Charmbracelet
Encyclopedia
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records
and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter
(2001) and its accompanying soundtrack album, both of which were critical and commercial disappointments. Described as one of her most personal records, following 1997's Butterfly, Charmbracelet was designed to recoup with Carey's former audience. Throughout the project, Carey collaborated with many songwriters and producers which she had worked with in the past, including Jermaine Dupri
, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
, as well as first-time musicians like 7 Aurelius and Dre & Vidal
.
According to Carey, the songs in Charmbracelet combine introspective and personal themes, and also addresses celebratory and fun anecdotes, with love being the prevalent theme of the album. Musically, the album continued Carey's calculated mixture of pop
ballads and R&B
beats, however incorporating other genres, such as in "My Saving Grace", where she fused gospel
and soul
, with the lyrics dealing with religious concepts. Charmbracelet primarily focused on delivering a more adult contemporary sound, especially when put in comparison with Glitter, which featured a variety of sampled melodies from the 1980s. A few artists also lent their vocals for the tracks, including Cam'ron
, Jay-Z
and Freeway
.
Upon its release, Charmbracelet garnered mixed reviews from music critics. Many of them felt that although the songs were good, none of them stood out to make much of an impact. Additionally, some also pointed out that Carey's voice sounded thin, airy and damaged on the album. Charmbracelet debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200
chart, selling 241,000 copies in its first week. Internationally, the album performed moderately on the charts, peaking within the top 40 in seven countries, including top ten entries in two—Japan and Switzerland.
Three singles were released to promote the album; the lead single, "Through the Rain
" became the most successful among the three, reaching the top ten in Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and Italy and the United Kingdom. In the US, it topped the Hot Dance Club Play
chart, but stalled at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The follow-ups, "Boy (I Need You)" and "Bringin' On the Heartbreak", failed to match the international peaks the lead single. Carey embarked on the Charmbracelet World Tour
, which spanned over 69 shows in over eight months, to further promote the album. She also performed on various televised shows and promotional tours like the 30th annual American Music Awards
, Today and The Oprah Winfrey Show
.
(2001), and her subsequent hospitalization. After divorcing from her husband, record executive, and mentor Tommy Mottola
, Carey took more creative control over her career, and according to some, released her "inner sex kitten" on Butterfly (1997), her first album commissioned following their separation. With her next release, Rainbow
(1999), Carey continued to infuse more R&B influences into her music, notably with "Heartbreaker
", the lead single
from the album, which features Carey's farthest reach into hip-hop territory
to that point. Carey began to scale back her voice throughout the 1990s, and according to a writer from The Sacramento Bee
, attempted to sound more ghetto
. She discontinued working with longtime pop producers such as Babyface and Walter Afanasieff
, in order to pursue a new sound and audience with writers such as Sean Combs
and Jermaine Dupri
. Following the worldwide success she achieved with Rainbow, Carey and Columbia Records
, at which Mottola was involved with, ended their partnership. Controversy involving Mottola and executive Benny Medina
took place during '99, as they used several productions Carey had written and been involved with on songs for Jennifer Lopez
. Carey decided to venture into film with her 2001 film, Glitter
. Critically, the film was panned by movie critics, and earned less than eight million dollars at the box office. The soundtrack for the film, fared slightly better, spawning a top-five single in the United States, and selling over three million units globally.
However, following the film and soundtrack's weak performance, Carey's unprecedented $100 million dollar recording contract was bought out by Virgin Records
, who paid her $28 million to part ways. Prior to the project's weak commercial success, Carey checked into a hospital in Connecticut, following a controversial appearance on Total Request Live
, in which she gave out ice cream to fans and demonstrated what was considered by the media as "erratic behavior". After leaving troubling messages on her website, Carey checked into the hospital, citing an "emotional and physical breakdown." Carey subsequently flew to Capri, Italy after her two week hospitalization, staying there for five months in which she began writing and producing material for a new studio album
, stemming from the experiences she had gone through in the recent months. After being signed by Island Records
, and starting her own imprint, MonarC Entertainment, Carey geared up for her intended "comeback" release, Charmbracelet. Critics deemed the album a strong improvement over Glitter, but not something that would re-capture audiences around the world and re-establish her popularity throughout the 1990s. Many took notice of Carey's more airy and light vocals, and criticized her of not being capable of the same degree of vocal prowess she had been known for during the first part of her career. However, three years later with the release of The Emancipation of Mimi
, Carey's critical and commercial popularity surged again, with critics calling it her true comeback, as well as her emancipation from her previous two albums.
, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
and Randy Jackson
while bringing in new songwriters and producers like 7 Aurelius
, Just Blaze
, Damizza
and Dre & Vidal
. The opening track and the first track to be written for the album, "Through the Rain", was penned by Carey alongside Lionel Cole
. The song, which was inspired by the real-life struggles Carey had gone through that year, was co-produced by Jam and Lewis. "I've always tried to insert positivity into my songs wherever I can, to inspire other people who go through stuff. I mean the stuff they talked about in tabloids and the things that were so overly exaggerated, that's one aspect. I also went through a lot of personal stuff, a lot of family stuff this year. [...] It's brought me to another place. People are going to read into it as, 'This is Mariah and her struggle,'" Carey said of the song. Another track that Jam, Lewis and Carey worked on together is "Yours", which Jam said contains "probably one of the best hooks [ever]." He also likened it to one of trio's previous collaborations, "Thank God I Found You
" (2000). Initially, the song was recorded as duet with pop singer Justin Timberlake
; Carey's part was recorded first and Timberlake's during a different session. However, due to contractual complications, it was never released and the version featured on the album is a solo one by Carey. Jam and Lewis also produced two more songs, "Wedding Song" and "Satisfy", which features background vocals from Michael Jackson
; these failed to make the final cut.
