Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, Lady Gaga was once upon a time just a New York-based aspiring singer-songwriter. That is, until she landed a deal with Interscope Records after working on demos with producer Rob Fusari for a couple of years, following a failed deal with Def Jam, who dropped her.

By the summer of 2008, very few people outside of the music industry knew who Lady Gaga was when her record label launched her debut album on August 19, 2008 in Canada without knowing that it would soon go on to become a Pop phenomenon.

Looking back at Lady Gaga’s “The Fame,” her weird fashions and costumes may immediately come to mind, but a lot of what made Lady Gaga who she is today also comes down to the music. She introduced herself on the music scene with one of the strongest Pop albums in a while and she had the whole package: the hits, the mysterious aura, the fascinating personality, and the talent that distinguished all of the great ones that came before her.

The music

Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” is a meticulously crafted record. It’s jam-packed with catchy hooks and strong melodies, even if they are often disguised under layers of electronic production and synths. The lyrics are sleek and clever with just that touch of ambiguity that will make you listen twice just to grasp what she’s actually saying.

The album slowly began to be released around the world as the first single “Just Dance” picked up steam on radio and in the clubs.  Produced by Akon, it is a Dance track about being lost in the music and dancing wasted in the club. What made it click with people was its catchiness, the fact that it’s a fun and light song, but also it being released at the cusp of the Electro-Pop era, of which Gaga became the epitome.

As soon as “Just Dance” reached #1 on the Hot 100, Interscope was ready to hit with the centerpiece of the album, “Poker Face.” This time Gaga showcased her quirky lyrics, built around metaphors and innuendos, but also her vocals and musical skills by opting to perform the song in a stripped, piano-only arrangement that shed light on her as a songwriter and not just an image-driven label puppet.

“Poker Face” was also accompanied by an impactful music video, another aspect that would characterise her future releases and her career as a whole. Lady Gaga basically grew as an artist as more people became aware of her and her “crazy” image and speculation arose around her persona. Her label knew this, she knew this and they took advantage of it, creating one of the most iconic eras ever.

With two #1 hits on the Hot 100, the album quickly started increasing in sales over the course of winter and then spring of 2009, capturing the attention of chart followers for such organic growth at a time when first-week numbers were crucial. The following two singles released, “LoveGame” and “Paparazzi,” solidified the success of the album, reaching #1 at Top 40 radio and respectively #5 and #6 on the Hot 100. The former is another catchy Electro-Pop number about the club scene, while the latter is a rather sultry mid-tempo track about a woman stalking a man to obtain fame and success.

A number of songs on the album deal with the theme of fame as suggested by the title: “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich” is a synthy Pop/Rock song depicting Gaga’s life as a struggling aspiring artist in the Lower East Side; “The Fame” and “Money Honey” are about the correlation between celebrity and materialism and the promiscuity that comes out of fame.

The two “ballads” of the album “Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)” and “Brown Eyes” draw inspiration from Gwen Stefani‘s brand of synthy 80s-influenced Pop/Rock and they interrupt the flow of Dance uptempos on the tracklist with a nice change of pace.

Visual artist

Starting with the “Paparazzi” music video, Lady Gaga also introduced a new side to her artistry. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the video is a short film centered on a murder plot and features numerous movie references and some of Gaga’s trademark costumes, making it the first of a series of elaborate productions that constitute in a way her legacy as a visual artist and reviver of the music video as a form of marketing and music promotion. The iconic performance of “Paparazzi” at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, along with the nominations and awards she received, truly felt like the culmination of Lady Gaga’s journey to fame and superstardom.

That was the moment everybody knew this girl was here to stay. In retrospect, it is amazing to see how much hard work must have been put into the creation of what became a phenomenon. In the years since her debut, none of the new girls in the Pop scene has come close to having such an immediate impact on pop culture. And even if Lady Gaga were to be remembered for her costumes and antics, they will always be attached to her biggest and most iconic songs to date. She’s gained her rightful spot in culture, no matter what the detractors may think.

Listen to Lady Gaga’s “The Fame,” or purchase the vinyl

The post How Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” became a landmark for Pop music appeared first on THE 97.

