Mariah Carey Announces “The Celebration of Mimi” Exclusive Engagement at Las Vegas’ Dolby Live in Park MGM

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is (Las Vegas) stripping things down…

The 54-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning superstar will be returning to Sin City for a third time to debut of The Celebration of Mimi, April 12 through April 27 at Dolby Live in Park MGM.

The “exclusive engagement” (April 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27) toasts the 19th anniversary of The Emancipation of Mimi, which was released on April 12, 2005.

A statement shared with Billboard states that “the Las Vegas shows will feature fan favorites from that album as well as other hits from her unparalleled illustrious career.”

The Emancipation of Mimi, with hits such as “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off,” was one of the top-selling albums of its year and is known within her catalog as the “comeback album.”

Making another comeback — this time on the Las Vegas Strip — The Celebration of Mimi engagement, backed by Live Nation and MGM Resorts, follows Carey’s first two residencies at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, #1 to Infinity (2015-2017) and The Butterfly Returns (2018-2020). Infinity was a chronological performance of her 18 No. 1 hits, starting with 1990’s “Vision of Love” and ending with 2008’s “Touch My Body.” While that show focused on Carey the entertainer, “Butterfly” capitalized on Carey the singer with a powerful 23-song set list of big hits, surprises and her own personal favorites. Since 2020, Carey has mostly performed and toured with her holiday music.

Carey got her break in 1990 with the smash hit “Vision of Love” and since sold more than 200 million albums with 19 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles. Just days ago the five-octave-range singer accepted the Global Impact Award during the Recording Academy Honors presented by the Black Music Collective.

Tickets will go on sale to the public Saturday, February 10 for April 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27.

Limited to only eight dates, it seems as if Carey is taking a page from Kelly Clarkson’s Las Vegas strategy book. Last year, Clarkson announced a 10-date run of Chemistry. All shows sold out. Since then, she has picked select weekends to return including New Years and Super Bowl. With this being the third chapter in her Las Vegas legacy, the chances of more dates coming down the line seem probable.

Carey’s announcement follows last week’s news that Mexican group Los Bukis will perform the Strip’s first-ever full Latin and Spanish-language residency, launching May 3 at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The theater is also home to Bruno Mars, Maroon 5 and Lady Gaga.

Mariah Carey to Perform at This Year’s Billboard Music Awards

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is bringing a taste of Christmas to the Billboard Music Awards…

The 54-year-old half-Venezuelan American will take the awards show stage for a festive, Aspen-inspired performance of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which will mark the first time the holiday perennial has been performed on an awards show.

Legendary choreographer Debbie Allen will oversee creative direction of the sequence.

Carey’s performance is part of a star-filled lineup of previously announced BBMA performers, including David Guetta and Bebe Rexha, KAROL G, NewJeans, Peso Pluma, Stray Kids and Morgan Wallen.

Carey will be honored with the Billboard Chart Achievement Award for the holiday classic, which has climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 every year since 2019. It has thus far spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s flagship chart, becoming one of three Carey hits to log 10 or more weeks in the top spot.

It joins “One Sweet Day,” a collaboration with Boyz II Men which spent a then-record 16 weeks at No. 1 in 1995-96 and “We Belong Together,” which spent 14 weeks on top in 2005.

Carey holds many Hot 100 records. She has had 19 No. 1 hits, the most of any solo artist. She is the artist with the most weeks at No. 1 (91). She is the female songwriter with the most No. 1 hits (18). She is the only artist to reach No. 1 with her first five singles — “Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “Someday,” “I Don’t Wanna Cry” and “Emotions.”

In addition, Carey has made her mark on many other charts. She is the artist with the most weeks at No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart (91). She has had 18 top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, including six No. 1 albums (Mariah Carey, Music Box, Daydream, Butterfly, The Emancipation of Mimi and E=MC2).

Taylor Swift is the top finalist at the 2023 BBMAs with nods in 20 categories.

