Mariah Carey has historically been hailed for her voice. However, recent years have seen said status unravel somewhat after a series of shocking faux pas onstage.
One of the more notable instances came at the start of 2017 during Mimi’s performance at New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
As widely reported, she effectively threw the towel in and opted not to sing while her pre-recored “backing track” blared from the speakers. Viewers were stunned.
It appears Mariah was too and, in looking to deflect blame, she fired her creative director Anthony Burrell – replacing him with her boyfriend Bryan Tanaka.
In the time since, Burrell (who is renown for his work with Beyonce) has busied himself with other projects. Hence, hasn’t spoken out about the matter.
Until now.
Not holding back, he’s waxing honest about his views on what’s become of Mariah’s live show since his departure.
His words below…
Speaking with Complex, Burrell said…
On Mariah’s Sub-Par Performances Of Late:
“It’s just typical Mariah. Mariah is clear: when she doesn’t wanna do something, she doesn’t do it. She’s performing with lackluster and no fucks given, and it’s taking away her star.”
On How He Tried To Help Her:
“Working with an artist like Mariah, who’s not a mover first, it’s always a challenge to get them to think physically and not just vocally. You always have to keep in mind that they’re a singer first. The priority is not teaching them 100 counts of 8, or endless routines. I wanted to give Mariah a modern push to revamp her, give her a fresher, more modern feel, make her more aware of her body and her lines, and not look like her feet hurt when she’s walking.”
On How Her Team Aren’t Helping Her:
“You’re a legend. But you don’t care, your team doesn’t care. They’re not guiding and directing her. She’s back to where she was before. It’s not like she’s never looked this bad before; I just stepped her game up.
It felt like [her team] were so new at their jobs, and had no direction. When you’re green, you’re playing things by trial and error, and there were a lot of errors. I was very vocal about things that weren’t right. When you try to take a shortcut and you don’t know the clues, you’re bound to get fucked up or screwed, because you don’t have the experience of running a tour or a billion-dollar empire. Some of the dancers her team hired are great dancers, but they’re not choreographers or creative directors.”
***********
Burrell went on to add that he still feels Mariah is a “world class artist” and all of that obligatory ish. But all in all, we totally see where he’s coming from and in many ways endorse him speaking up. After all, someone has to.
Because maybe just maybe it’ll encourage those steering her ship to help her be her best self.
Believe it or not, friends, we still see much potential left in the skillset Mariah possess in 2017. We just want her to want everyone to see that. But, as we type, it’s becoming apparent to us that that may be the problem in itself. You can’t want something for someone who, by all estimations, seems to “give no f**ks” about wanting it for themselves.
Oh Mariah…
Mariah Carey really two performances away from just taking a nap on stage
pic.twitter.com/NSegIugTq8— OJ Enabosi ΩΨΦ ?? (@mrohsowreqless) July 26, 2017
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Mariah has peak and ready to retire. I think her team is forcing her to tour because she is able bodied. Mariah is accomplished and she don’t have the drive or motivation to put in the continued work of maintaining her legacy.
This is a LIE. Mariah Slayed Essence Festival. She looked hot, She sounded Iconic and she was a DIVA. Mariah, Gloria Estefan, Celine, Gladys, Diana Ross, Janet Jackson and Madonna are still Iconic singers or performers. ALLOW them to be Imperfect. HIRE ANTHONY BACK MARIAH and Fire Stella Hood A_SS. Sing faded for your fans or Butterfly. Girl get your fans back and wear shoes that don’t hurt
What happened to all those impromptu heartfelt movements she did while singing at the Madison Square Garden in 1995 or the Emancipation era?? Please Mimi.. it’s in you, we know it!!
Mariah Vanilli is a mediocre live performer, always has been. But it’s pathetic to see her reduced as an opening act who looks like a drag impersonator of Beyoncé
HONEY, Beyonce is a FAN. of the REAL Queen.
Didn’t really start liking Mariah Carey until “When you believe feat Whitney Houston.
Imagine if Mariah had half of the passion and ambition Madonna still has at almost 60. Madonna is always on the hassle seeing what’s her next move. Another world tour, another album etc she keeps pushing
I dont see what the issue is. If you dont like how she performs then dont buy her tickets. Anyone can go on youtube and watch her performances to make an informed decision before buying her tickets. People act like she has an obligation to perform how they want her to perform but she does not belong to you.
He is right.
When he was her director I could tell he was trying to downplay her dancing, but showcase her talent in an honest and very do-able way. Mariah just lacks drive it seems, and this is coming from a long time fan. I guess she rather wear leotards and get awkwardly get lifted in the air. It looks tired at this point.
I think it could be lack of realism that is causing her to not do better performances. Realistically she could lose 40 pounds and stop wearing outfits that are 5 sizes too small. She could hire a vocal arranger to rearrange her songs to fit her current voice rather than trying to sing songs the same way she did at her peak. The outfits consist of girdles restricting her breathing and walking around in 6 inch stilletos which is all a bit much for a woman pushing 50 with weight issues. Because of these issues she walks around on stage like she is afraid of falling down instead of just performing in comfortable clothes and singing comfortably.