Carey decided to work with Just Blaze
after she heard the song "Oh Boy
" he had produced for Cam'ron
. Together they produced "Boy (I Need You)", a remake of "Oh Boy", and "You Got Me". Carey described the former as one of her favorites on the album. "It's definitely one of my favorites, 'cause I love the original. It was cool to have him out there doing his thing in such a random environment," she said. The latter, which features rap verses from Jay-Z
and Freeway
, was noted by Carey as a "signature Just Blaze track". At the time the song was recorded, Jay-Z was at Capri on a vacation, and went to the studio to hear the song. After hearing it, he expressed that he wanted to contribute to the song and added rap verses of his own to it. Dupri produced "The One" and "You Had Your Chance". He said that they wanted to stick to the "same familiar sound" from his previous collaborations with Carey. "The One" was described as a "personal song" by Carey and was inspired about the time when one feels "hurt in relationships in the past, and maybe you meet somebody and you want to get involved but you're unsure whether you should or not." Apart from these, Carey decided to experiment with a live band for the album. In April 2002, she met 7 Aurelius and asked him if he could produce songs for the album. They flew to Nassau, Bahamas
and recorded a mixture of mid-tempo and up-tempo tracks and ballads accompanied by a live band. 7 Aurelius said that Carey was "an amazing writer" and described the process of recording:
Randy Jackson
contributed to four tracks on the album. He commented that the album was "the most real and honest record she's made. She didn't care what anyone thought of the lyrics. They were only important to her." One of the tracks is a cover of Def Leppard
song "Bringin' On the Heartbreak". During the photoshoot for Charmbracelet at Capri, Carey came across a copy of Def Leppard's album Vault (1995), which contains the song, and decided to cover it for the album. In an interview with Billboard, Carey said that the song is "an example of her musical diversity". She said, "I love going from showing my Minnie Riperton
influences to hip-hop to rock. It's all me. For Heartbreak, it was fun to go back to a song that I loved singing when I was in school. I think we bring some fresh elements to it." Another song they worked on together is "My Saving Grace", which Carey described: "[...] actually the writing process and working on this album has been something to immerse myself in, because I realized how that has always been my saving grace. There's a song on the album called 'My Saving Grace.' But it actually is [my saving grace], just to go into that process and really live the process of writing, recording, the whole thing, up to the main inception to the mastering of the record." While working on the album in Capri, Carey's father, with whom she was very close with, became ill and she returned to New York to spend some time with him. He had been diagnosed with Cancer and could tolerate only sunflowers due to the allergies he had developed; he died soon after. In his memory, Carey wrote and produced the song "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy". Carey said that the song represents "his side of the family and is kind of hard to talk about. We went through a really difficult time period, because it was just, like, an instant, kind of shocking thing that happened." The song proved to be "very emotional" for Carey, and she sang the song only once in the studio. DJ Quik
also produced songs for the album, but none of them made the final cut.
, Glitter, as well as her physical and emotional breakdown, Carey attempted to make her musical comeback with Charmbracelet. While she continually ventured further into Contemporary R&B
and hip-hop
throughout the late 1990s, the album's focused on bringing Carey back to her adult contemporary roots, in an attempt to re-capture her audience. While critics both praised and criticized the condition of Carey's voice throughout the album, many called the songs "average", and felt that most lacked a sufficient hook
. Serving as the album's lead single
, and Carey's boldest attempt at re-creating the ballads from the early years of her career, was "Through the Rain
". The song, written and produced by Carey, was described as a "self-help" and "inspirational" ballad, lyrically describing how an individual must not let life's hardships stop them from fulfilling their dreams. While Carey paved a lot of the album with slower and autobiographical ballads, she also attempted at making an album with a mixture of several different genres. According to Jon Pareles
of The New York Times
, the album showed off Carey's musical and vocal versatility, especially when viewing the differences in the record's first and second singles, "Ms. Carey is known for her voice, of course: she can hit high notes that barely sound human, and few singers leap around the octaves as gracefully as she does. But as she tries to regain her audience, her greatest weapon may be her versatility: Ms. Carey also knows how to make a hip-hop hit by holding back and letting the beat shine." He referenced the project's second release, "Boy (I Need You)
", a hip-hop and R&B track featuring Cam'ron
, and complimented it on its differences with most of the content on Charmbracelet.
The third single released from Charmbracelet was Carey's cover of the 1981 Def Leppard
song, "Bringin' On the Heartbreak
". The song as with most of the album, features live instrumentation. Beginning as a "piano-driven slow jam", followed by a "dramatic chord progression
" after the second chorus, Carey's "precise and fluttery voice reaches incredible heights" as it "turns the power ballad into something more delicate." On the Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis composed "Yours", Pareles felt her voice sounded like a "delectable combination of breathy vocals and playful rhythms." On the track, Carey recorded her lead vocals, then blending additional coos and impromptu belted notes in order to provide a double voice. When describing Carey's usage of the double voice, Barry Walters from Rolling Stone
wrote "Carey's lead vocals blend into choruses of overdubbed Mariah's cooing overlapping phrases. Circling these are choirs of more Mariahs singing harmonies and countermelodies. Topping it off are generous sprinklings of the singer's patented birdcalls, wails, sighs and whispers." An additional version of the song featuring vocals from Justin Timberlake
was recorded, but never commissioned for release.
Critics considered "Subtle Invitation" one of the album's strongest songs, due to its "well executed" jazz
influence. The song begins with the sounds of people dining, then introducing the strong bassline
and drum
notes. Towards the end of the song, Carey belts out the climax, with Sarah Rodman from The Boston Herald describing it as "fascinating" and "it sounds as though Carey is singing in falsetto
while still in her chest voice." "Clown" drew strong media attention following the album's release, mostly due to its lyrical content. Critics speculated that Carey aimed at rapper Eminem
in the song, as he had publicly referenced to a relationship he claimed to have shared with her. Clown's lyrics were described as "languidly sinister" by Rodman, and read "I should've left it at 'I like your music too'...You should never have intimated we were lovers / when you know very well we never even touched each other." Aside from the song's lyrics, critics praised the song, with Entertainment Weekly
s Tom Sinclair calling it a "moody number graced with mournful acoustic guitar and a gorgeously nuanced vocal." On "I Only Wanted", comparisons were made to Carey's "My All
", in terms of its instrumentation and structure of verse, chorus and guitar solo. According to Cinquemani, in verses such as "Wish I'd stayed beneath my veil", Carey makes vague allusions to her ex-husband Tommy Mottola
. Aside from its Latin
-inspired guitar instrumentation, the song makes usage of wind sounds as an additional backbone to the melody, as well as dripping water as its percussion
. One of the album's most lyrically personal songs is "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy", named after Carey's father, in which she makes direct reference to him, and a moment they shared at his death bed. The song's instrumentation features a simple piano accompaniment, while Carey retells of a visit she shared with her father in his hospital room, "Strange to feel that proud, strong man/Grip tightly to my hand."
, which averages professional reviews into a numerical score, the album received a 43/100, indicating "generally mixed or average reviews." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
from Allmusic rated the album two out of five stars, mainly criticizing its production, as well as the condition of Carey's voice. He described her voice as "shot" and wrote "Whenever she sings, there's a raspy whistle behind her thin voice and she strains to make notes throughout the record. She cannot coo or softly croon, nor can she perform her trademark gravity-defying vocal runs. Her voice is damaged, and there's not a moment where it sounds strong or inviting." Billboard editor Michael Paoletta was less critical on Charmbracelet, praising Carey's return to her adult contemporary beginnings. He felt that although Carey might have alienated her hip-hop followers from her previous three albums, her older fans from the 1990s would be more receptive to the material, as well as her new image. Unlike Erlewine's criticism of Carey's voice, Tom Sinclair from Entertainment Weekly
described her as "in fine voice." He agreed, however, with the album's common critique; its content. Sinclair felt the similar and lack-luster ballads made the album "grow tiresome" and wrote "too much of 'Charmbracelet' is mired in middle-of-the-road muck.