The 2023 BBMAs will honor the year’s hottest names in music determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. The program, produced by Dick Clark Productions, will deliver a reimagined award show concept that will entertain fans with music and exclusive content. Performances and award celebrations will take place in global locations, in the midst of sold-out tours, and in custom venues.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” Notches 10th Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Posted on December 19, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is still making music history…

The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a 10th week.

With its latest frame at No. 1, Carey becomes the third artist – and first woman – with three songs that have reigned for double-digit weeks.

Carey crowned the chart for 16 weeks with “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, in 1995-96, and for 14 weeks with “We Belong Together” in 2005.

Boyz II Men and Drake are the only other acts to have achieved such a triumphant triple.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” was first released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in 1994 via Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings and, as streaming has grown and holiday music has become more prominent on streaming services’ playlists, it first reached the Hot 100’s top 10 in December 2017 and first hit the top five in the 2018 holiday season, before reigning over the holidays in 2019 (for three weeks), 2020 (two), 2021 (three) and now 2022 (two to-date).

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” drew 41.4 million streams (up 14%) and 33.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 11%) and sold 11,000 downloads (up 86%) in the U.S. in the Dec. 9-15 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The song adds a third week at No. 1, up from No. 3, on the Digital Song Sales chart, following frames on top in 2005 and 2019; dips to No. 2 after 17 total weeks atop Streaming Songs; and rises 17-14 on Radio Songs, where it hit a No. 12 high over the 1994 holidays and has returned to the top 15 in each of the last four holiday seasons.

Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” extends the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest, to just over three years (December 21, 2019-December 24, 2022).

Plus, the latest week atop the Hot 100 for “All I Want for Christmas Is You” extends Carey’s record for the longest span of an artist ranking at No. 1 on the chart: 32 years and nearly five months, dating to her first week at No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”

Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” expands its record for the most time atop the Hot 100 for a holiday song. The only other seasonal single to lead, “The Chipmunk Song,” by David Seville & the Chipmunks, spent four weeks at No. 1. (“‘The Chipmunk Song’ is one of the fastest breaking and fastest selling records of 1958,” Billboard reported when the song first reigned, in the December 22, 1958, issue, adding that it had become the “biggest seller since ‘Hound Dog’,” first made a hit by Big Mama Thornton and then Elvis Presley. “Sales city by city [for “Chipmunk”] have been astounding and it has been blaring out of radios, juke boxes and loudspeaker systems from New York to Los Angeles every day for weeks.”)

With “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Carey adds her record-extending 89th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s August 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:
89, Mariah Carey
60, Rihanna
59, The Beatles
54, Drake
50, Boyz II Men
47, Usher
43, Beyoncé
37, Michael Jackson
34, Adele
34, Elton John
34, Bruno Mars

“All I Want For Christmas is You” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades, dating to her first week at the summit with “Vision of Love.” The song is additionally the only title to have led in four separate runs on the survey.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data.

Mariah Carey Releases “Mimi’s Late Night Valentine’s Mix” of “We Belong Together”

Posted on February 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is mixin’ up a classic in time for Valentine’s Day…

The 51-year-old half-Venezuelan American songstress arranged a late-night jam session performance of “We Belong Together” for Friday’s episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan.

The Grammy-winning songstress kicked off Valentine’s Day weekend with an intimate living-room set of her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash, dubbed “Mimi’s Late Night Valentine’s Mix.” Carey produced, arranged and sang background vocals for the extra swoon-worthy rendition, but because she loves her Lambs so much, she might release the full seven-minute version.

“Happy early Valentine’s Day! Hope you enjoyed ‘We Belong Together’ on @LiveKellyRyan which we did after a late night jam session!” she wrote on Twitter. “We actually recorded a 7 minute version of this song thinking of putting it out for the lambily!”

“We Belong Together” was featured on Carey’s 10th studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi, which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2005. The song earned four Grammy nominations in 2006, including record and song of the year, and eventually won for best R&B song and best female R&B vocal performance. A decade and a half later, Mimi told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest about what new meaning “We Belong Together” has taken during the pandemic.