You know you guys and you’r passive aggressive attempts at trying to make Mariah look bad is actually sad. First off, posting that video of Mariah being lifted on top of her dancers is from her Vegas act….the SAME Vegas act that Burrell choreographed and creative directed. That was HIS vision for what to do for Mariah. And here we are PRAISING HIM for keeping it real about her, but then DRAGGING her for the creative vision that HE came up with for the show. WACK.AF.
Secondly, I find it HILARIOUS that we are still here posting these sack 20 second videos of her performances, that CLEARLY aren’t the best, but she’s been on a MASSIVE tour with Lionel Richie for the past 2 weeks and has had some amazing performances…..yet, no one posts a thing. But we are more than willing to sit back and let a stupid video of her getting lifted go viral in an attempt to smear her name. And it’s very sad that this site likes to join in on the “fun”….especially since you guys claim to be fans, and saw how the media basically picked apart legends like Michael and Whitney until the day they died. And now, here we are again doing the same thing to Mariah and you guys are aiding in the process and I find it disgusting.
Mariah’s NEVER been some out of this world performer. You don’t go to her show to watch choreography, you NEVER have so why all of sudden do we care….27 years into her career. Now we want her doing full sets of choreography…even though in almost 3 decades she’s never done that. You go to a Mariah show to hear the MUSIC, the classic songs that she’s wrote and produced for us for decades. Respect the legend and her craft.
I agree with everything you said!
PREACH HONEY, YASSSSSSSSSSSSSS STOP TEARING DOWN THE QUEEN
Its not about her not being a good dancer…its about her looking like she doesn’t even want to be there thats bothersome.
That was the best I’ve heard in a very long time. That is so so true.
Leave that woman alone damn
Why are u so up and bothered with Mariah when she herself isnt?? The obsession!! She was never a dancer, her team sucks. End all be all.
Girl, stella gonna ROB her blind and leave her torn. RUN MARIAH
Your blog is so quick to point out MC’s flaws but when she is getting great reviews or is doing well you skip over it or you give her a backhanded compliment. Miss me with your petty bs Sam.
GIRL……..SAM IS PRESSED HUNNIE. The queens staying keeping Mariah in there Mouth
When did she get great reviews to report on?
Nothing we didn’t know already. It’s just another sad reminder. He doesn’t need to diss professional dancers though. Those people train and work hard. They don’t have to all be choreographers. And just because you choose to choreograph doesn’t mean it’s good choreography.
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LOL at this commentary. The fact that I JUST saw Mariah performing 2 days ago in New Orleans, and she sounded phenomenal (just like 1998 Mariah, to be specific). And she was NOT an “opening act” as claimed by this bias website. In fact, there was an actual opening act for the concert, followed by Mariah who sung the first FULL HOUR, and then Lionel Richie who sung the second hour … equal times on stage for both acts you idiot who continues to downgrade Mariah. And she sung a variety of records as well, including Love Hangover (which the crowd went crazy over!)
TGJ obviously forgot the fact this guy addressed: she is a singer-songwriter, not a dancer. Everything he said was about that little part of Mariah´s greatness. But you translated it into all of her, which this guy never did at any point. As always in TGJ: negativity for Mariah. It´s pathetic. There are so many positive of these useless pieces of news you report… but always choose the negative ones (also useless).
No one can make Mimi do anything she doesn’t want to.
Her team is a mess, that is a fact. But she does appear happy, something she hasn’t been for the majority of her life.
She surrounds herself with yes men who can’t be honest with her. She lives in delusion land.
*sung in acapella Vegas style*
Thaaaank god I fiiiired youuu… ooh oooh. I’m soooo much better offf without youuuuuu. My ev-ery wish. And ev-ery dream. Somehow… became… *low note* re-al-i-ty.
Had that new years eve performace go off without a hitch MAriah would have embarked on a huge comeback…she had built up soo much momentum in the industry with her DocuSeries that the new years performace followed right before mariah planed to release that new song i dont which she did but when the new years eve disaster hapened …mariahs momentum was taken down and comeback was broken and now mariah is back to square one and needs to start all over again. she was looking perfect new years eve and now all the stress and drama has her back on her meds and gained wait and it is really hard to build up any momentum after new years eve disaster because thats a career changer for most!
Working with an artist like Mariah, who’s not a mover first, it’s always a challenge to get them to think physically and not just vocally
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Ummm no, I just want her to lay on a piano and sing her heart out. Dis the reason why you got yo ass fired on a reality TV smh
HAHAHAHA “He helped her step up her game” ummm when did he do that when the mess of New Years was under his Watch! sorry guy! Dont hate that you got Fired!
Omg that first clip…she looks like a beached whale when they put her on the sailors backs…those poor mens backs.
She’s been resting on her laurels for decades. Entitled and overated. People who pay to see her are given a mediocre effort. And she just doesn’t care.