Following a favorable review of the album, in which he praised Carey's voice as "invariably astonishing", as well as the album's production and content, Jon Pareles
from The New York Times
wrote "So is Mariah Carey more herself than ever? It certainly sounds like it, although her comeback is still far from a sure thing." Ethan Browne from New York
called the album's production of whimsical chimes and tinkling keyboards "bad", and wrote "Was Charmbracelet recorded in a Casio shop? This instrument needs to be stopped." Rating Charmbracelet two out of five stars, Barry Walters from Rolling Stone
wrote that none of the songs were bold, and called them "muddy." He felt that the lack of hooks made the album weak, and wrote "Carey needs bold songs that help her use the power and range for which she is famous. Charmbracelet is like a stream of watercolors that bleed into a puddle of brown." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
was less critical of Charmbracelet, complimenting Carey's mixture of pop and hip-hop melodies. Following comparisons to her older work, Cinquemani concluded "Though there's nothing as immediate as "Fantasy
" or "My All
" here, Charmbracelet is significantly less contrived than 1999's Rainbow
and almost as creatively liberating as Butterfly. British columnist Angus Batey, writing for Yahoo! Music UK
called the songs on Charmbracelet "forgetful", and wrote "She used to take risks, but 'Charmbracelet' is conservative, unadventurous and uninspiring; and, while it's understandable that simply to make another record marks a triumph of sorts, it's impossible to admire Mariah to the degree that her talent ought to merit." While reviewing the album, John Mulvey from NME
criticized its content, writing "Nominally, 'Charmbracelet' is R&B, much like Tony Blair is nominally a socialist. [...] Tragedies, all told, have been worse." At the 17th Japan Gold Disc Award
in 2003, the album was nominated in the category of Rock and Pop Album of the Year (International).
, with first-week sales of 241,000 copies. The figure was an improvement over the first-week sales of the critically panned Glitter soundtrack, yet lower than 1999's Rainbow, which opened with 323,000 units sold. It stayed on the chart for 22 weeks, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) for shipments of one million units throughout the country. As of December 2010, the estimated sales of the album in the US (compiled by Nielsen Soundscan
) stand at 1,157,000 copies. In Canada, the album debuted on the Canadian Albums Chart
outside the top 20, in contrast to Glitter, which debuted at number four on the chart. It was certified Gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
(CRIA) for shipments of 50,000 copies. On the week dated December 15, 2002, Chamrbracelet entered the Australian Albums Chart at its peak position of number 42. It exited the chart the next week, becoming one of Carey's lowest charting albums in the country. In Austria, the album peaked at number 34 and stayed on the charts for seven weeks.
Charmbracelet had a top twenty placement in France, when it entered the French Albums Chart at number 20, the week dated December 7, 2002. The album spent 30 weeks fluctuating on the chart, and was certified Gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
(SNEP), denoting shipments of 150,000 units. Overseas, in Japan, Charmbracelet saw its second highest peak when it debuted at number four on the Oricon Albums Chart
, due to first week sales of 63,365 units. The album spent another week on the same position, this time due to sales of 71,206 units. It stayed on the charts for a total of 15 weeks and according to Oricon, has sold 240,440 copies. The Recording Industry Association of Japan
(RIAJ) certified Charmbracelet platinum for shipments of 250,000 copies. In Switzerland, the album peaked at number nine on the Swiss Albums Chart and stayed on the charts for ten weeks; it was certified Gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). In the United Kingdom, the album peaked outside the top 50, at number 52 and has sold 122,010 copies as of April 2008. In February 2003, it was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) for sales/shipments of 100,000 copies in the country. In the Netherlands, the album debuted at number 48, the issue dated December 14, 2002. The following week, it ascended to its peak of number 30; the album stayed on the charts for 19 weeks, and made two re-entries, one in June 2003 and other in August 2003. Charmbracelet also charted and peaked at number 32 in Germany and number 50 in Sweden. It also charted and peaked at number 48 in the Flemish region of Belgium and number 28 in the Walloon region. Charmbracelet was certified Gold in both Brazil and Hong Kong by Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos
(ABPD) and IFPI Hong Kong respectively.
" and "Outside", while others praised Carey's vocals in the song. The single became one of Carey's lowest singles, reaching number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100
chart. However, it topped the Hot Dance Club Play
charts and cracked the top twenty of the Adult Contemporary chart. Outside the United States, the single performed moderately, peaking within the top ten in Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and Italy and the United Kingdom, and within the top 20 in Ireland, Australia, Norway and Denmark. The music video of "Through the Rain" directed by Daver Meyers is based on the courtship and eloping of Carey's parents. Carey is seen singing in the street when rain starts to fall while being juxtaposed with the story of a bi-racial couple who run away from their families who opposes their relationship.
"Boy (I Need You)", which was released as the second single on November 26, 2002 received negative reviews from critics. The single failed to make much impact on the charts around the world; it reached number 68 on the US Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Songs chart and number 57 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart. Elsewhere, the song reached number 17 in the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top 40 in Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland and New Zealand. The music video for "Boy (I Need You)", was directed by Joseph Kahn
and was filmed at Shibuya
and Los Angeles
. Initially, "The One" was scheduled to be released as the second single and the music video was shot for the song. However, halfway through the filming, the track was changed to "Boy (I Need You)". Described as "Speed Racer meets Hello Kitty meets me and Cam'ron" by Carey, the video incorporates elements of Japanese culture and features Carey's alter-ego Bianca.
The cover version of "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" became the third single to be released from the album; it was released on November 25, 2003. Though it gained mostly positive reviews, like its predecessor, it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but reached number five on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. Outside the States, the song saw its highest peak in Switzerland, reaching number 28 and staying on the charts for eight weeks. It also charted in Austria and the Wallonia region of Belgium. The music video for the song was directed by Saana Hamri. Another cut from the album, "Irresistible (Westside Connection)", charted at number 81 on the US Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Songs.
, in which Carey was interviewed and sang several songs from Charmbracelet and of her catalog. During the interview, Carey addressed rumors of her breakdown and its cause, as well as of the album and its inspiration, followed by a question and answer with fans. During the album's month of release, Carey appeared on several television talk shows, launching her promotional tour on Today, where she performed a four song set-list at Mall of America
for a crowd of over 10,000. On December 2, Carey traveled to Brazil for South American promotion of Charmbracelet, appearing on the popular Brazilian program, Fantástico
. She sang "My All
", and reprised performances of "Through the Rain" and "I Only Wanted" wearing a long pink gown. Consequently, on December 3, 2002, Carey appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show
, where she performed "Through the Rain" and "My Saving Grace", and covered a highly publicized interview regarding Carey's hospitalization. Additionally, Carey's interview with Matt Lauer
on Dateline NBC
aired that same evening, further adding to the album's roster of promotional efforts. Two weeks later on December 17, Carey performed "I Only Wanted" on The View, and was interviewed by Barbara Walters
and the other co-hosts on the program.