“Now dealing with the pandemic and dealing with everything that we’re all dealing with, ‘We Belong Together’ is really even more of a message than it was when we first wrote this song, because we do belong together, meaning all of us,” she explained. “So hopefully a little later, as things are getting in terms of the pandemic, we’ll all be together again.”

Christina Aguilera’s Randi Rahm Archive 2007 Pre-Grammy Party Dress Among Gowns Headed to Auction

Posted on November 25, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Here’s your chance to own a little bit of Christina Aguilera fashion history…

Property from the Randi Rahm Archive, an exclusive collection of iconic couture gowns worn by Hollywood‘s elite, including the 39-year-old half-Ecuadorian American Grammy-winning singer, will be up for auction next month.

Julien’s Auctions has announced that the Rahm signature styles that have graced the covers of magazines and waltzed down red carpets will be available for bidding December 2-3, both live from Beverly Hills and online.

The top items featured in the auction include Aguilera’s black satin crepe gown from the 2007 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Awards party (estimated $2,000 to $4,000), Beyoncé‘s nude fringe embellished dress she wore to first lady Michelle Obama‘s 50th birthday bash in 2014 (estimated $3,000 to $5,000), and Mariah Carey‘s orchid and gray twisted halter silk dress from her 2005 “We Belong Together” music video.

Three more items from Beyoncé’s wardrobe, Carrie Underwood‘s one-shoulder purple satin silk gown from her 2010 CMA Awards performance (estimated $2,000 to $4,000), Katy Perry‘s tie-dye aqua-blue cocktail dress from her 2012 “Katy Perry: Part of Me” Tokyo meet-and-greet (estimated $2,000 to $4,000) and more are also included in Rahm’s collection.

The collection will be available to both bidders and collectors, who must register either in-person at the exhibition or online before the sale here.

The public exhibition at Julien’s Auction is free to the public and open until November 27 (closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26) at 257 N. Canon Dr. in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The auction will take place from Wednesday, December 2, to Thursday, December 3. Interested parties can place their bids in person, online and on their iPhone app, over the phone with an auction house representative, or in advance via absentee bid. Absentee bid forms are available by calling Julien’s Auctions, checking their website and seeing the back of each catalog.

Special “Mariah Carey Experience” Exhibit Launched in New York City

Posted on November 23, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

They’re celebrating Mariah Carey in a big way in the Big Apple…

The 49-year-old Venezuelan-American singer’s label has launched the Mariah Carey Experience, a limited-time pop-up meant to celebrate the career of the diva and promote her latest album Caution?, in New York City.

Located inside Sony Studios, the extended musical journey on full display for public consumption features mini exhibits meant to bring Carey’s career to life.

Along with a display of dresses Carey has worn during her career, the special exhibit also includes a listening wall, where you can hear all 18 of Carey’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles with personal headphones, including her debut single “Vision of Love,” tracks from 1997’s Butterfly (“Honey” and “My All“), and the hits from 2005’s The Emancipation of Mimi (“We Belong Together” and “Don’t Forget About Us“).

Some of the most Instagrammable opportunities in the Mariah Carey Experience are backdrops that mimic the vibe of Caution, the butterfly-swarmed cover from Butterfly and even a Christmas-themed photo booth honoring Carey’s holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Additionally, there’s a bed and neon rainbow ripped from the iconic David LaChapelle photoshoot for Rainbow that serves as a fun way to salute her hit album.

It was 28 years ago when Carey rose to acclaim with her self-titled debut album and endeared herself to a generation of fans who loved her brash attitude, sugary-sweet pop hooks and all-around diva mentality, a label she by and large embraced.

Throughout the years, Carey has maintained a special perch reserved for her and the undeniable uniqueness of her career, despite some public missteps.

It’s a continuing relevance that only a select few female pop singers have been able to achieve. Carey has maintained her brand despite a sea of mimickers, a cutthroat industry and fickle fans, many of whom have grown up and out of theMimimachine.

The Mariah Carey Experience at New York’s Sony Square (25 Madison Ave.) is open until December 4.

Mariah Carey Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey has the write stuff, and could soon have the prize to prove it…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan American songstress is one of the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees.

