Mariah "charms" her way back
Mariah Carey will release her eighth studio album, Charmbracelet, on December 10th. The album will be Carey's first for her own imprint, MonarC, which she formed with Island after parting ways with Virgin in the wake of last year's disappointing Glitter album. "Charms are like pieces of yourself that you pass on to other people, items that tell your story and that can be shared, like a song," Carey wrote in a Web post. "The bracelet represents the foundation of this album, a body of work that encompasses many feelings."
Carey recorded more than twenty songs for the record, working with producers including the best-selling team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, as well as Jermaine Dupri. Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z and Cam'ron have also added vocals to songs that might make the cut. Though Glitter still registered platinum sales, the album (along with the film) was considered a commercial flop. Carey signed with Virgin in April 2001, after a ten-year run with Columbia, during which she sold more than 50 million copies of six studio albums and a holiday record, and a whopping 140 million cumulative sales of singles and albums.
The Virgin deal was for $81 million for four albums, but after Glitter failed to meet expectations and Carey's hyper-publicized breakdown last fall, she was dropped by the label. The walking papers were printed on U.S. tender, however, as Carey walked away with $28 million in severance on top of her $21 million signing advance. She signed a more modest deal with Island in May: A reported three-album, $20 million package.
Charmbracelet's first single, "Through the Rain", has already been released to radio. A video, shot earlier this month by director Dave Meyers, with a guest appearance by The Sopranos' Jamie Lynn Sigler, is also making the rounds. (Rolling Stone)
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