Definitely a fan favourite, Looking In was Mariah Carey's self-aware nod to the privileged life that she had found herself in during the 90's. Recorded for the Daydream album, the introspective lyrics were in stark contrast to the fairytale life many thought she led and highlighted not only the darker trappings of fame, but a Diva who appreciated the success she had.
Even up until now it contains some of Mariah's most honest and open lyrics, leading me to wonder why, as a writer, she never sang it live. However, if her performance of the song with the NY Philharmonic at the MLB All-Star Charity concert was anything to go by, it seems she never did so before because it was just too painful.
Watch below as the Diva still struggles to finish the song almost two decades after she initially recorded it. It's a touching reminder that there is a humility to Mariah that she consciously chooses to keep hidden from public gaze. Ironically, it's something the lyrics to Looking In alluded to a long time ago.
Other performances from the night:
#Beautiful/ Hero:
My All:
Thoughts?
Cute....
ReplyDeleteJust LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE her!!!
ReplyDeleteShe's doing a great job for someone that cracked a rib!
ReplyDeleteSorry but I am not impressed. I should hope she keeps the real her private!
ReplyDeleteBut why that warrants all that sadness and emotion of Looking In, is beyond me. Especially this far into her career.
Also, I think she is trying to compete with Alison in the soft/whispered singing. Maybe she wants to attempt a stab at that record? ;-)
But I'm afraid Alison is way way way better at that.
Much as I think Mariah should adjust her singing to her present abilities, I don't think that soft singing/whispered style is really singing " within her ability" either.
Because of that,the latter part of My All worked better than the first part.
She's been whisper singing for quite a while now. She was quite good at it with some songs in Memoirs, and I think it's still in her ability. Her cracked rib might play a part in creating some really weak airflow. Studio wise, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I think the song reminds her of the abusive times with Tommy, which definitely warrants the sadness.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know she has been. I was speaking about all of her whisper singing. Not just this latest performance.
ReplyDeleteEven if it's about her ex husband, I would think a now happy marriage for some time already should have cured any residual sadness. But who knows, maybe that was indeed what was causing all that emotion.
Or maybe more prosaically...painkillers stopped working.
I feel like it works sometimes. There are times where I do feel like asking her to just use her full voice. This soft style of singing might be damaging for someone who's natural voice is so resonant.
ReplyDeleteAbuse always stays with a person. Even if she has tons of happy memories and happy times, she's still insecure because of his tactics. I mean, it'd be easy for people to just magically get over it but you see people on shows like intervention that had to deal with abuse and they're emotionally destroyed addicts now. She's still insecure and it's kinda noticeable at certain times, especially since Tommy always made fun of her left side and during an interview she was literally looking away and being super uncomfortable with being interviewed from the "wrong side".
I thought that too at first. She breathes in and makes a pained expression which I thought was just a cracked rib issue.
Oh I'm not saying it doesn't stay with you. But more that I'd think she'd have sufficient grip on it to not let it interfere with her performance. maybe she needs to sing it a bit more often?
ReplyDeleteI am not saying it doesn't work sometimes. I'm saying that she is not very good at it. I am saying this as an Alison Krauss fan of course. ;-) She pretty much perfected that style imo
Her voice sounds a bit rougher than usual.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of "Looking In" it's a bit too whispery here for my liking. The second part felt a bit rough to my ears.
I liked #beautiful. I just think it's so much better without Miguel. Though, I still like the 4th of July's performance by both of them.
Hero was as usual... nothing much. Prefer the rendition at 4th of July more.
Loved My All. Just loved it. Sounds pretty live to me :}
When an artist gets really involved with the material that releases, there are some songs that are just too heartfelt and painful to sing live. Christina was not able to sing live her song I'm OK for years. I really liked this performance, and even I didn't know the song before, I got totally hooked but it. That reminds me that I need to buy Daydream ASAP, what a great album!
ReplyDeletei love that she showed this vulnerable side of her
ReplyDeleteit shows us that this godly diva is just a human with emotions
ive always lacked that emotion from mariah - her performances were more about technical brilliance for me, not so much the emotion
and while the vocal was a little wobbly, i still liked the performance even though its not one of my all time mariah favs
I wonder why exactly is she singing it now at this point? Unless there is something going on in MC's life we don't know about....either way it was pretty solid.
ReplyDeleteHer voice is probably rougher because her ribs are cracked and it creates pain whenever she breathes. She's literally doing this with severely reduced breath control which is impressive.
ReplyDeleteEhhh.... I think she's fine where she is. I think maybe some counseling would be better. She seems naturally insecure about this topic so it would make sense she's like this.
ReplyDeleteI think she's decently proficient at it. I think Alison Krauss (and I am a fan of hers!) is much superior at it but I don't think that makes Mariah bad.
Well we differ in opinion. I don't think it comes across as being fine.
ReplyDeleteDidn't say she is bad, Say she isn't very good at it. Not the same thing in my mind. :-)
Let's attribute her pitchiness to lack of support.
ReplyDeleteI saw her sing this live, and I literally mean 'saw.' I was on top of the Rockefeller Center, and from some binoculars 2 miles away, I could see her rocking out. Her bedazzled sling actually managed to blind me a few times.
ReplyDeleteThat's dedication. LOL.
ReplyDeleteIDK. I like Mariah's ability to sing sensitive ballads with soul. Her inability to complete the song added a certain aspect of soul to it. I think it'd be nice if she could complete it, but, at the same time, I don't think her failing to sing a line because of emotional reasons (the line is, "that insecure girl resides in me" or something to that effect) is well. ... IDK. I won't give her flak for it, but you aren't doing that at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThen my apologies for assuming it was, Opie! Thank you, and this is actually my first time I'm talking to you on the site but I've always enjoyed and liked your comments. We are brethren in our rme @ Gaga together!
Just to be absolutely clear, my comments also didn't go to her ability to sing with feeling. But strictly to her ability to sing in a whispered style.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's not bad in any way to show some emotion. But I do think not to the point where you can't sing the song anymore. That would to me be the opposite of singing without any emotion at all. I think a singer needs to find a good position in between the two extremes.
Thanks, always nice to hear someone likes my comments of course. :-)
And definitely always nice to meet a fellow critic of Gaga. :-)
Anyway I enjoyed our exchange. feel free to befriend me on facebook. :-)
Who thumbed me up?? Can you fools not understand shade?
ReplyDeleteJealous!!
ReplyDeleteLol! maybe someone was feeling the shade!
ReplyDeleteI'm just more excited because I can say I've seen Mariah Carey, lol.
ReplyDelete