Carey, a five-time Grammy winner, has penned or co-written some of her biggest hits, including her insta-classic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Fantasy,” “We Belong Together,” “Emotions,” and “Make It Happen.”

In all, Carey wrote or co-penned 17 of her 18 Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers:

Songs, Weeks at No. 1
“Vision of Love,” Four Weeks
“Love Takes Time,” Three Weeks
“Someday,” Two Weeks
“I Don’t Wanna Cry,” Two Weeks
“Emotions,” Three Weeks
“Dreamlover,” Eight Weeks
“Hero,” Four Weeks
“Fantasy,” Eight Weeks
“One Sweet Day,” Sixteen Weeks
“Always Be My Baby,” Two Weeks
“Honey,” Three Weeks
“My All,” One Week
“Heartbreaker,” Two Weeks
“Thank God I Found You,” One Week
“We Belong Together,” Fourteen Weeks
“Don’t Forget About Us,” Two Weeks
“Touch My Body,” Two Weeks

Joining Mariah Carey as performing nominees are Missy Elliott, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price, Tommy James and The Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart).

Non-performing nominees are Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols and Dallas Austin, who wrote hits for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Pink and Boyz II Men.

Nominated non-performing songwriting duos include P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, Russell Brown and the late Irwin Levine, musical theater writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Bobby Hart and the late Tommy Boyce.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years.

Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 50th annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 13, 2019. Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 17.

Carey Reveals Track List for Her Greatest Hits Album “#1 To Infinity”

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey will have you feeling emotions and more in the near future…

After releasing the album artwork for Mariah Carey #1 To Infinity, a comprehensive greatest-hits package consisting of all 18 of her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s, the 45-year-old half-Venezuelan-American singer has confirmed its release date.

Due May 18 on Epic Records/Columbia Records/Sony Legacy, Infinity reunites Carey with Epic chairman-CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who helped spearhead Carey’s mid-2000’s comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi as then-chairman of Island Def Jam Records. In addition to Carey’s 15 Sony No. 1’s and three Universal No. 1’s, the album will include one brand-new selection, title track “Infinity.” The song will premiere globally on April 27 via all digital services, as well as a video directed by Carey’s longtime collaborator Brett Ratner. Carey is also expected to host a kick-off event for her upcoming Caesars Palace residency in Las Vegas on April 27, with more details to be announced shortly.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back together again with Mariah,” says Reid in a statement. “There is really no one who comes close to Mariah as both a songwriter and a singer, and as the world knows, her vocal range is legendary and truly incomparable. Her music is indelibly etched into our culture, and she’s shattered so many chart records that she’s now firmly entrenched in the history books. With a fierce and loyal fan base that covers every corner of the globe, I have no doubt Mariah will do it again.”

Infinity is the first release in a multi-album deal with Epic, which Carey signed earlier this year. Carey will perform all 18 No. 1s for the first time ever as part of her residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and is expected to pepper fan-favorite album cuts and previously never-performed tracks into each set as well. The first 18 confirmed 2015 performances are May 6, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 23, 24; and July 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26. Tickets are available at thecolosseum.com or axs.com.

Here’s the complete Mariah Carey #1 To Infinity Tracklist:
(Includes weeks at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100)

1. “Vision of Love” (4 weeks, 1990)
2. “Love Takes Time” (3 weeks, 1990)
3. “Someday” (MTV Unplugged version) (2 weeks, 1991)
4. “I Don’t Wanna Cry” (2 weeks, 1991)
5. “Emotions” (3 weeks, 1991)
6. “I’ll Be There” (featuring Trey Lorenz) (2 weeks, 1992)
7. “Dreamlover” (8 weeks, 1993)
8. “Hero” (4 weeks, 1993)
9. “Fantasy” (Bad Boy Fantasy featuring O.D.B.) (8 weeks, 1995)
10. “One Sweet Day” (featuring Boyz II Men) (16 weeks,1995-1996)
11. “Always Be My Baby” (2 weeks, 1996)
12. “Honey” (3 weeks, 1997)
13. “My All” (1 week, 1998)
14. “Heartbreaker” (featuring Jay-Z) (2 weeks, 1999)
15. “Thank God I Found You” (featuring Joe & 98 Degrees) (1 week, 2000)
16. “We Belong Together” (14 weeks, 2005)
17. “Don’t Forget About Us” (2 weeks, 2005)
18. “Touch My Body” (2 weeks, 2008)
19. “Infinity” (2015)

Carey Hires New PR Representation & Management Team

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey has new representation…

A day after the 45-year-old half Venezuelan singer and her longtime publicist Cindi Berger parted ways, Carey announced her new PR and management team.