Ironically, Carey was booked to give Walters a private interview following Glitters release, which was later cancelled following Carey's breakdown. Instead of giving Walters the full-coverage interview following Carey's return to the public eye, Island felt Oprah was more appropriate, and changed the appearance. One month later, Carey was featured as one of the headlining performers at the 30th annual
American Music Awards, held on January 13, 2003. Introduced by Sharon Osbourne
, Carey performed "Through the Rain" alongside a complete live gospel choir, and wore a long black evening gown. During the recital, images of newspaper headlines describing Carey's breakdown were projected on a large curtain behind her, with one reading "When you fall down, you get back up." Following the song's completion, Carey received a standing ovation. In mid-February, Carey was named the headlining performed at the NBA all-star game, notable for it being Michael Jordan
's last game. She wore a long purple skin-tight Washington Wizard's dress, and performed "Boy (I Need You)", "My Saving Grace" and "Hero
", which induced a standing ovation, and brought Jordan to tears. On March 1, 2003, Carey performed at the 2003
Soul Train Music Awards
, sporting a retro-curled hairstyle and wearing a burgundy evening gown. She performed "My Saving Grace", and featured a similarly sequenced performance as on the American Music Awards, where newspaper pages and inspirational photos were projected on a large screen. Following the performance, Carey won a life-time achievement award for her contribution to music. Towards the end of March, Charmbracelet saw release throughout Europe, prompting Carey to appear on several programs in promotion of the album. She first performed the album's leading two singles on the British music chart show, Top of the Pops
, followed by a similar set on The Graham Norton Show
and Fame Academy
. On the latter program, Carey was joined on stage by the show's finalists, as they all sang the climax on "Through the Rain" alongside her.
, became her most extensive tour to date, spanning sixty-nine shows around the world. Prior to tickets going on sale in the United States, venues were switched from arena shows, to small and more intimate theater stops. According to Carey, the change was made in order to give fans a more intimate show, and something more Broadway-influenced, "It's much more intimate so you'll feel like you had an experience. You experience a night with me." However, while smaller productions were booked throughout the tour's stateside leg, Carey performed at stadiums and arenas in Asia and Europe, performing for a crowd of over 35,000 in Manila, 50,000 in Malaysia, and to over 70,000 people in China. In the United Kingdom, it became Carey's first tour to feature shows outside of London, booking arena stops in Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester.
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey garnered generally positive reviews from music critics and concert goers; many complimented the quality of Carey's live vocals, as well as the production as a whole. Additionally, fans were given the opportunity to request different songs from Carey's catalog, further adding to its positive reception. At her concert in Manila, Rito P. Asilo from Philippine Daily Inquirer
praised Carey's vocals, "I didn't expect her voice to be that crystal clear!". Concluding his review on a positive note, Asilo wrote "After 15 songs, we couldn't seem to get enough of Mariah – and we became a believer!".
, which was released as a single from his album, It Ain't Safe No More
(2002). The song was Carey's highest charting song internationally since prior to Glitter (2001), reaching top five peaks in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom. When discussing the re-release in an interview with Carson Daly
, Carey explained: "The Busta Rhymes duet, I Know What You Want, has become so successful and we always said I would put it on my album as well. So that was really the catalyst. And then I have the other songs left, and we thought we would re-release it [with those tracks included] because the fans were requesting it. So that's the whole reason behind that." The other three songs included on the re-release, "There Goes My Heart", "Got a Thing 4 You" featuring Da Brat
and Elephant Man, and "The One (So So Def Remix)" featuring Bone Crusher
, were recorded in The Bahamas
. Charmbracelet re-release charted for three weeks on the album chart and peaked at number 96. According to Oricon, it has sold 4,936 copies.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter
Glitter (film)
Glitter is a 2001 film starring R&B singer, songwriter Mariah Carey. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It centers on the life and times of a struggling singer from the early club music scene in the 1980s.-Production:Carey has said about...
(2001) and its accompanying soundtrack album, both of which were critical and commercial disappointments. Described as one of her most personal records, following 1997's Butterfly, Charmbracelet was designed to recoup with Carey's former audience. Throughout the project, Carey collaborated with many songwriters and producers which she had worked with in the past, including Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, as well as first-time musicians like 7 Aurelius and Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
.
According to Carey, the songs in Charmbracelet combine introspective and personal themes, and also addresses celebratory and fun anecdotes, with love being the prevalent theme of the album. Musically, the album continued Carey's calculated mixture of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballads and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
beats, however incorporating other genres, such as in "My Saving Grace", where she fused gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, with the lyrics dealing with religious concepts. Charmbracelet primarily focused on delivering a more adult contemporary sound, especially when put in comparison with Glitter, which featured a variety of sampled melodies from the 1980s. A few artists also lent their vocals for the tracks, including Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Freeway
Freeway (rapper)
Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
.
Upon its release, Charmbracelet garnered mixed reviews from music critics. Many of them felt that although the songs were good, none of them stood out to make much of an impact. Additionally, some also pointed out that Carey's voice sounded thin, airy and damaged on the album. Charmbracelet debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 241,000 copies in its first week. Internationally, the album performed moderately on the charts, peaking within the top 40 in seven countries, including top ten entries in two—Japan and Switzerland.
Three singles were released to promote the album; the lead single, "Through the Rain
Through the Rain
"Through the Rain" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet . It was written by Carey and Lionel Cole, and produced by the former and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released as the album's lead single on October 17, 2002...
" became the most successful among the three, reaching the top ten in Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and Italy and the United Kingdom. In the US, it topped the Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart, but stalled at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The follow-ups, "Boy (I Need You)" and "Bringin' On the Heartbreak", failed to match the international peaks the lead single. Carey embarked on the Charmbracelet World Tour
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey is the name of Mariah Carey's 2003–04 worldwide concert tour. It takes its name from Carey's 2002 album Charmbracelet, which had been released six months earlier.-History:...
, which spanned over 69 shows in over eight months, to further promote the album. She also performed on various televised shows and promotional tours like the 30th annual American Music Awards
American Music Awards of 2003
The 30th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 13, 2003.-Pop/Rock Category:-Hip/Hop/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Adult Contemporary Category:-Alternative Category:-Latin Category:-Soundtrack Category:-Inspirational Category:...
, Today and The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
.
Background
Prior to the release of Charmbracelet, Carey had experienced a year of critical, commercial, and personal troubles, following the poor reception to her debut film GlitterGlitter (film)
Glitter is a 2001 film starring R&B singer, songwriter Mariah Carey. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It centers on the life and times of a struggling singer from the early club music scene in the 1980s.-Production:Carey has said about...
(2001), and her subsequent hospitalization. After divorcing from her husband, record executive, and mentor Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
, Carey took more creative control over her career, and according to some, released her "inner sex kitten" on Butterfly (1997), her first album commissioned following their separation. With her next release, Rainbow
Rainbow (Mariah Carey album)
Rainbow is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on November 2, 1999, by Columbia Records. The album followed the same pattern as Carey's previous album, Butterfly , in which she began her transition into the R&B market. Rainbow contains a mix of...
(1999), Carey continued to infuse more R&B influences into her music, notably with "Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey song)
"Heartbreaker" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 21, 1999 by Columbia Records as the lead single from Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow . The song was written by Carey and Jay-Z and produced by the former and DJ Clue...
