoingan: "I've been an avid fan of Mariah ever since she came out in 1990 and I love her so much, however with this concert here in Montreal, I was much impressed. I enjoyed her Mimi tour back in 2006, I find that with this one she couldn't give her all to perform, perhaps she was too tired with her hectic schedule and all, but I still had a good time, it was still worth watching. I noticed something though during her 'The Impossible' segment, only the last part was live, am not sure if anyone have noticed but the first part sounded lip synced. But it was still cool, I had fun. She still has that great amazing voice!"

Lili de Oliveira: "Mariah's performance was simply amazing! Ok, so we did wait an hour for her to come out but that was all forgotten once she came onstage. My favorite of the night was 'My All' because that was the song I really wanted to see her perform live. I was lucky to be front row even if I was all the way to the side, during 'We Belong Together' I really felt like I had a 'moment' with Mariah. She came to the side of the stage, still singing, I saw her look at my poster and then at me. I was singing the words back to her and she smiled at me and waved. After the show I waited in front of the garage for her to come out and when she came out already in the bus my mom asked me if I wanted to follow her tour bus and so we did. When we got to her hotel I met her! She signed something for Robert and then she signed my lil' journal. I asked her if I could get a hug and her bodyguard was saying 'Only autographs!' but she hugged me anyways! (I'm the little girl Robert talks about.) It was my first time seeing Mariah and I'm looking forward to seeing her again. Rydaznrtist were really great! The only thing that made me a bit mad was that the security guards wouldn't let us take pictures after Mariah's first few songs. (Thank you Robert for taking that picture of me and Mariah)"

Philip Mundiyamkal: "Mariah really stunned by coming out from so high and 'so far, so far' and the Daydream interlude started playing. She came out in a magnificent gold fluffy dress covering her whole bottom half of the body. She ripped off the bottom to make it into a miniskirt like dress. What a great way to start and then she went into Shake it Off and the energy was SO HIGH! She was moving around and being sexy. That's the Mariah I love to see! She would during, many songs, look at me (I hope lol) and dance and sing the lyrics with me because I knew the lyrics to the songs word for word as well! It was so wonderful. After Touch My Body ended, she talked to us about why she was late: she was shooting the video to the Haiti single she's a part of. It was very understandable and noble of her to give us a reason. She then started to talk about how inspirational and beautiful Fly Like a Bird was to her and that she hopes we like it too. My twin sister was crying during the performance. Angels Cry was one of the highlights of the show because of the ending where she belted out for forever! At the end of Always Be My Baby, she talked to the audience about for the first time on the tour, she's taking a break in one city and that she wanted to know a good place to eat. I shouted 'My home!' but she didn't hear but she did hear about Crescent street but she heard 'Chris on Crescent' which, by the way, there's no such thing haha. But what great interaction she had with the audience. I knew that Obsessed was one of the last songs on her previous tours and I knew that the song I was waiting to hear in forever, Emotions wasn't going to be played. I was a bit disappointed in that, but I enjoyed Obsessed nonetheless. At the end she said thank you Montreal, I love you and proceeded to leave the stage until someone threw a wrist band as a gift to her, Mariah looked at it and picked it up and left the stage. Mariah came out again saying she had to sing Hero. It was the most beautiful performance of Hero I've ever seen. I was in tears. She did an amazing job!"

FAN VIDEOS

Speaking to the audience and French

More videos:
• Mariah Getting Fixed on Stage
• "Butterfly Intro/Daydream Interlude"
• "Angels Cry"
• "Always Be My Baby"

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Review: Mariah Carey more like Celine, less like Aretha
By Bernard Perusse, Montreal Gazette

Some might still call it rhythm 'n' blues, but it's really the genre's hip-hop-influenced, weaned-on-pop grandchild that Mariah Carey offered to 7,000 fawning fans Thursday night at a suitably shrunken Bell Centre. As the multimillion-selling, statistic-breaking singer proved one more time, R & B might have become more of a brand name than a meaningful style.

At its best, Carey's music is infectious and cannily persuasive enough to do the form justice. Even after 13 years, you'd have to be a hopeless purist not to be seduced by Always Be My Baby, which was mostly delivered as Carey reclined invitingly in a love seat. And if the hook in Obsessed or the sweet, anthemic We Belong Together don't do anything at all for you, maybe you're just not being fair. Not to forget Touch My Body, an irresistibly catchy song, effective even without the video antics of 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer.

But at its worst, well, God help us. Mawkish muck like the dreadful Hero, which closed the concert, or the over-emoting in the inspirational but uninspired ballad Fly Like a Bird place Carey more in Celine Dion territory than in Aretha country.