Chris Chambers of the Chambers Group, who’s worked with Lil Wayne, Drake and many other artists over his long career, will her as her PR agent. Her fifth set of managers since 2013: TV producers Brian Sher and Stella Bulochnikov.

Carey’s new managers have worked together on several projects, most recently E!’s Christian Milian Turned Up and VH1’s T.I.’s Family Hustle and Tiny & Shekinah’s Weave Trip. Sher, who has worked as T.I.’s agent since 2004 and his co-manager since 2009, has been credited with helping to rebrand the rapper’s image via the television shows.

Sher began his career as a production assistant before beginning his career in ICM’s mailroom. He rose to the role of agent in 2000 and left in 2008 to form Category 5 Entertainment, where he begin working with T.I., Michael Vick (executive producing The Michael Vick Project for BET) and partnered with Kelsey Grammer in Grammnet NH.

Bulochnikov is a producer and writer who’s worked with Sher on Boss, T.I. & Tiny and Larry the Cable Guy’s Star-Studded Christmas Extravaganza. She has a long history as a producer with Viacom shows dating back to 2001, including VH1 Divas, I Love the ‘80s and ‘90s, and several Paris Hilton Specials.

The moves come ahead of several big projects for the singer, who has stumbled in recent months with the poor sales of Me. I Am Mariah … The Elusive Chanteuse, the lowest-selling non-holiday studio album of her career and several wobbly live performances. On May 6, she begins a Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace, the same venue where Celine Dion will return on Aug. 27 after a year-long hiatus. Also expected later this year is a newly repackaged greatest-hits set called #1’s, the first release in her new deal with Epic Records, to accompany her Vegas show. She also has a Christmas movie on the horizon, according to Deadline.

Among other chart feats, Carey holds the record for total time spent at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, 79 weeks total, and also holds the record for longest-running Hot 100 No. 1 single (for 1995’s “One Sweet Day” with Boyz II Men, 16 weeks at No. 1), although she hasn’t had a Top 10 single since 2009’s “Obsessed.”

Carey had three management teams in 2013 alone, beginning with a Randy Jackson/Irving Azoff partnership, then Bruce Eskowitz of Red Light Management and then Jermaine Dupri, who produced some of her biggest hits including “We Belong Together.” Dupri gradually gave way to Kevin Liles, who semi-officially took the reins in August of 2014 but recently dropped out.

The news was first reported by Page Six and confirmed to Billboard by Chambers Group.

Mars’ “Uptown Funk” Ties for the Second-Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Ever

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars continues to funk his way closer to history…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” is now tied for the second-longest-leading Billboard Hot 100 song ever, ruling the chart for a 14th week.

The song is also tied for the chart’s longest command this century.

“Uptown Funk,” released on RCA Records, ties six other singles for the second-best run at No. 1 dating to the Hot 100’s August 4, 1958, launch, with only one song having led longer—Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day.”

Here’s an updated ranking of the longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1s all-time:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995
14 (to date), “Uptown Funk!,” Ronson feat. Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
14, “I Gotta Feeling,” the Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

“Uptown Funk” also ties for the longest stay at No. 1 on the Hot 100 this century. With 14 weeks on top, it matches the Black Eyed Peas‘ command with “I Gotta Feeling,” the last song to lead for at least that long, in 2009. Mariah Carey also logged 14 weeks at No. 1 with “We Belong Together” in 2005.

“Uptown Funk” is now just two weeks from potentially tying “One Sweet Day” for the all-time record, and three weeks from possibly claiming it all to itself.

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