Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
It may be hard to conceive of now, but there was once a lull in Mariah Carey’s superstar career.
In 2001, her film “Glitter” was a commercial flop; the album that followed, 2002’s introspective “Charmbracelet,” was met with a muted response. She was at a crossroads.
And then everything changed. Carey released “The Emancipation of Mimi” in 2005. It joined her athletic R&B-pop with synth-y hip-hop and fun, flirty, enduring hits — she was now only belting when she wanted to, thank you very much. She sounded free, as the title suggested, and the world embraced her for it once again.
On Saturday, the album turns 20.
To celebrate, Carey is gearing up to release deluxe, expanded editions of the album on May 30, featuring bonus tracks, new remixes and much more — including the official release of “When I Feel It,” a song fans have been waiting for since 2005. It was originally planned for “The Emancipation of Mimi” but was ultimately shelved because of clearance issues with its sample of The Dynamic Superiors’ “Here Comes That Feeling.”
“These are new gems, as far as I’m concerned,” Carey says. “It’s exciting to me.”
Carey discussed “The Emancipation of Mimi,” her recent nomination to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Rihanna and plans for new music with The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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