Yet maybe that chasm is not as great as we assume. Sure, Carey is a diva. But so is Aretha, who, for all her brilliance, really spawned all the vocal excess of this generation of R & B singers. Carey even had the sense of humour to playfully send up her image Thursday night, after Always Be My Baby, by having two flunkies come out to dab her face and touch up her hair. "Wouldn't you do the same if you were me?" she asked, to cheers. The star and the little people is, as always, the operative dynamic in a Carey concert.

Incidentally, it's hard to figure out why the on-stage freshening up would have been needed, even in jest. Carey is not what one would call an energetic performer: finger waves and slinky hand gestures are about it. Her dancers - numbering between three and 10, depending on song requirements - shouldered most of the physicality and visuals.

Should we chalk it up to fatigue? Starting a full hour after she was scheduled to go on, Carey waited a few numbers before apologizing and explaining that she had been up late shooting a video to raise funds for Haiti and got little sleep. The audience members - pretty soldily in the thirtysomething range - quickly forgave the fact that they would lose an hour's sleep themselves and showered her with love.

If you knock off about 15 minutes total Carey spent off stage for a costume change, she performed for about 70 minutes. With top ticket prices reaching $130 plus extras, it wouldn't be unfair to raise the question of value for money. But Carey's fans answered it with adoration. And we didn't come to argue.

Source: Montreal Gazette

Mariah performs tonight at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Our MDJ tour correspondent Michael is there to provide us with live updates, as they happen!

Setlist:
01. Butterfly Intro/Daydream Interlude
02. Shake It Off
03. Touch My Body
04. Fly Like a Bird
05. Make It Happen
06. Angels Cry
07. Always Be My Baby
08. It's Like That
09. The Impossible
10. Love Hangover/Heartbreaker
11. Honey
12. My All
13. Obsessed
14. We Belong Together
15. Hero

Tidbits:
• 07:30pm - Michael Jackson songs being played.
• 08:00pm - Opening act RydaznRtist hits the stage.
• 08:16pm - RydaznRtist finished with set. Now playing MJ songs again.
• 09:08pm - Still waiting for Mariah to open the show.
• 09:18pm - Show starts.
• 09:23pm - "Shake It Off" now.
• After Always Be My Baby, Mariah said she was spending the night in Montreal and asked for a good restaurant to eat. The big response that she said on stage was Chris's on Crescent Street (downtown).
• 10:06pm - "Love Hangover/Heartbreaker" now.
• 10:20pm - "My All" now.
• Mariah did not perform "It's A Wrap," "Emotions," and "Up Out My Face."
• 10:40pm - Encore song "Hero."
• 10:45pm - Show ends.

Here are some tidbits from our tour correspondent Robert who was unable to provide live updates during the show:

Robert: "Sorry again for the lack of communication! I truly am sorry. The set list you have is correct. I was a little upset she did not perform Up Out My Face, It's A Wrap and Emotions, but she was great. She said she came in late because she didn't get much sleep because she was doing a video shoot for the Haiti single. She also said it will be coming out very soon. When she sang The Impossible she mentioned that there would be a remix with Trey Songz on the Remix album. She did a subtle burp after a sip from her glass of Mariah champagne; and said she would sing Underneath The Stars (surprising the band) but she didn't."


If you were in tonight's show, we would love to receive your brief reviews; and pictures, audio and video recordings to share with everyone. Please send to contact@mariahjournal.com.

Mariah's second Canadian concert will be held at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario on Saturday, February 6th at 7:30pm EST. Our MDJ Tour Correspondents for the night will be Matthew, Maurie and Atusa.

Source: MariahDailyJournal | Michael | Robert

Below, find Mariah's chart positions in Billboard magazine issue dated February 13, 2010.


*"Angels Cry" is Mariah's 52nd career entry on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Source: Billboard | MariahDailyJournal

Mariah takes her Angels Advocate tour to Canada with three stops starting with Montreal, Quebec TONIGHT, February 4th at 7:30pm EST. Mariah Daily Journal will be there, as usual, with our tour correspondents Michael and Robert reporting live from the Bell Centre. Please join us!

Source: MariahDailyJournal

Nick Cannon sat down with Entertainment Weekly for an exclusive interview on his growing career and his high-profile marriage to superstar Mariah Carey.

On his marriage to Mariah: "There were people who were for it and there were more people who were against. You have to ask the question: Is your heart more important than your career? Absolutely. I was like, If I don't do anything else ever again in the entertainment industry, I'm in love with this woman."