", the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from the album, which features Carey's farthest reach into hip-hop territory
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
to that point. Carey began to scale back her voice throughout the 1990s, and according to a writer from The Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee is a daily newspaper published in Sacramento, California, in the United States. Since its creation in 1857, the Bee has become Sacramento's largest newspaper, the fifth largest newspaper in California, and the 25th largest paper in the U.S...
, attempted to sound more ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
. She discontinued working with longtime pop producers such as Babyface and Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff is a multiple Grammy-award-winning record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his long association with Mariah Carey, for whom he was producer and co-writer for several years, beginning in 1990...
, in order to pursue a new sound and audience with writers such as Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
and Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
. Following the worldwide success she achieved with Rainbow, Carey and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, at which Mottola was involved with, ended their partnership. Controversy involving Mottola and executive Benny Medina
Benny Medina
Benny Medina is the CEO of The Medina Company and son of legendary Jazz drummer Ahmad "Benny" Medina. He has worked in the music business as a producer, talent manager and record executive...
took place during '99, as they used several productions Carey had written and been involved with on songs for Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
. Carey decided to venture into film with her 2001 film, Glitter
Glitter (film)
Glitter is a 2001 film starring R&B singer, songwriter Mariah Carey. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It centers on the life and times of a struggling singer from the early club music scene in the 1980s.-Production:Carey has said about...
. Critically, the film was panned by movie critics, and earned less than eight million dollars at the box office. The soundtrack for the film, fared slightly better, spawning a top-five single in the United States, and selling over three million units globally.
However, following the film and soundtrack's weak performance, Carey's unprecedented $100 million dollar recording contract was bought out by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, who paid her $28 million to part ways. Prior to the project's weak commercial success, Carey checked into a hospital in Connecticut, following a controversial appearance on Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, in which she gave out ice cream to fans and demonstrated what was considered by the media as "erratic behavior". After leaving troubling messages on her website, Carey checked into the hospital, citing an "emotional and physical breakdown." Carey subsequently flew to Capri, Italy after her two week hospitalization, staying there for five months in which she began writing and producing material for a new studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, stemming from the experiences she had gone through in the recent months. After being signed by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, and starting her own imprint, MonarC Entertainment, Carey geared up for her intended "comeback" release, Charmbracelet. Critics deemed the album a strong improvement over Glitter, but not something that would re-capture audiences around the world and re-establish her popularity throughout the 1990s. Many took notice of Carey's more airy and light vocals, and criticized her of not being capable of the same degree of vocal prowess she had been known for during the first part of her career. However, three years later with the release of The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
, Carey's critical and commercial popularity surged again, with critics calling it her true comeback, as well as her emancipation from her previous two albums.
Development and recording
Carey started writing songs for then untitled Charmbracelet in 2002, before she signed the record deal. She decided to concentrate on "getting some much-needed rest" and traveled to Capri and moved into the studio, which she had reserved to record the album. While at Capri, Carey could focus on her writing and recording, without being subjected to any stress or pressure. According to her, she would write the songs in her apartment upstairs, and would record them at the studio downstairs, at night. Thus, most of the album was recorded in Capri although she traveled to Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia to record a few tracks. The result was that Charmbracelet was her "most personal album" she had ever made. She regrouped with longtime collaborators like Jermaine DupriJermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
and Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
while bringing in new songwriters and producers like 7 Aurelius
7 Aurelius
Marcus Vest better known by his stage name Channel 7, formerly 7 Aurelius, is a singer, songwriter, and producer most noted for his work with The Inc. Records....
, Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
, Damizza
Damizza
Damion Young, better known by his stage name, Damizza, is a record producer, artist & author known for producing artists such as Ice Cube, Shade Sheist, Snoop Dogg, Korn, Nate Dogg, Ca$his, and Mariah Carey, including Carey's single "Crybaby."...
and Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
. The opening track and the first track to be written for the album, "Through the Rain", was penned by Carey alongside Lionel Cole
Lionel Cole
Lionel Cole is a pianist, songwriter, composer, music editor, and music supervisor. He has served as a regularly touring member Mariah Carey's live band. Cole also partnered with Malcolm-Jamal Warner, to create the jazz and funk band Miles Long. The first album "The Many Facets of Superman" ...
. The song, which was inspired by the real-life struggles Carey had gone through that year, was co-produced by Jam and Lewis. "I've always tried to insert positivity into my songs wherever I can, to inspire other people who go through stuff. I mean the stuff they talked about in tabloids and the things that were so overly exaggerated, that's one aspect. I also went through a lot of personal stuff, a lot of family stuff this year. [...] It's brought me to another place. People are going to read into it as, 'This is Mariah and her struggle,'" Carey said of the song. Another track that Jam, Lewis and Carey worked on together is "Yours", which Jam said contains "probably one of the best hooks [ever]." He also likened it to one of trio's previous collaborations, "Thank God I Found You
Thank God I Found You
"Thank God I Found You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It features guest vocals from R&B singer Joe and American boy band 98 Degrees. Written and produced by Carey along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was released on January 25, 2000, through Columbia...
" (2000). Initially, the song was recorded as duet with pop singer Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
; Carey's part was recorded first and Timberlake's during a different session. However, due to contractual complications, it was never released and the version featured on the album is a solo one by Carey. Jam and Lewis also produced two more songs, "Wedding Song" and "Satisfy", which features background vocals from Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
; these failed to make the final cut.
Carey decided to work with Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
after she heard the song "Oh Boy
Oh Boy (song)
"Oh Boy" is the title of a number-one, Grammy nominated Hip hop single by rapper Cam'ron from his album Come Home with Me. It features rapper Juelz Santana....
" he had produced for Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
. Together they produced "Boy (I Need You)", a remake of "Oh Boy", and "You Got Me". Carey described the former as one of her favorites on the album. "It's definitely one of my favorites, 'cause I love the original. It was cool to have him out there doing his thing in such a random environment," she said. The latter, which features rap verses from Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Freeway
Freeway (rapper)
Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
, was noted by Carey as a "signature Just Blaze track". At the time the song was recorded, Jay-Z was at Capri on a vacation, and went to the studio to hear the song. After hearing it, he expressed that he wanted to contribute to the song and added rap verses of his own to it. Dupri produced "The One" and "You Had Your Chance". He said that they wanted to stick to the "same familiar sound" from his previous collaborations with Carey. "The One" was described as a "personal song" by Carey and was inspired about the time when one feels "hurt in relationships in the past, and maybe you meet somebody and you want to get involved but you're unsure whether you should or not." Apart from these, Carey decided to experiment with a live band for the album. In April 2002, she met 7 Aurelius and asked him if he could produce songs for the album. They flew to Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
and recorded a mixture of mid-tempo and up-tempo tracks and ballads accompanied by a live band. 7 Aurelius said that Carey was "an amazing writer" and described the process of recording:
We did three or four songs in three or four days. The way we was doing it, I had [a horn section] down there along with me. We had the whole room set up with candles, some nice wine — [it was] a very good vibe. It was completely stripped down, like 'Mariah Carey Unplugged'. She stripped herself down to her talent. She was really trusting of me and my vision, and I was trusting of who she was.
Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
contributed to four tracks on the album. He commented that the album was "the most real and honest record she's made. She didn't care what anyone thought of the lyrics. They were only important to her." One of the tracks is a cover of Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
song "Bringin' On the Heartbreak". During the photoshoot for Charmbracelet at Capri, Carey came across a copy of Def Leppard's album Vault (1995), which contains the song, and decided to cover it for the album. In an interview with Billboard, Carey said that the song is "an example of her musical diversity". She said, "I love going from showing my Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya...
influences to hip-hop to rock. It's all me. For Heartbreak, it was fun to go back to a song that I loved singing when I was in school. I think we bring some fresh elements to it." Another song they worked on together is "My Saving Grace", which Carey described: "[...] actually the writing process and working on this album has been something to immerse myself in, because I realized how that has always been my saving grace. There's a song on the album called 'My Saving Grace.' But it actually is [my saving grace], just to go into that process and really live the process of writing, recording, the whole thing, up to the main inception to the mastering of the record." While working on the album in Capri, Carey's father, with whom she was very close with, became ill and she returned to New York to spend some time with him. He had been diagnosed with Cancer and could tolerate only sunflowers due to the allergies he had developed; he died soon after. In his memory, Carey wrote and produced the song "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy". Carey said that the song represents "his side of the family and is kind of hard to talk about. We went through a really difficult time period, because it was just, like, an instant, kind of shocking thing that happened." The song proved to be "very emotional" for Carey, and she sang the song only once in the studio. DJ Quik
DJ Quik
David Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time....
also produced songs for the album, but none of them made the final cut.
Music and lyrics
Following the poor reception to her previous studio albumStudio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Glitter, as well as her physical and emotional breakdown, Carey attempted to make her musical comeback with Charmbracelet. While she continually ventured further into Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and hip-hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
throughout the late 1990s, the album's focused on bringing Carey back to her adult contemporary roots, in an attempt to re-capture her audience. While critics both praised and criticized the condition of Carey's voice throughout the album, many called the songs "average", and felt that most lacked a sufficient hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
. Serving as the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, and Carey's boldest attempt at re-creating the ballads from the early years of her career, was "Through the Rain
Through the Rain
"Through the Rain" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet . It was written by Carey and Lionel Cole, and produced by the former and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released as the album's lead single on October 17, 2002...
". The song, written and produced by Carey, was described as a "self-help" and "inspirational" ballad, lyrically describing how an individual must not let life's hardships stop them from fulfilling their dreams. While Carey paved a lot of the album with slower and autobiographical ballads, she also attempted at making an album with a mixture of several different genres. According to Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the album showed off Carey's musical and vocal versatility, especially when viewing the differences in the record's first and second singles, "Ms. Carey is known for her voice, of course: she can hit high notes that barely sound human, and few singers leap around the octaves as gracefully as she does. But as she tries to regain her audience, her greatest weapon may be her versatility: Ms. Carey also knows how to make a hip-hop hit by holding back and letting the beat shine." He referenced the project's second release, "Boy (I Need You)
Boy (I Need You)
"Boy " is a song co-written and co-produced by Mariah Carey and Just Blaze for Carey's twelfth album Charmbracelet . It features a sample of the Rose Royce song "I'm Going Down", which is also sampled in the same fashion in rapper Cam'ron's 2002 single "Oh Boy". Cam'ron himself provides verses for...
", a hip-hop and R&B track featuring Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
, and complimented it on its differences with most of the content on Charmbracelet.
The third single released from Charmbracelet was Carey's cover of the 1981 Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
song, "Bringin' On the Heartbreak
Bringin' on the Heartbreak
"Bringin' On the Heartbreak" is a song originally recorded by British hard rock band Def Leppard. It was the second single from their 1981 album High 'n' Dry. The song was written by three of the band's members: Steve Clark, Pete Willis, and Joe Elliott. In 2002, it was covered by American pop/R&B...
". The song as with most of the album, features live instrumentation. Beginning as a "piano-driven slow jam", followed by a "dramatic chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
" after the second chorus, Carey's "precise and fluttery voice reaches incredible heights" as it "turns the power ballad into something more delicate." On the Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis composed "Yours", Pareles felt her voice sounded like a "delectable combination of breathy vocals and playful rhythms." On the track, Carey recorded her lead vocals, then blending additional coos and impromptu belted notes in order to provide a double voice. When describing Carey's usage of the double voice, Barry Walters from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
wrote "Carey's lead vocals blend into choruses of overdubbed Mariah's cooing overlapping phrases. Circling these are choirs of more Mariahs singing harmonies and countermelodies. Topping it off are generous sprinklings of the singer's patented birdcalls, wails, sighs and whispers." An additional version of the song featuring vocals from Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
was recorded, but never commissioned for release.
Critics considered "Subtle Invitation" one of the album's strongest songs, due to its "well executed" jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
influence. The song begins with the sounds of people dining, then introducing the strong bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
notes. Towards the end of the song, Carey belts out the climax, with Sarah Rodman from The Boston Herald describing it as "fascinating" and "it sounds as though Carey is singing in falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
while still in her chest voice." "Clown" drew strong media attention following the album's release, mostly due to its lyrical content. Critics speculated that Carey aimed at rapper Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
in the song, as he had publicly referenced to a relationship he claimed to have shared with her. Clown's lyrics were described as "languidly sinister" by Rodman, and read "I should've left it at 'I like your music too'...You should never have intimated we were lovers / when you know very well we never even touched each other." Aside from the song's lyrics, critics praised the song, with Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Tom Sinclair calling it a "moody number graced with mournful acoustic guitar and a gorgeously nuanced vocal." On "I Only Wanted", comparisons were made to Carey's "My All
My All
"My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly . It was released as the album's fourth and second commercial single on April 21, 1998 by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
", in terms of its instrumentation and structure of verse, chorus and guitar solo. According to Cinquemani, in verses such as "Wish I'd stayed beneath my veil", Carey makes vague allusions to her ex-husband Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
. Aside from its Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
-inspired guitar instrumentation, the song makes usage of wind sounds as an additional backbone to the melody, as well as dripping water as its percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
. One of the album's most lyrically personal songs is "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy", named after Carey's father, in which she makes direct reference to him, and a moment they shared at his death bed. The song's instrumentation features a simple piano accompaniment, while Carey retells of a visit she shared with her father in his hospital room, "Strange to feel that proud, strong man/Grip tightly to my hand."