March 13, 2007.

Ten years ago today, Kelly Rowland released the official first single from her sophomore solo album, Ms. Kelly. “Like This” is a Polow Da Don produced mid-tempo bop that featured female hip-hop heavy weight, Eve. The track showcased a return to a more urban, R&B sound akin to her days in Destiny’s Child after her debut solo set, Simply Deep, dipped more in the pop lane.

The road to “Like This”

It was a long road to the release of “Like This,” though. After Destiny’s Child released their “final album,” Destiny Fulfilled in 2004 and announced their retirement during their 2005 world tour, Kelly set out to record her sophomore set. Originally slated to be released in 2006, with the lead single “Gotsta Go,” the project was eventually pushed back to a 2007 release. Kelly cited a desire to record more music because, as it stood, the album sounded a bit too sad. Coincidentally, the original lead single, “Gotsta Go,” had a version featuring Eve (as well as Da Brat). Ultimately, Kelly regrouped and returned a year later with the release of “Like This.”

The tea of “Like This”

The song was an undeniable bop and quickly took off at urban radio thanks to its catchiness and fittingly sassy video. Rowland played up her recent break-up from fiancé Roy Williams in the song, fueling further interest in the track, singing: “The ring/ Let it go ’bout three months ago/ The pain, the stressing ain’t me no mo'”. It was a fitting theme considering her statement that she wanted to make the album less about heartbreak and more fun (Though, it still ended up being pretty much a breakup album).

The power of “Like This”

“Like This” was a natural progression for Rowland, coming from a group that was all about female empowerment. Rather than wallow in pity, “Like This” celebrates her liberation and comfortability in her own skin. It is an anthem of strength and self-love. Little did we all know, until the release of “Dirty Laundry” in 2013, how much Kelly probably needed to hear and believe her own message. Without a doubt, “Like This” is pretty damn effective in making any listener feel themselves.

The sass of “Like This”

The song drips in sass and cockiness, and the video complimented that message perfectly. Kelly showcased her new and improved assets (implants) – she literally pushes them up when she sings, “the girl that you used to know, done changed” – throughout the video, never missing an opportunity to serve a good titty-shimmy to the beat. The premise of the video is simple, though, looking back, a bit innovative: Kelly and Eve live stream their house party on the internet… a good 9 years before Facebook Live became a thing!

The slay of “Like This”

With all the cards in the right places, “Like This” was well-positioned for success. The song peaked at #7 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and #30 on the Hot 100, becoming her fourth Top 40 hit (she only had 5 solo singles until this point). Arguably, “Like This” was the song that made Kelly Rowland, the solo artist, a force in R&B music… with “Motivation” cementing her as an icon 4 years later. 10 years after its release, “Like This” STILL bops and will slay all the girls when it comes on at the club!

I mean… she told y’all, though.

The post It’s been 10 years since Kelly Rowland had us bumping “Like This” appeared first on THE 97.

February 12, 2007.

In 2007, America’s “Shakira” teamed up with Latin America’s “Beyoncé” to gyrate their way into the top of the charts. Naturally, they stepped on a useless man — err, a “Beautiful Liar,” in the process. But how did such a perfect pairing come about?

The Colombian Meets America

In 2001, Colombian sensation Shakira released her first English language album, Laundry Service, and had her breakthrough single with “Whenever, Wherever,” becoming one of the only female artists from South America to take America by storm in such a way. That same year, Destiny’s Child announced they would pursue solo projects, and the media and music world put lead singer Beyoncé Knowles on a pedestal from which she has never left.

The American Goes Caribbean

Shakira’s next album did not come until 2005, and while she was away, Beyoncé rose to superstardom as a result of her 2003 debut solo album, Dangerously In Love. On the album’s second and fourth singles, “Baby Boy” and “Naughty Girl,” Beyoncé displayed a new penchant for Caribbean and Middle Eastern inspired sounds, looks, and dances in her music and videos (belly dancing in “Baby Boy,” anyone?). Her 2003 MTV VMA performance seemed particularly Shakira-esque. Perhaps a coincidence, or perhaps she was indeed inspired by her peer, Shakira (who is of Caribbean and Middle Eastern descent), the comparisons began to form between the two dyed-golden-haired artists.