On his five-year plan: "First and foremost, to have a happy family and have some little Cannons running around. And then career-wise, I feel like I'm in that stage where people are taking me serious as a man right now. I wanna be a billionaire in five years. It can happen! I'm speaking it into existence!"

On raising children in Hollywood: "Me and my wife talk about it all the time. As much as there are private jets and champagne everywhere, I want them to understand that's not what life is about. I've met quite a few grounded people who were born into situations like this. We look at those type of examples. I always admired the Kardashian family. They are normal. They're a family that really loves each other. Or the Osbournes."

On Mariah's pet peeves: "She hates when I'm messy when it has to do with her nice stuff. Like, I can't throw my jacket on the Marilyn Monroe piano—but I do. She hates that I wear suits. She likes me in, like, Timberlands with the fitted cap and T-shirts."

For more from Nick Cannon, including how he and Mariah spend a typical night at home, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday.

Source: EW.com

• Mary J. Blige tells The BoomBox there's another profession she wouldn't mind trying on as a full-time vocation. Contributing to the soundtrack of the Lee Daniels film Precious last year put her in close proximity to observe a singing colleague put her all into losing herself for an acting role.


• Janet Jackson mentions Mariah in an interview with UK's Wonderland magazine, February/March issue.


• Kelly Price in an interview with Elev8's Tarvenia Jones talks about how she was discovered as a singer:

Source: The BoomBox | Elev8 | Vinny | Kevin | April

FAN PHOTOS
[Thanks to Sondra, Ricky, Dominic, Ed, Elliot & Ryan!]



FAN REVIEWS
Tommy Lodge (Tour Correspondent): "Mariah was really something in Philly last night! I was as close as I've ever been to her. When she sat for My All it was like we were in the same room together just chillin'. My friend John and I drove up from DC for the show and it was well worth it. She was a bit later than usual, but that's OK. She is the original diva and is allowed such behavior. As usual her voice was impeccable. The setlist was very similar to DC - she added 'Emotions' and 'Up Out my Face' and took out 'Subtle Invitation,' so there was nothing from Charmbracelet there."

Sondra Cosby (Tour Correspondent): "I attended the concert at the Tower on Monday Feb. 1. Wow what an amazing experience! This was my first Mariah concert and I loved every second of it! Mariah truly is a diva and she knows how to put on a show! She looked amazing as usual! All of her wardrobes were immaculate, including my fav - the long gold ruffle dress with the sequence on the top that turns into a shorter dress! Security was a bit much I must say. First off, they wouldn't let Renee bring her sign in, which was the same size as other peoples signs but whatevs! Then they tried extremely hard to stop us from taking pics but of course, us lambs pulled it off anyway. I got some excellent shots of MCC! Trey and Sherry definitely noticed our festiveness! Our wings and shirts were a SGSHW lol! We were lucky to be able to get pics with Sherry, Eddie, Al, and Earl! They were really nice! I met alot of new friends! Shout out to all my new lamb friends you know who you are! Ok so to wrap up the evening, after the concert we waited outside for hours in the freezing cold awaiting Mrs. Carey's departure. And being the diva she is we were there until about 2:30am and unfortunately my fellow best lamb Renee was still in her 5 inch stilletos in a hypothermic state so we had to call it quits. But not to worry us ride or die lambs will definitely regain our festiveness at the next MCC event! Luv u Mimi! <3 L4L <3."

Renee Plowden (Tour Correspondent): "So this was my 5th MIMI adventure (pun intended dahlings!) and I am never let down! I have been a die hard fan since I was 6 years old. Mariah 'swung it on home' with her flantastic performances Monday night when she came down on the swing I was in awe of her. From the dresses to the set list, the concert gets an A++. Her voice was on point. She chose a good variety of songs some 'fans' knew and all 'lambs' knew. When she did It's A Wrap, The Impossible and Up Out My Face I couldn't believe some folk actually sat down. 'I couldn't even know what to say' but hey lambs for life right!? So back to the show, Mariah = SGSHW and security = bleackocity. They were so against us taking pix but we managed to get some really festive moments and video. We got a funny moment with Trey when the music stopped. Sondra and I yelled 'Big Nasty' and he laughed and waved. Awesome moment from Mrs. C as well, i.e. a point & wave. How could she not? We had huge wings on LOL! That made my night and to top it off we met some pretty awesome lambs afterwards. We all bonded together and waited for Mariah to come out. While waiting, we got pix with Sherry aka the Mae West of Brooklyn, backup dancers Eddie Morales, Earl and Al (very cute by the way). The wait for MCC to come out was slightly bleak though, i.e. 18 degrees, almost 3 hours with no coat, 5in. stiletto 'Mimi' shoes and no clue when she would come out. I waited as long as my body could take before leaving and much to my chagrin, I get a message from fellow lamb Richard Smith Beverly that no sooner than 20 mins after we leave Mariah comes out. Talk about bleackocity dahlings ugh! However I am very greatful to have had incredible seats and to have been in the presence of spectacularity AKA Ms. MARIAH CAREY dahlings. LYM. L4L."

