The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey (Mimi's Memoir) - SPOILERS abound!

How will you be experiencing The Meaning of Mariah Carey?


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I will say this. Mariah has a tendency to portray herself as a victim. She is only an agent in her successes, but there is a sense (so far!) that everything negative that happens is done TO her. I am interested to see whether this will change as I go deeper into the book. However, the fact that it seems that everything post-Nick (including some bad choices on her own part) has been omitted makes me doubt that we'll see a tonal shift.
 
I will say this. Mariah has a tendency to portray herself as a victim. She is only an agent in her successes, but there is a sense (so far!) that everything negative that happens is done TO her. I am interested to see whether this will change as I go deeper into the book. However, the fact that it seems that everything post-Nick (including some bad choices on her own part) has been omitted makes me doubt that we'll see a tonal shift.

There's definitely no shift. She takes very, very little responsibility for anything negative that happened as far as I can see. Quite a few things simply don't add up to me also, but hey, it's still a moment.
 
I'm on the last section now, but I must admit that it's starting to wear a little thin for me. The constant victimhood and repetition took it's toll as the book went on. I also wanted a lot more discussion of the music, but I suppose that wouldn't have been sellable to non-lambs.
 
Do other superstars really go in on themselves or take accountability for things they did wrong in their memoirs? Possibly I suppose, but I certainly didn’t expect it from Mariah

More than happy with what we got :disco:
 
I mean, we have no choice but to stan etc. and it's not like - having known her through interviews over the years - I was expecting any degree of ownership for the trials and tribulations she has gone through over the years. And while I can understand the "woe is me" vibe of Wayward Child and Sing, Sing to an extent, I am - I suppose - a little disappointed that her "Emancipation" doesn't seem to include assuming responsibility and being accountable for Stella, the reality show, the sub-par musical output between #Beautiful and Caution, etc. Again, I am only half-way through Sing, Sing, so we'll see.
 
Do other superstars really go in on themselves or take accountability for things they did wrong in their memoirs? Possibly I suppose, but I certainly didn’t expect it from Mariah
I mean, we know in advance that the Marge biopic will be monstrous, so no, I am not mad at what we've got. But I find a fascinating duality in Mariah herself - she is every bit an Aries in her refusal to give up, be cowed, and resist the chance for an umpteeth comeback, but she has a weird habit of playing the victim a LOT for someone who is ultimately strong and resilient. But perhaps this sense of victimhood is where she finds her drive and fire to continue.
 
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Do other superstars really go in on themselves or take accountability for things they did wrong in their memoirs? Possibly I suppose, but I certainly didn’t expect it from Mariah

More than happy with what we got :disco:

I've never read another star's autobiography, but that's sort of irrelevant. She shouldn't be limited by what other people have or haven't done. I feel what I feel, and I was definitely less interested as it went on. Yes, she revealed a lot, and yet I found myself thinking "but what about?" a lot. As much as I've enjoyed it...I'll never read(or listen to) it again. It's a fine book, but I'd be lying if I said I adored it.


I'm FAR more excited about the Rarities album tbh! Dying to hear those early era tracks!
 
Also, on an Aries tangent, as an Aries myself, and always recognizing Aries traits in my two divas of choice (Mariah and Gaga), I have no choice but to shake and cry every time she mentions "I liked X - he / she was an Aries like me" :disco:
 
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Loved the audiobook but I’ll definitely revisit parts of it when I get the hard copy. I got the feeling some bits would hit different in the written form. Plus ploughing through all 11+ hours as quickly as I could possibly wasn’t the best way to treat the material.
 
Loved the audiobook but I’ll definitely revisit parts of it when I get the hard copy. I got the feeling some bits would hit different in the written form. Plus ploughing through all 11+ hours as quickly as I could possibly wasn’t the best way to treat the material.

Yeah I agree actually. In my haste to get through it asap, maybe I haven't given it the attention it deserves.
 
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a little disappointed that her "Emancipation" doesn't seem to include assuming responsibility and being accountable for Stella
I find the complete exclusion of that publicity-hungry goblin rather delicious myself
 
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She was Mariah's manager for a couple of years - between The Elusive Chanteuse and Caution I believe? - and a very destructive influence. Steered Mariah into some dodgy business arrangements and was responsible for the tawdry E! reality show, which she also co-starred in.

Her teenage daughter did Mariah's social media for a bit.

Has been trying to blackmail Mariah with compromising photographs since being cut off.

"Snakes in the grass, it's time to cut the lawn"
- A No No
 
Mariah seemed... off and pretty vacant during this time. It was very concerning and arguably the darkest period of her career, maybe apart from Glitter.
 
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There are a few times during the later chapters where I do feel she could take more ownership for what went wrong.

I’m not entirely sure her mum (as nasty as she is) called the cops on her because she shouted a few times. And I’m sure she could have been a better communicator with the label over the Never Too Far stuff. But look, it’s like anyone else, we all have our own version of the truth. And as she said at the beginning this is her truth.
 
I'm really surprised that she doesn't cover the bi-polar diagnosis & condition in the book. No reference to it at all.

I'd have also liked to know her thoughts on the changes to her voice over the years, or how she feels about the pressure to live up to past glories. I understand that she probably would rather not go there though.

And I expected some background to 8th Grade too, what with it clearly being based on a real experience from her school days.

But ultimately, it's her story - or her version of her story - on her terms and I get it.
 
I’m not entirely sure her mum (as nasty as she is) called the cops on her because she shouted a few times.
I was just wearing some tracksuit bottoms, what's the big deal?? :):):)

I'd quite like to have heard how she and her mother were able to get to a point where they were happy to record and perform together too.
 
I should have posted in advance about my prediction that she wouldn't name JLo. I thought she'd go for "another performer", not too far from "entertainer" which she went with. Certainly not a SINGER anyway :D
 
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I'd have also liked to know her thoughts on the changes to her voice over the years, or how she feels about the pressure to live up to past glories. I understand that she probably would rather not go there though.
This is a great example of what I was referring to. Some self-reflection on how her career faded, why, what contributed to it, how her vocal struggles impacted her would have done a lot to change my perception that this was an exercise in airbrushing her story. But then she has tried to shape our image of her.
 
the sub-par musical output between #Beautiful and Caution, etc.
You don't like Me. I Am Mariah...? There's a couple of iffy tracks on there but at least 10 stone groove smash hit wonders
 
You don't like Me. I Am Mariah...? There's a couple of iffy tracks on there but at least 10 stone groove smash hit wonders

Yeah, I pretty much dismissed everything from a couple of albums in my non-lamb years, but went back them recently and Me. I Am Mariah... has sooo many really good songs!
 
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I wouldn’t expect her to comment on the quality of the tracks, but I would have expected her to talk about the commercial decline.
 

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