THE 97 ZINE, Issue 1 – “Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse”

Quick Facts

• Professionally printed magazine
• Exclusive cover art design
• 12 inch, full-color booklet
• 15 exclusive essays
• 2 album retrospectives
• Penned by talented music writers and journalists
• Podcast early access

The Details, Dahhling

This July, THE 97 will celebrate 10 years online. Coincidentally, Mariah Carey’s fourteenth studio album “Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse” also celebrates its 10th anniversary. To commemorate both of these milestones, I decided to do something we have never done before at THE 97. It’s a risk, but an important one.

We’re launching a print zine and a podcast. Since its inception, THE 97 has been a labor of love. Our articles have all been penned by passionate fans of pop music for fans just like us. Never for profit, just for love. But… love can only take us so far. It’s a tough time right now for music writers and journalists, so this project aims to grow our brand and support the talented folks in this field.

With this zine, I have invested in hiring an array of talented writers (who are also Lambs) to share their personal stories about one of Mariah Carey’s most underrated albums. It is an album that means a lot to me, and many Lambs. Twelve talented writers contributed to this project, and it wasn’t a hard sell. They jumped at the opportunity to speak on this beloved, underappreciated, and super personal album.

THE 97 ZINE will follow this format. It will celebrate artists or albums, but it will be told for and by fans. We look forward to connecting with fans and hope that the zine can become a sought-after, much-anticipated collectible. In addition to the essays included, a talented fan will also design each zine’s cover art. This issue’s cover art is designed by Jake Cohen (@MemoirsOfJake).

As for the essays, here is the “tracklisting:”

1. 1. 1. Cry. by Khalil Byrd @kbyrd2_
      2. Faded, by Niya Peach @GlamPeaches
      3. Dedicated, by Alona Turner @alonaonline
      4. #Beautiful, by Daidrian Lamar @daidriannn 
      5. Thirsty, by Dante DiDomenico @dantedidomenico
      6. Make It Look Good, by John Antonucci @John97Net 
      7. You’re Mine (Eternal), by Princess Gabbara @PrincessGabbara
      8. You Don’t Know What to Do, by Natalie Guevara @natisagee
      9. Supernatural, by Vincent Anthony @VincentDahhling
      10. Meteorite, by Quentin Harrison @TheQHBlend 
      11. Camouflage, by Reece Davis @reecedavisxx 
      12. Money ($ * / …), by Rose Brown @therosegawden 
      13. One More Try, by Vincent Anthony
      14. Heavenly (No Ways Tired/Can’t Give Up Now), by Andrew Martone @SoulAtlantic
      15. The Art of Letting Go, by Vincent Anthony

**Now For the Deluxe, by Vincent Anthony & Andrew Martone
“Triumphant,” “Mesmerized,” “Somewhat Loved,” and “Lullaby of Birdland”

This issue will also include an article and an essay discussing the album overall, as well as a ranking of the album’s tracks voted upon by the contributing writers.

This LP-sized, 12″ zine is professionally printed with glossy cover art and full-color pages inside will be a beautiful addition to any music or vinyl enthusiast’s collection. Of course, we also hope that you can connect with our stories, allowing the zine to spark conversations about the album, and its songs, online and offline.

The zine will arrive to those who preorder on or around May 27, which is when our first-ever podcast launches, too. The podcast will explore what it means to be a fan, and how fans interact with an unsuccessful album. In this case, the fans of focus are the Lambs, and the album in question is “Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse.”

There will be three issues this year. The tentative topics and dates for our future issues are:

• • • Issue 2: Janet Jackson’s Damita Jo (August 2024)
    • Issue 3: Destiny’s Child’s Destiny Fulfilled (November 2024)

Get all three for a discount by subscribing to a full-year subscription here. Please consider subscribing to support our mission, or adding a contribution upon checkout.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

With love,

Vincent Anthony
Founder & Editor of THE 97