Rhonda Noel: "We drove about 1½ hours to get to the show at the Tower last night. It was cold out of course and we waited outside in line for about 15 mins then we were finally let in. I got a tour book and a keychain at the merchandise counter. When we got to our seats we had to listen to a very uptight security guy saying that at the artist's request it was going to be a no tolerance show. No taking pictures or video, if you are caught you are out with no second chances. They played Prince and MJ songs then RydaznRtist performed a couple of songs. They continued to play more MJ songs until finally Mariah arrived. She was worth the wait! She looked gorgeous and sounded phenomenal as always! I loved every song she sang especially Emotions and Up Out My Face. We were all dancing and singing the entire show."

Dominic Dixon: "I had the pleasure of seeing Mariah Carey front row on Monday Feb. 1, 2010 at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA. Can I say I was shocked and disappointed. this was my second time seeing the diva and I have noticed a change in her. For the money I paid for my seats I was disappointed in the show quality and Mariah's awkwardness and disengagement with the audience. For a musician that has been in the business for two decades it was no question to me as to why three years ago Mrs. Carey was selling out large venues and is now barely selling out small theaters. While she sounded good on songs like 'It's A wrap' and 'Touch My Body' she became quite lazy on classics like 'Honey' and 'We belong Together.' All together I gave the show a C- and that's being nice we all know she could have put a little more stage effort forward I mean after all she is Mariah Carey."

Ed: "My girlfriend and I were at the concert last night at the Tower theater. We had a great time. She came out at about 9:10 pm, and the crowd went wild. She sounded really good and looked great. We really liked all the songs, and even Trey Lorenz, 'Rock With You' by Michael Jackson, was a lot of fun. The tidbits that the correspondents sent in are really good, I probably can't do better than that. My girlfriend and I also attended the New Year's Eve concert at Madison Square Garden, and we were trying to decide which show was better. We both agree last night's show performance and songs were better, but the energy at Madison Square Garden and the excitement, and the countdown at midnight was a great experience too. I can't decide which one was better, but we are so happy we got a chance to go to both."

Kejmar Beamon: "This was my first Mariah Carey concert ever and I was not disappointed. I had fantastic seats and I sang along to every song. Seeing her descend from the 'heavens' to the stage, I was totally speechless. The highlight of the night for me is when she sang 'Emotions' and 'It's A Wrap' and hit all those high notes. All I could say was 'Wow!' Another highlight was seeing all of the Mariah fans. I felt like I was truly among friends. Though she made us wait what seemed like forever, it was so worth it. I definitely have a new appreciation for the best singer of all time."

Ricky Irizarry: "I came all the way from New Jersey to see Mariah with my bestie Carlos (who is from Philly). We are both major Mimi fans since day one. I was so skeptical about this show because I was like ehh a small theater no major production but then I thought to myself the Voice! Are you kidding me? I have to go! We bought our tix last minute. We sat about 4th row and were not disappointed one bit! I met some new great friends too, Renee & Sondra the MDJ corrospondents. As soon as I saw them I was like OMG! The costumes! Fabulous girls!! As for Mariah, the intro was super fab! She made great eye contact (for the most part because I know she was blinded by the spotlight.) The song selection was awesome. She connected really well with the crowd. I could not believe how close I was but it was amazing. Mariah makes you feel more like a friend than a fan. She had her splashes of champagne as well did I! LOL! After the show I was able to meet her back up singer Sherry Tatum who was amazingly sweet. I got a pic with her and some of her sexy dancers. The grand finale: after 3 hours I got to meet Mariah Carey upclose literally in front of my face! She came out, signed autographs and took pictures. I had a nice convo with her about her paint aka make up. I told her the paint was fab! And she ripped off her sunglasses and was telling me it's not that much! She touched my hand also. Overall great night! Love you always Mariah since the beginning."

Richard B.: "I thought that Mariah's show was very classy and she brought some old Hollywood glamour back to the stage. She looked amazing in skin-tight, slinky dresses. she was definitely the eye candy for the night. She showcased her amazing range on classic hits like Emotion and We Belong Together. As for those fans who were coming to see 'The Adventures of Mimi' that show was like 5 years ago - why would you expect to see the same show again - that's just boring! Hello! Who wants to see the same show from 5 years ago? Not me and I was there. It's a different show and it's classy go see it. It's a must-see show for any Mariah fan! If I could see it again I would."