The Stars Align in 2006

Shakira returned to prominence in America with her second English language album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, released in November 2005, and the massive hit single “Hips Don’t Lie,” featuring Wyclef Jean, in early 2006. (Side note: Beyoncé got her first hit, with Destiny’s Child, via a Wyclef Jean production, “No, No, No Part 2”). It was Shakira’s biggest hit to date and, naturally, she became a hot commodity once again. Later that same year, Beyoncé released her second album, B’Day, with which she seemed to be targeting the Latin American market. Beyoncé recorded Spanish language versions of her singles, “Listen” and “Irreplaceable,” with unreleased Spanish language demos of “Ring the Alarm” and “Deja Vu” surfacing on the internet as well. In 2006, Beyoncé and Shakira were two of music’s hottest names.

The Rumors, The Demo

At the end of that year, rumors began to swirl that the pair were planning a duet. Then, a demo of would-be duet, “Beautiful Liar” leaked onto the internet. In the leaked demo, Beyoncé sang the entire song solo. The parts Shakira would eventually sing in the final version were sung by Beyoncé in Spanish, playing the character of “Sasha.” Based on this, it was assumed the final version of the song would be sung by Beyoncé in English and Shakira in Spanish.

“Beautiful Liar,” The Final Product

That, however, was not the case, and, the final product was rather disappointing. “Beautiful Liar,” the lead single from Beyoncé’s reissue of B’Day, was poised to become an iconic collaboration, but fell short. Duets between two big name artists often do – especially, for whatever reason, when both artists are of the same sex. Yes, it had everything that everyone expected from Beyoncé and Shakira: a dance floor ready beat, sassy drama, a girl-power message, Latin flavor, and a touch of Middle Eastern flair. Still, the song felt a bit chintzy and simply could have been so much better. Fans felt a bit let down.

And then the video dropped.

“Beautiful Liar,” The Video

While the song was lackluster, the video rendered the song’s shortcomings irrelevant. Perfectly, the two budding divas owned the similarities and comparisons between their styles and appearances and appeared to be two best friends playing dress up from the same closet. They rocked similar outfits, hairstyles, and slayed their complimentary choreography. Not only did they reinforce the girls vs. boy message of the song, but they showed us how damn amazing it would be if Beyoncé and Shakira actually were twins. Belly dancing and twirling in the rain, America and Latin America’s biggest female stars united not in competition but in unison. With so much talent and beauty, they were an undeniable force together on camera. We only wish they performed the song together.

“Beautiful Liar,” The Legacy

While the song itself may be forgettable, the video for “Beautiful Liar” will live on as iconic piece of pop culture. The VEVO version of the video, uploaded two and a half years after its February 2007 release, in October 2009, has amassed over 236 million views, and sits as the #9 most viewed video on Beyoncé’s VEVO account. For comparison’s sake, “Irreplaceable” is from the same album, has been uploaded for the same amount of time, was #1 on the Hot 100 for 11 weeks, and is 12 million views behind “Beautiful Liar,” which spent just one week at #2 on the Hot 100. “Beautiful Liar” is the highest ranking song from B’Day on VEVO.

So, “Beyoncé, Beyoncé… Shakira, Shakira” — we’ve waited 10 years, and can’t wait any longer. When will you two collaborate again?

The post Perfect Pairing: Beyoncé & Shakira’s “Beautiful Liar” turns 10 appeared first on THE 97.

10 years ago, Mariah Carey embarked on an arena tour to support her overwhelmingly successful comeback album The Emancipation of Mimi. The tour, aptly named The Adventures of Mimi, hit 40 total stops, including 32 in the United States. This week marks 10 years since the tour made stops in the Tri-State area, and our own Vincent and Andrew were both lucky enough to be in attendance for both of their very first “adventures with Mimi.” Let us take you back…

Andrew:

August 23, 2006.

