Winning

Mariah Carey’s new album showcases a veteran who understands what is needed to succeed in the new musical landscape. The last few years have not been especially kind to 1990s divas. Radio was once ruled by one-named divas like Whitney, Celine, Madonna, Shania, and Janet, their releases being heralded with the glitzy pomp and circumstance of a big Hollywood movie. These queens once reigned over a musical realm that has since evolved into a new and vibrant landscape, marked by streaming, file sharing, and the decline of record sales. However, the 2020s are a new world, and as one of the 1990s’ most outstanding performers, Mariah Carey isn’t immune to the shifts, either.

Mariah Carey’s new album, Here for It All, marks the first in her career not to be recorded for a major label; instead, Carey has partnered with the new media company Gamma to release her 16th record. It demonstrates the decorated songstress’ willingness to adapt to her new business environment. The days of major labels battling to sign superstars are in the past, and she seems to understand that.

It’s important to note that Carey’s new musical home isn’t a tiny indie label. It’s not like she’s going to be singing in coffeehouses or at state fairs. Gamma, founded by Larry Jackson and Ike Youssef, had a reported $1 billion in startup capital as of 2023 and boasts collaborations with notable figures such as Snoop Dogg, Usher, and Rick Ross. After several years on major labels like Sony, Virgin, and Island, Carey has chosen Gamma as the venue for her umpteenth comeback. (Here for It All comes a whopping seven years after her previous LP, Caution, the most extended break she’s ever had between releases.)

Carey’s new album pays homage to the past. Here for It All is an affectionate and charming look at Black pop music of the 1970s and 1980s, charmingly retro without feeling stale or derivative. It’s a nod to the kind of music Carey grew up on and the sounds that influenced her as she came of age. Here for It All also highlights her enduring gifts, especially that spectacular voice, which is miraculously intact.

Although Carey’s voice is undeniably the central selling point of her records, she has always been primarily a singles artist. She has a couple of bona fide classic albums in her discography (Butterfly and Glitter come to mind), but she shines brightest on catchy hits – usually crafted by creative and dynamic talents who gracefully lead Carey into whatever current pop trend is happening.

On Here for It All, she has opted out of working with her classic stalwarts, such as Babyface, Dave Foster, or Walter Afanasieff, and instead found creative kinship with artists like Anderson Paak, who appears on the second track, “Play This Song”, and shares writing credits on two other tracks. Carey’s primary collaborator on the album is Daniel Moore II, a musician who has worked with the singer-songwriter on several of her projects and has served as musical director for tours and residences since 2018.

What is Mariah Carey’s new album about?

Carey has described her new music as “new Mariah, but still sounds like Mariah, but there’s a little twist to it”. It’s figuring out what she’s referencing when she mentions the “little twist” that we get to the heart of the winning album. At a trim and economic 11 tracks, Here for It All does recall bits and pieces of Carey’s work from the last 30 or so years of her career.

There are the lovely ballads that allow Carey to showcase her still-supple voice, hip-hop-inflected pop that highlights the singer’s pioneering of blending melodic pop with rap, and midtempo dance numbers that shake up the sounds and inject moments of energy. The album opens with the smooth “Mi” that bears the hallmarks of a great Mariah Carey song: wall-to-wall vocals, fluttery harmonies, and the kind of deadpan self-referential wit that has made Carey one of the funniest singers out there.

“I’m the D-I-V-A, that’s MC,” she purrs over skipping beats, leaning hard into the camp image she has carefully cultivated, name checking tropes of wealth like Harry Winston and Hermès as she sings absurdly boastful lyrics such as “And you couldn’t walk a mile in my shoes (‘Cause they hurt like hell)” summoning up oft-reproduced and shared images of Carey cautiously tottering on mile-high stilettos on stage or on the red carpet.

“Play This Song” is a summery love ballad reminiscent of the starry-eyed love duets of the 1970s Motown era. Joined by Anderson Paak, the two conjure up the spirit of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright. The swirling production, live drums, and relaxed arrangements give the song the feeling of the kinds of songs parents played on a Saturday morning while doing housework. Carey brings 1970s disco and funk with the sprightly “I Won’t Allow It”. The record glides on a shimmying beat that recalls birthday parties at the roller rink. In both instances, Carey demonstrates an affinity and agility in embracing the era’s pop-soul sounds.

There are modern cuts on the album, as well. The first single, “Type Dangerous” (released with a retro 2000s video laden with special effects), is the most concerted effort to keep Carey relevant. It’s a good song, though its busy production makes it most likely to date quickly. It’s a song that feels a bit forced, compared to the other tunes, which feel far more fitting. L.A. Reid, executive producer of the album, said that “[Carey] is fighting to stay contemporary”. As evidenced by the other, better songs on the project, she doesn’t need to try that hard to sound fresh.

Far better is “Jesus I Do”, a collaboration with the legendary gospel sister act, the Clark Sisters. It’s a canny move to recall Carey’s facility with gospel music and even a smarter idea to make the spiritual song a dance song. The diva is energized and enthusiastic when singing about her faith, and the Clark Sisters offer their gorgeous airtight harmonies. “Jesus I Do” is a high point, indicating that she should seriously consider cutting a contemporary gospel album for her next project.

The other jewels on Mariah Carey’s new album show the singer at her mid-1990s best. Although not Sir Paul McCartney‘s best composition, she does a fine job of elevating his big hit, making the silly chorus (“Wo, wo, wo, wo only my love does it good”) lilting and lovely, especially with stunning, shimmery background vocals. Of course, the centerpiece is the title track, which closes the record.

The McCartney cover sounds like classic Music Box-era Mariah Carey. The lyrics are moving, and the structure of the Broadway ballad-like song builds to a satisfying bout of adlibs, vocal runs, and belts (that expose a pleasing grit and rasp in her near-perfect voice) before the song cleverly shifts to a shuffling, strutting gospel workout that features some wonderful vocalizing as well as samples of Carey’s whistle register.

Earlier this year, Mariah Carey appeared on Barbra Streisand‘s latest album in a collaboration with Streisand and Ariana Grande. The song was the expected pop ballad, which called for each singer to showcase their estimable vocal skills. It’s a significant moment in Carey’s career because it places her in a fascinating context: sandwiched between two oversized divas, just as fabulous and popular as she, but each representing a different era, and like Carey, each a pioneer in her era.

Here for It All coincides with a critical time in her life when she wrestles with the balance of being a contemporary pop star and a legacy artist. However, it succeeds, despite the potential baggage it carries, Mariah Carey’s new album proves that she possesses timeless gifts.