Erica: "The concert was amazing! Mariah always puts on a great show when she comes to Philly. My favorite part was when she did Emotions."

Elliot Roman: "I went to the February 1 concert in Upper Darby's Tower Theatre. First I'd like to say the concert was great and she looked divalicious! :) After the concert there were a little over 30 people waiting for her to come out with hopes of meeting her, we waited for hours in the cold before she came out and and when she eventually did there were only 10 of us left and we took some photos and got some autographs. We waited so long in the freezing cold until almost 3:00am and had to get up at 5:30am to go to work after leaving at 3:00am with my friend We-G that stood up all night with me waiting for her as well. But it's all worth it!"

Ryan Liddell: "I've seen Mariah before and this show was better (in my opinion) than her other tours. She seemed completely relaxed and comfortable. What I wasn't expecting from her was how funny she was between songs. She was making jokes about herself and seemed to really be having fun. At one point she 'demanded' that a fan blow air in her face so her hair would look like it did in the Obsessed video. She then explained Fans (the audience) and 'Fan-Fans' (the equipment to blow air on stage). She went from no wind to being blasted with a face full of air and was giggling at herself. She talked to the audience a lot and seemed to genuinely have a good time with her fans. She sounded great and looked awesome. This was the best Mariah concert I've been to!"

HERO [Thanks to Ryan!]

Source: Tommy | Sondra | Renee | Rhonda | Dominic | Ryan | Elliot | Ed | Kejmar | Ricky | Richard | Erica | Ryan

Below are photos of the front cover, inside the case, the DVD itself, and back cover of the Tennessee DVD. Click on a thumbnail below to view a larger image.


You can purchase the DVD online at Best Buy for $14.99. It is also available to watch instantly on Netflix.

Source: Tallon | Daryl | Kathryn

The music video for "Up Out My Face" feat. Nicki Minaj is now available for purchase at iTunes for $1.99. Download it now!

The "Angels Cry" video, released last Saturday, can be downloaded here.

Source: iTunes

Mariah Carey had an earring malfunction yesterday afternoon at the Four Seasons, and her assistant reached out to the concierge desk for help.

Jeweler Jeff Kellmer was summoned and took the earring and its mate to his shop, where he fixed the hinge with a laser and did some rhodium plating to make them sparkle again for the concert at the Tower Theater.

When he returned with the earrings, he said, he met with her stylist and personal assistant to offer another option: Wear a pair of pavé earrings and matching diamond bracelet from his inventory.

And so Carey put the repaired earrings in her jewelry box and wore Kellmer's loaner. Kellmer got to keep an eye on the loaner baubles from his front-row seat.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

The nominations for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards were announced at a news conference at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills headquarters this morning, and Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire received six nods! Congratulations!


The awards ceremony, hosted by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, will air live from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday, March 7th 8:00pm EST/5:00pm PST on ABC.

REACTIONS
Lee Daniels: [Variety] "I feel like a stuffed pig, I can't get out of bed. I'm just stuffed with joy. I really can't move." [MTV] "It was crazy - off-the-hook, insane, out-of-body crazy. It was crazy."

Gabourey Sidibe: [Hollywood Reporter] "I called my mom, then I called my friend. And I've been getting texts ever since. I'm trying to con my two roommates to take me out to dinner. They're cheap!" [Independent] "As soon as I heard, I jumped up and down and for some reason I kept screaming, 'I'm gonna get a car! I'm gonna get a car!' I don't know why."

Geoffrey Fletcher: [Variety] "When my name was announced, I just looked at the shapes of the letters, and thought to myself, 'Wow, that's me. It was like the feeling when you stub your toe and you're waiting for the sensation to come, but in this case it was a more joyous feeling than pain."

INTERESTING FACTS
• Lee Daniels is only the second black filmmaker to be nominated for best director in the 81-year-history of the Academy Awards. John Singleton, in 1992 for "Boys N the Hood," was the first. [MSNBC]

• After 82 years, it's the first film nominated for Best Picture directed by an African-American. [Independent]

Source: Oscars

Here's a first look at the official single cover for Mariah's new single, "Angels Cry" Remix feat. Ne-Yo. Click on the image to the right to get a slightly larger view.

The single is currently impacting Urban AC radio, and scheduled to go for adds at Mainstream AC on Monday, February 8.

Source: Ritcher | MariahDailyJournal