I will NEVER forget this evening for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost it was my very first experience seeing Mariah Carey live and I was sleepless and energized and READY. Second, there was a lovely dramatic moment that preceded the concert, but that is a tale for another moment.

Being from the Tri-State area, it is a generally understood fact that playing Madison Square Garden is a BIG deal, so being able to see Mariah there was a big deal. It was also my very first show at the Garden, so that made it even more significant. The merchandise set up was delicious. I still have my shirt, and wear it to this day.

My seats were pretty legitimate themselves. I was the first tier off the floor, a few sections over from the stage. A good view to say the least. When Mariah finally hit the stage, it was pandemonium. You had an entire, sold out audience singing along to her, song after song.

Mariah also does not play games when she comes home to New York for a show. She came equipped with one of her most star-studded performances to date. For starters, DJ Clue himself held down the DJ booth built into the stage with a Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX and the best quality speakers you could ask for — along with DJ Suss One, both of which are mainstays in Mariah’s world. When the “Heartbreaker” remix launched, Da Brat appeared to roars of approval and dropped her verse, and just as quickly retreated. Mariah delivered a verse and hook, and then Clue switched the track back to the original version. Mariah continued onwards until, to the shock of the entire audience, the stage’s centered MC parted and out walked Jay-Z himself.

Jay looked around the audience as his verse began, spat the second line to make clear his presence and the room erupted. The next few lines of his verse were barely audible as the crowd nothing short of lost their shit. As he finished his verse, he stood by as Mariah closed out the song, and even proceeded to fan/bow down to her as she hit her signature high notes. The two embraced and Jay-Z exited. This is only the second time, and the most recent time the two have performed the song together. To this day, his appearance is still chill-inducing.

Mariah kept the show true to the hip hop roots she’d incorporated into her music for a decade. For “Dreamlover” and “It’s Like That” she incorporated some classic hip hop hits (The Notorious BIG’s “Juicy” and Run DMC’s “It’s Like That” respectively) into her live incarnations, to very positive results. During a costume change, DJ Clue cued up a classic New York hip hop track, “We Gon’ Make It” by Jadakiss & Styles P, who both touched the stage to perform a bit of the song. Mariah made sure to acknowledge her frequent collaborators.

As if all of these surprises weren’t massive enough, Mariah had one more trick up her sleeve. During “Honey”, Diddy suddenly emerged from the wings of the stage, marking the first and only time he has joined Mariah for a performance of the song. He dropped his signature ad libs, threw a chain around Mariah’s neck, and gave the crowd every bit of life they needed and then some.

Vincent:

August 25, 2006.

Two days after her show at Madison Square Garden, Mariah and I went up to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut for one more round of The Adventures of Mimi. I made a sign, which I also brought to the Garden, that said “Please, Mimi, sing ‘The Roof’,” — she did not notice it in NYC, but I was determined to get the Queen’s attention at my second and last date of the Mimi tour. You see, during the tour she had actually been taking fan-requests from reading signs, so, I thought that I had a fair shot of getting her to sing my favorite song ever, “The Roof,” at my first time attending a Mariah tour. However, I had no idea and could never have been prepared for what would come of it.

So, here I am minding my own business at the Mariah Carey show, 16 years old, sitting alone, prepared to get my life from my Queen. Hoping she would see my sign and sing a little snippet of “The Roof,” but at the same time thinking I was probably too far or she would never notice it among the crowd. But, Mohegan Sun was a bit different. This crowd wasn’t jam packed with lambs, it was filled with the casino crowd who wasn’t the most lively. So, perhaps it was my lucky day? Indeed, it was. As Mariah prepared to sing “Always Be My Baby,” she surveyed the crowd and my sign caught her eye. “And I like that sign you got right there,” she sang to me, cooing, “I wish I could sing that song, but the band don’t know it.” It was such a surreal moment. All the people in my general vicinity turned and looked at me and I totally freaked out… skip to 0:41 in the audio below to hear Queen singing to me:

Then, magically, after the show, I was invited backstage to meet the Queen herself in her dressing room. When I walked in, she looked and saw I was holding the sign and excitedly asked, “you heard me right?! I sang to you!” She went on to rant about how unfortunately the band didn’t know the song, or else she would’ve have sung it because she loves it (as we all know). Even more, she talked about how unfortunately the bulk of the crowd likely would not have known it either because, she groaned, it didn’t get the single treatment it deserved. Then, she asked my friend and I what we thought of the show. She admitted she was a bit disappointed by the demure casino crowd, but I assured her it was great. I also told her that I was in attendance of the MSG show, too, and thanked her for doing one of my favorites, the “Make It Last” remix of “Thank God I Found You.” I told her it was the song that made me into a huge fan. She was elated at the mention of the remix, asking “Really? How did you know it? It was a bit of an obscure remix.” That always confused me, because it was hardly obscure – it had a video after all, but I told her about how I grew up on Long Island, like her, and that it was all over NYC’s urban stations. Of course, she lived for the mention of this and we preceded to stan for our favorite radio stations together (107.5 WBLS and 98.7 KISS FM in particular, may it Rest in Peace).

From there, she treated us as if we were all old friends and started to tell us about how a pipe had burst in her NYC penthouse, and telling us about how everyone’s favorite Jack Russell Terrier, Jack, enjoyed the water park effect that came with the plumbing troubles. Now, mind you, this was my first time ever having a conversation with her and I felt so at ease. In the past, I was always quiet and star struck when meeting celebrities. But Mariah was so warm and friendly, so I felt completely comfortable just chatting away with her. After some more friendly banter, it was picture time. She asked her then-boyfriend/manager Mark Sudack to take the photo for us, and then, in true diva fashion, asked “Is it good?” before taking a look at the photo preview on my camera, giving it Mimi’s stamp of approval, “We have to make sure you get a good photo to show your friends, dahhhhling,” she insisted. Then, she offered to autograph my sign, and before she did, asked, “Is it Vinny with a -y or an -ie, we have to spell it right now, dahhhhling. I know how that is.”

From there, she hugged me goodbye, until next time… when, in 2009, we chatted again at the “I Want to Know What Love Is” video shoot and when I said, “Hi Mariah, I’m Vinny – I don’t know if you remember, but we met at Mohegan Sun during the Mimi tour…” before she cut me off, finishing my sentence: “And you had the sign for me to sing ‘The Roof’ and came backstage! Nice to see you again.”

Those are just some of our Adventures With Mimi. Can’t nobody tell us nothing about Mariah Carey’s love for the Lambily! It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since then. If you didn’t experience it first hand, luckily for you the whole show is on YouTube (and DVD):

The post Our First Adventures with Mimi… 10 years ago! appeared first on THE 97.

Like most superstars of her caliber, Mariah Carey’s career has seen both its highs and lows. This year, however, is a significant one for Carey. First, she is beginning her first Las Vegas residency in May. Second, she is dropping a new single and hits set featuring all 18 of her Hot 100 #1’s. Third, because she is now a single mother. Fourth, because she is celebrating 25 years in the music industry – her debut single “Vision of Love,” was released in May 1990, and her self-titled album in June of the same year. Fifth, because it’s been 20 years since the release of one of her biggest, best, and most successful albums, 1995’s Daydream… and finally, because it’s been 10 years since Mimi came back with a vengeance with 2005’s The Emancipation of Mimi.

While the album was released on April 12, 2005, the era began in January with the release of the lead single, “It’s Like That.” However, it really kicked into full steam when she dropped the second single, “We Belong Together.” Deservedly so, “We Belong Together” needs a moment of its own to be given the proper treatment – and we will do that in the coming months as we walk through Mariah’s #1’s to Infinity as announced yesterday. In the United States alone, The Emancipation of Mimi went on to sell upwards of 6 million copies and was successful worldwide too. She earned 3 Grammy awards for the album, and countless other accolades and achievements – such as her 16th and 17th #1’s, “We Belong Together” and “Don’t Forget About Us.”  However, there is plenty more worth discussing in regards to Mimi than simply its success. 

