Remember when Sisqo was part of Dru Hill and Janet Jackson wore a nose ring? In this weekly feature, I take a look back at some of the best RnB artists of yesteryear, sharing their signature videos and underrated hits, as well as looking at what's happening in RnB today. Previous posts have focussed on latino singer Lumidee, new videos from Frank Ocean and Ciara. In celebration of Mariah Carey's comeback hit '#Beautiful', I wanted to share with you my top ten favourite slow jams from the diva herself.
Mariah Carey is most famous for singing sweeping ballads which show off the incredible range of her voice. 'Hero', 'Vision of Love', 'One Sweet Day'... all classic songs but in reality, Mariah is the queen of the slow jam. With her smooth sensual vocals, Mariah sounds incredible on mid-tempo numbers like new single 'Beautiful', but which of her slow jams is best? Listen to my top ten choices below and decide for yourselves.
10. Candy Bling
First up is an album track from Mariah's most recent album, 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'. 'Candy Bling' glides along effortlessly thanks to Mariah's chilled out vocal and it's sweet throwback vibe.
9. Crybaby ft Snoop Dogg
This lesser known single from the 'Rainbow' album is quite unusual compared to most of Mariah's more upbeat hip-hop duets, but 'Crybaby' is a fan favourite that definitely deserves its place on this list.
8. Don't Forget About Us
After the success of 'The Emancipation of Mimi', Mariah re-released the album with a new single called 'Don't Forget About Us', which became a huge smash for Mariah in the US. And seriously, how hot does she look in this video?
7. Yours
'Charmbracelet' featured some of Mariah's least successful singles to date but album track 'Yours' is an incredible slow jam that really shows off the sweet side to her voice. Rumours of the track becoming a duet with Justin Timberlake would definitely have helped propel 'Yours' to the top of the charts had it ever been officially released.
6. Ribbon
How was 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel' not more successful? Maybe things would have been different if Mariah had released 'Ribbon' as a single, due to its sweet lyrics and seductive vocals. Check it out below to see if you agree.
5. Mine Again
After Mariah suffered what could only be described as temporary madness back in the early 2000s, it seemed like her career was done for. However, no one could have foreseen how successful 'The Emancipation of Mimi' would become. Almost any song from that album could have been a single but 'Mine Again' was a huge highlight for me and I instantly became obsessed with the groovy 70s style production and Mariah's belting chorus.
4. Breakdown ft Krayzie Bone & Wish Bone
The 'Butterfly' album represents a pivotal point in Mariah's career, as she began to evolve into the RnB diva that we know and love today. 'Breakdown' shows off a more chilled, restrained side to Mariah's voice that I feel is sometimes overlooked in favour of the huge pop ballads.
3. #Beautiful
Talk about a comeback! Only Mariah can release such an addictive lead single that sounds so laid back. If you haven't listened to the smash of the summer yet then check it out below and read more about it right here.
2. Underneath The Stars
'Underneath The Stars' was the sixth and final single released from 'Daydream' yet Mariah often cites it as one of her personal favourites. The soft melody and drifting chorus may not have made the song a commercial smash but it's easily one of her best slow jams and it's a shame more people haven't heard it.
1. The Roof (Back In Time) ft Mobb Deep
As possibly one of Mariah's most underrated singles of all time, 'The Roof' holds a special place in my heart. I love the contrast between the hip-hop style production and Mariah's atmospheric vocals. If you're a fan, then you should also definitely check out the extended remix, which features more of Mobb Deep's raps on the chorus. And did I mention how perfectly matched the video and the lyrics are?
So what do you think of my top ten slow jams from Mariah? Which one is your favourite? And are there any that you think I should have included? Let me know by commenting, liking and sharing below. And remember to come back next week for another edition of Whatever Happened To RnB?
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