Another Fallen Idol?

I'm writing my first post of 2017 about the artist, Mariah Carey. I used to love Mariah. Let me be clear. I loved the Mariah of past times. The young, skinny, naive, starlet, with her long curly hair, who came on the music scene in 1990 with that voice. Like millions of fans, I knew all the words to all her songs. I have taken many a shower, cleaned many a room, and cried...well just because...while belting out some of her greatest hits like, Vision of Love, Love Takes Time, I Don't Wanna Cry, and so many others. If you're a fan...were a fan...I'm sure you can relate.




That Mariah was so humble. So modest. You could almost guess that she had had a rough beginning at life, and appreciated the chance to share her passion of singing and song writing with her fans. That Mariah seems so distant from the one we see today. She seems entitled, obnoxious, conceited and egotistical. When you watch any of her television interviews, it is clear to see how obsessed she is with how she looks, always glancing at the monitor, fixing her hair and adjusting every few seconds. She is showy with her material things and leaves little to the imagination with some of her revealing outfits. I won't even address her ridiculous reality show, Mariah's World.  Even her contrived accent has taken on a whole new persona! This is a far cry from the 1990's, and it is sad to see.

Last night, was equally hard for me to watch. In her live performance...or her "planned" lip sync act...on New Year's Eve in Times Square, a "technical malfunction" was blamed for Mariah's train wreck performance that seemed to last forever. It was almost unbearable for me to watch a once musical genius struggle to sing any of her own lyrics. Her voice was scratchy and hoarse, and it was clear she no longer had it. Some may call this her downfall. Heck, this could very well be a media stunt to draw more attention (why?) to this once mega star.

The bottom line is this. What about going out modestly? With some class and dignity? I've seen too many musical geniuses, the likes of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, succumb to the pressures of fame and stardom, and fall victim to alcohol and drug abuse. I'm not saying this is the case with Mariah, but just watch a few minutes of her reality show, and she is most often lounging on a chaise with a glass of wine perched in her hand. Just sayin'...

I spent part of my day reminiscing and playing Mariah's greatest hits and singing my socks off. I hope Mariah will be okay. Even though it doesn't seem like it, I hope there's someone around her, who can knock some sense into her, and bring back that Mariah from the 90's who was untainted and demure. She was something. That's the Mariah I know and love. That's the Mariah I choose to remember.