Critical reception
At the time of its release, reviews for Charmbracelet were an improvement over Glitter, albeit mixed at best. The album's main criticism laid within its content; many music reviewers felt that although the songs were good, none stood out enough to make much of an impact on radio or the market. Additionally, some critics were concerned with the condition of Carey's voice, which many felt became thin, airy and damaged when compared to her vocals throughout the early 1990s. On the website MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which averages professional reviews into a numerical score, the album received a 43/100, indicating "generally mixed or average reviews." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
from Allmusic rated the album two out of five stars, mainly criticizing its production, as well as the condition of Carey's voice. He described her voice as "shot" and wrote "Whenever she sings, there's a raspy whistle behind her thin voice and she strains to make notes throughout the record. She cannot coo or softly croon, nor can she perform her trademark gravity-defying vocal runs. Her voice is damaged, and there's not a moment where it sounds strong or inviting." Billboard editor Michael Paoletta was less critical on Charmbracelet, praising Carey's return to her adult contemporary beginnings. He felt that although Carey might have alienated her hip-hop followers from her previous three albums, her older fans from the 1990s would be more receptive to the material, as well as her new image. Unlike Erlewine's criticism of Carey's voice, Tom Sinclair from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
described her as "in fine voice." He agreed, however, with the album's common critique; its content. Sinclair felt the similar and lack-luster ballads made the album "grow tiresome" and wrote "too much of 'Charmbracelet' is mired in middle-of-the-road muck.
Following a favorable review of the album, in which he praised Carey's voice as "invariably astonishing", as well as the album's production and content, Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
from The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote "So is Mariah Carey more herself than ever? It certainly sounds like it, although her comeback is still far from a sure thing." Ethan Browne from New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
called the album's production of whimsical chimes and tinkling keyboards "bad", and wrote "Was Charmbracelet recorded in a Casio shop? This instrument needs to be stopped." Rating Charmbracelet two out of five stars, Barry Walters from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
wrote that none of the songs were bold, and called them "muddy." He felt that the lack of hooks made the album weak, and wrote "Carey needs bold songs that help her use the power and range for which she is famous. Charmbracelet is like a stream of watercolors that bleed into a puddle of brown." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
was less critical of Charmbracelet, complimenting Carey's mixture of pop and hip-hop melodies. Following comparisons to her older work, Cinquemani concluded "Though there's nothing as immediate as "Fantasy
Fantasy (Mariah Carey song)
"Fantasy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 12, 1995 by Columbia Records as the lead single for her fifth studio album, Daydream . The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Sean Combs...
" or "My All
My All
"My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly . It was released as the album's fourth and second commercial single on April 21, 1998 by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
" here, Charmbracelet is significantly less contrived than 1999's Rainbow
Rainbow (Mariah Carey album)
Rainbow is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on November 2, 1999, by Columbia Records. The album followed the same pattern as Carey's previous album, Butterfly , in which she began her transition into the R&B market. Rainbow contains a mix of...
and almost as creatively liberating as Butterfly. British columnist Angus Batey, writing for Yahoo! Music UK
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
called the songs on Charmbracelet "forgetful", and wrote "She used to take risks, but 'Charmbracelet' is conservative, unadventurous and uninspiring; and, while it's understandable that simply to make another record marks a triumph of sorts, it's impossible to admire Mariah to the degree that her talent ought to merit." While reviewing the album, John Mulvey from NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
criticized its content, writing "Nominally, 'Charmbracelet' is R&B, much like Tony Blair is nominally a socialist. [...] Tragedies, all told, have been worse." At the 17th Japan Gold Disc Award
Japan Gold Disc Award
The Japan Gold Disc Awards for Music sales in the Recording Industry Association of Japan, is major music awards held annually in Japan also released as a CD.- List of the Artists of the Year :************...
in 2003, the album was nominated in the category of Rock and Pop Album of the Year (International).
Commercial reception
Charmbracelet was initially slated for release on December 10, 2002, in the United States. However, the date was pushed forward to December 3, 2002, and was released through Island Records and Carey's label MonarC Entertainment. A highly anticipated release, it debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, with first-week sales of 241,000 copies. The figure was an improvement over the first-week sales of the critically panned Glitter soundtrack, yet lower than 1999's Rainbow, which opened with 323,000 units sold. It stayed on the chart for 22 weeks, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) for shipments of one million units throughout the country. As of December 2010, the estimated sales of the album in the US (compiled by Nielsen Soundscan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
) stand at 1,157,000 copies. In Canada, the album debuted on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
outside the top 20, in contrast to Glitter, which debuted at number four on the chart. It was certified Gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
(CRIA) for shipments of 50,000 copies. On the week dated December 15, 2002, Chamrbracelet entered the Australian Albums Chart at its peak position of number 42. It exited the chart the next week, becoming one of Carey's lowest charting albums in the country. In Austria, the album peaked at number 34 and stayed on the charts for seven weeks.
Charmbracelet had a top twenty placement in France, when it entered the French Albums Chart at number 20, the week dated December 7, 2002. The album spent 30 weeks fluctuating on the chart, and was certified Gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique
The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry...
(SNEP), denoting shipments of 150,000 units. Overseas, in Japan, Charmbracelet saw its second highest peak when it debuted at number four on the Oricon Albums Chart
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
, due to first week sales of 63,365 units. The album spent another week on the same position, this time due to sales of 71,206 units. It stayed on the charts for a total of 15 weeks and according to Oricon, has sold 240,440 copies. The Recording Industry Association of Japan
Recording Industry Association of Japan
The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry...
(RIAJ) certified Charmbracelet platinum for shipments of 250,000 copies. In Switzerland, the album peaked at number nine on the Swiss Albums Chart and stayed on the charts for ten weeks; it was certified Gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). In the United Kingdom, the album peaked outside the top 50, at number 52 and has sold 122,010 copies as of April 2008. In February 2003, it was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) for sales/shipments of 100,000 copies in the country. In the Netherlands, the album debuted at number 48, the issue dated December 14, 2002. The following week, it ascended to its peak of number 30; the album stayed on the charts for 19 weeks, and made two re-entries, one in June 2003 and other in August 2003. Charmbracelet also charted and peaked at number 32 in Germany and number 50 in Sweden. It also charted and peaked at number 48 in the Flemish region of Belgium and number 28 in the Walloon region. Charmbracelet was certified Gold in both Brazil and Hong Kong by Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos
Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos
The Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos is an official representative body of the record labels in the Brazilian phonographic market.- About :...
(ABPD) and IFPI Hong Kong respectively.
Singles
Three singles were released from the album; "Through the Rain" was released as the first single on September 24, 2002. It received mixed reviews from critics, with some noting it as too similar to her older ballads such as "HeroHero (Mariah Carey song)
"Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box . Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
" and "Outside", while others praised Carey's vocals in the song. The single became one of Carey's lowest singles, reaching number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. However, it topped the Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
charts and cracked the top twenty of the Adult Contemporary chart. Outside the United States, the single performed moderately, peaking within the top ten in Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and Italy and the United Kingdom, and within the top 20 in Ireland, Australia, Norway and Denmark. The music video of "Through the Rain" directed by Daver Meyers is based on the courtship and eloping of Carey's parents. Carey is seen singing in the street when rain starts to fall while being juxtaposed with the story of a bi-racial couple who run away from their families who opposes their relationship.