While “It’s Like That” was the stepping stone and “We Belong Together” was the corner stone of her comeback, it couldn’t have happened if their parent album wasn’t superb in its own right. The Emancipation of Mimi was fresh and modern, yet still had that classic Mariah Carey feel to it. With relatable lyrics, phenomenal vocals, and inescapable melodies, The Emancipation of Mimi was the perfect combination of the perfect formula – yielding massive success. Amidst this perfect formula were several notable gems that sit among the top songs in Carey’s catalog.

The first is the Kanye West co-produced “Stay the Night.” Here, Mariah combines her hip-hop sensibilities with her soulful brand of R&B and big vocals for a song that is unmistakably Mariah Carey. The theme of sensual yearning is a common one throughout her music and the dark, sexy vibe of “Stay the Night” suits that perfectly. The song feels akin to Butterfly’s “The Roof” or Rainbow‘s “Cry Baby,” but vocally it is in a different lane. With “Stay the Night,” it’s clear Carey was on a mission to prove to her naysayers that she still has it vocally – and she certainly delivered.  The song knocks, the vocals slay, and the lyrics paint a relatable and engaging narrative.

Another highlight is “Circles,” a throwback to 70’s soul that once again finds Mariah sanging her face off. Again, the theme is yearning for a lost love and her vocals drip in pure, soulful emotion. If you didn’t know any better, you would think the song actually came out in the 70’s – not on Mariah Carey’s 2005 “comeback” album.

A more subtle gem on the album is “One and Only,” a collaboration with slick-tongued rapper Twista. Here, a much experienced Mariah treads in slow jam waters – slipping and sliding effortlessly over the beat with whispery but crisp vocals and impassioned, heartbreaking lyrics. Like on Butterfly’s “Breakdown,” she aimed to match Twista’s style of lyric delivery and succeeds – dare say, she sounds better doing his trademark style than he does. The pair re-teamed on “So Lonely (One and Only Part 2)” which appeared on Twista’s own album as well as the reissue of Mimi.

With “Fly Like a Bird,” Mariah continued a trend that began with 2002’s Charmbracelet – to include a spiritual song on her albums. Of the several, she has done before and since “Fly Like a Bird” stands out as perhaps her best gospel-tinged moment (Christmas albums excluded). The track boasts live instrumentation and a horn section that really warm up the song and album overall.

In fact, the theme of live instrumentation is strong throughout most of Mimi – “I Wish You Knew,” “Circles,” “Fly Like a Bird” and “Mine Again” all boast soulful, organic production which really helped attribute to the album’s warm, rich atmosphere. It is too bad that the sample on the leaked track “When I Feel It” was not approved in time for the album, because it would have been a standout on the album, as well.

However, Mimi was not an album full of solely soul – it had its more hip-hop inspired up-tempos and mid-tempos, too. The best of those up-tempos are the Jackson 5-inspired “Your Girl” and 80’s-tinged “Get Your Number” (featuring co-producer Jermaine Dupri). Meanwhile, the album’s third, fourth and fifth singles, respectively, “Shake It Off,” “Don’t Forget About Us” and “Say Somethin'” (a Pharrell Williams collaboration, featuring Snoop Dogg) lead the mid-tempo pack.

For the first time in her career, a Mariah Carey album lacked a truly big “power ballad,” in the traditional sense, though. The closest The Emancipation comes to such a ballad, aside from “We Belong Together,” is the soulful and warm R&B love ballad, “Joy Ride.” However, you hardly notice it’s missing, really… because The Emancipation of Mimi was all about showing us the true Mariah – and for the most part, she ain’t really about the power ballad moments.

Mimi’s emancipation was without a doubt the most rewarding era for the singer since, most likely, her debut. It was a rebirth of her career and, at the same time, cementation of her legendary status. Few have pulled off a comeback of its magnitude. In fact, no R&B album has sold as much as The Emancipation of Mimi since its release 10 years ago. Not to mention, she once again spawned the song of the decade: “We Belong Together” – like “One Sweet Day” before it, from 1995’s Daydream.

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