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Mariah Carey's "E=MC2" offers genre-crossing equation

By Ann Donahue Fri Mar 28, 8:30 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - On a recent Monday morning,Mariah Carey flew the red-eye from New York to Los Angeles,stopped by Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show to chat, recordeda background vocal track for the song "I Stay in Love" for herupcoming album, then recorded a video for Wal-Mart's"Soundcheck" series, which will be used as bonus footage onlineand played in stores. ADVERTISEMENT

By the time all of this was done, it was just past noon.Her afternoon consisted of another radio interview, and in theevening she returned to the studio to work on mastering thealbum, "E=MC2" -- due April 15 via Island Def Jam.

If "E=MC2" scores big, Carey could find herself in elitechart company. She's currently tied at No. 2 with Elvis Presleyfor the most Hot 100 No. 1 singles, with 17. The Beatles holdthe crown with 20.

The busy singer recently spoke with Billboard about the newalbum.

Q: "E=MC2" crosses a lot of genres. There are a fewballads, but there's definitely some hip-hop and even somegospel-tinged songs and a bit of a reggae beat.

Mariah Carey: I'm really a festive person, and that's whatcame across with the "Mimi" album. I hate it when people arelike (uses a dramatic voice): "She's taking a new directionwith hip-hop." I'm like, "Will you please freakin' research?"I've been doing this for a long time -- working with(writer-producer) Dave Hall on "Dreamlover," using the "Ain'tNo Half-Steppin"' loop.

I think that it was Q-Tip -- he said this to me in '97--that I was really the catalyst for so many of these artistswho are now trying to infuse (songs with hip-hop). It was justdigging in the crates with Dave Hall and coming up with, "Hey,let's use this loop!" And from then on, I did it anytime Icould. The next was "Fantasy," which was a groundbreakingmoment for me, the ability to be able to work with Puffy (SeanCombs).

Right now everything is kind of merged together because popis such a nebulous format, in my opinion. You'll hear a hip-hoprecord next to sort of a rock-sounding pop beat, or a countrysong. Aretha Franklin can still have a hit -- look at "A RoseIs Still a Rose" -- it's just her talent is shining through.She can work with anybody at any time in her life. Same thingwith Patti LaBelle and Luther (Vandross), God rest his soul,before he passed away. The true talent will always comethrough.

Q: And after the success of "We Belong Together," "Don'tForget About Us" -- co-produced by Bryan-Michael Cox -- and"Shake It Off" on "Mimi," you've teamed up with Jermaine Dupriagain for several songs on "E=MC2."

Carey: JD is the best. I love him, I really do. We havesuch similar influences. It's funny because a lot of ourfavorite records from growing up are really the same. Back inthe day we did the (R&B) remix of "Always Be My Baby." Theoriginal version was a hard track, if you listen to the bass --but it was very poppy on top. I knew JD could do it, eventhough he hadn't really worked with somebody like me before. Iknew he was just incredibly talented. He's really just honedhis skill as a producer in so many ways. I'm a fan and afriend.

Q: Do you ever think about surpassing the Beatles withtheir 20 No. 1s?

Carey: I do, because people bring it up. (laughs) But it'snot like I sit around thinking about that type of stuff whileI'm creating something. I did write this record in terms ofwanting it to be a lot of songs that could potentially besingles, because people like that.

Q: You write or co-write almost all your songs -- what'syour process? What inspires you to write?

Carey: For each album, I try to have a book that I writethe whole thing in. It started -- this was a long time ago. Idon't have birthdays, I only have anniversaries. (laughs) Butactually, this was the last birthday party I had ... I think itwas my 21st birthday, even though I'm only 12. We had it inadvance. (laughs) Cyndi Lauper came to the party, and I'vealways been a big fan of hers since I was growing up. She gaveme this book, and I wound up writing the whole "Music Box"album in this book, which I still have.

Jay-Z said something to me that was really interesting, andI don't even know if he really remembers this. He's known mefor a long time, and he's like, "You need to use some of yourphrases in your music." I have my own little slang that I makeup and say stupid stuff just for laughs. (On) the song "O.O.C."-- that's a Swizz Beatz track -- it means, "Out of control." Some and my friends will say that to each other, like, "OK,you're a little O.O.C. right now, tone it on down." Da Brat,who's a really good, close friend of mine since we worked on"Always Be My Baby" -- we wrote the lyrics together, and it wasso fun. By saying (sings), "I get so O.O.C./So out of control,baby," we could explain it.

When somebody was helping me type up the lyrics, and theywrote "Out of Control" in parenthesis (by the song title), Iwas like, "Get rid of that. It's 'O.O.C.'! Let them figure itout! It's not that tough! I say it in the next line!"

Q: The "Touch My Body" video is hilarious.

Carey: Thank you. That was a (director) Brett Ratner-and-mecollabo. (laughs) I love Brett because he is like me. If I'meternally 12 -- because he's a little bit more naughty than Iam -- he's eternally 15. He has a great sense of humor,obviously, and he knows that I have a sense of humor and hefeels that people don't recognize that about me. And I'll dostuff that I'm totally joking and they're like (uses mean girlvoice), "Why is she doing that? Why is she doing the treadmillwith her high heels on?" I'm like, "It's a freakin' joke! It's'Cribs'! Hello! It's a freakin' joke!"

Q: Have you thought about touring for this album?

Carey: It's come up, and I'm probably going to do it, but Idon't know exactly how we're going to do it or when. I'mthinking probably September. But I think it's important to tourwith this album, because there are so many songs that I reallywant to sing live, that I really enjoy. Fun songs, like "I'mThat Chick" or "O.O.C.," and then the ballads, of course. Ireally want to do "I Wish You Well" and "I Stay in Love" and"Bye Bye."

Q: And now that you're in promotional mode, does it everget daunting?

Carey: I'm totally ready for a nap. I'd love a nap ... It'sa little tiring to have this kind of schedule. As long as I'mstraight up in promo mode, it's cool, but I'm still doinglittle things on the record -- we're mastering ... (But) I'mcollaborative about it. I like to hear what other people haveto say. I wouldn't feel like an artist if I didn't. I wouldn'tfeel like I was truly the architect of the record. And why doit, then?

Reuters/Billboard