"Boy (I Need You)", which was released as the second single on November 26, 2002 received negative reviews from critics. The single failed to make much impact on the charts around the world; it reached number 68 on the US Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Songs chart and number 57 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart. Elsewhere, the song reached number 17 in the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top 40 in Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland and New Zealand. The music video for "Boy (I Need You)", was directed by Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn is an American music video, advertising, and feature film director.-Early life:Kahn was born in Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He is of Korean ancestry. He spent part of his childhood growing up in Livorno, Italy until his family moved to Texas...
and was filmed at Shibuya
Shibuya
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is also a surname of Japanese people, including:-People:*Shibuya Konnōmaru, a 12th century warrior*Kotono Shibuya , a female actor*Momoko Shibuya , a female actor...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Initially, "The One" was scheduled to be released as the second single and the music video was shot for the song. However, halfway through the filming, the track was changed to "Boy (I Need You)". Described as "Speed Racer meets Hello Kitty meets me and Cam'ron" by Carey, the video incorporates elements of Japanese culture and features Carey's alter-ego Bianca.
The cover version of "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" became the third single to be released from the album; it was released on November 25, 2003. Though it gained mostly positive reviews, like its predecessor, it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but reached number five on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. Outside the States, the song saw its highest peak in Switzerland, reaching number 28 and staying on the charts for eight weeks. It also charted in Austria and the Wallonia region of Belgium. The music video for the song was directed by Saana Hamri. Another cut from the album, "Irresistible (Westside Connection)", charted at number 81 on the US Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Songs.
Promotion
Following the release of "Through the Rain", Carey embarked on several stateside, European and Asian promotional tours in support of Charmbracelet, as well as its accompanying singles. Promotion for the former song began at the 2002 NRJ Awards, where Carey appeared on stage sporting a long wavy style and wearing a long black skirt and denim blazer. Three days prior to the album's stateside release, a one hour special titled Mariah Carey: Shining Through the Rain aired on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, in which Carey was interviewed and sang several songs from Charmbracelet and of her catalog. During the interview, Carey addressed rumors of her breakdown and its cause, as well as of the album and its inspiration, followed by a question and answer with fans. During the album's month of release, Carey appeared on several television talk shows, launching her promotional tour on Today, where she performed a four song set-list at Mall of America
Mall of America
The Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the...
for a crowd of over 10,000. On December 2, Carey traveled to Brazil for South American promotion of Charmbracelet, appearing on the popular Brazilian program, Fantástico
Fantástico
Fantástico is a Brazilian weekly television newsmagazine broadcast on Sundays by Rede Globo.-Format:The show's first episode was on August 5, 1973 in black-and-white. It began as a variety show featuring music, dance numbers, teletheater, humor, mixed with a small amount of news. The following...
. She sang "My All
My All
"My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly . It was released as the album's fourth and second commercial single on April 21, 1998 by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
", and reprised performances of "Through the Rain" and "I Only Wanted" wearing a long pink gown. Consequently, on December 3, 2002, Carey appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, where she performed "Through the Rain" and "My Saving Grace", and covered a highly publicized interview regarding Carey's hospitalization. Additionally, Carey's interview with Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
on Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
aired that same evening, further adding to the album's roster of promotional efforts. Two weeks later on December 17, Carey performed "I Only Wanted" on The View, and was interviewed by Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
and the other co-hosts on the program.
Ironically, Carey was booked to give Walters a private interview following Glitters release, which was later cancelled following Carey's breakdown. Instead of giving Walters the full-coverage interview following Carey's return to the public eye, Island felt Oprah was more appropriate, and changed the appearance. One month later, Carey was featured as one of the headlining performers at the 30th annual
American Music Awards of 2003
The 30th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 13, 2003.-Pop/Rock Category:-Hip/Hop/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Adult Contemporary Category:-Alternative Category:-Latin Category:-Soundtrack Category:-Inspirational Category:...
American Music Awards, held on January 13, 2003. Introduced by Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne is an English television host, author, music manager, businesswoman and promoter as well as the wife of heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne....
, Carey performed "Through the Rain" alongside a complete live gospel choir, and wore a long black evening gown. During the recital, images of newspaper headlines describing Carey's breakdown were projected on a large curtain behind her, with one reading "When you fall down, you get back up." Following the song's completion, Carey received a standing ovation. In mid-February, Carey was named the headlining performed at the NBA all-star game, notable for it being Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
's last game. She wore a long purple skin-tight Washington Wizard's dress, and performed "Boy (I Need You)", "My Saving Grace" and "Hero
Hero (Mariah Carey song)
"Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box . Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
", which induced a standing ovation, and brought Jordan to tears. On March 1, 2003, Carey performed at the 2003
2003 Soul Train Music Awards
The 2003 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 1, 2003, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The show was co-hosted by Queen Latifah and Arsenio Hall.-R&B/Soul or Rap - Album of the Year:*Ashanti - Ashanti*10 - LL Cool J...
Soul Train Music Awards
2003 Soul Train Music Awards
The 2003 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 1, 2003, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The show was co-hosted by Queen Latifah and Arsenio Hall.-R&B/Soul or Rap - Album of the Year:*Ashanti - Ashanti*10 - LL Cool J...
, sporting a retro-curled hairstyle and wearing a burgundy evening gown. She performed "My Saving Grace", and featured a similarly sequenced performance as on the American Music Awards, where newspaper pages and inspirational photos were projected on a large screen. Following the performance, Carey won a life-time achievement award for her contribution to music. Towards the end of March, Charmbracelet saw release throughout Europe, prompting Carey to appear on several programs in promotion of the album. She first performed the album's leading two singles on the British music chart show, Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, followed by a similar set on The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show is a British comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
and Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
. On the latter program, Carey was joined on stage by the show's finalists, as they all sang the climax on "Through the Rain" alongside her.
Tour
In an attempt to "relaunch" her career following the poor reception to Glitter, as well as her breakdown, Carey announced a world tour in April 2003. Lasting over eight months, the Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah CareyCharmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey is the name of Mariah Carey's 2003–04 worldwide concert tour. It takes its name from Carey's 2002 album Charmbracelet, which had been released six months earlier.-History:...
, became her most extensive tour to date, spanning sixty-nine shows around the world. Prior to tickets going on sale in the United States, venues were switched from arena shows, to small and more intimate theater stops. According to Carey, the change was made in order to give fans a more intimate show, and something more Broadway-influenced, "It's much more intimate so you'll feel like you had an experience. You experience a night with me." However, while smaller productions were booked throughout the tour's stateside leg, Carey performed at stadiums and arenas in Asia and Europe, performing for a crowd of over 35,000 in Manila, 50,000 in Malaysia, and to over 70,000 people in China. In the United Kingdom, it became Carey's first tour to feature shows outside of London, booking arena stops in Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester.
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey garnered generally positive reviews from music critics and concert goers; many complimented the quality of Carey's live vocals, as well as the production as a whole. Additionally, fans were given the opportunity to request different songs from Carey's catalog, further adding to its positive reception. At her concert in Manila, Rito P. Asilo from Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Philippine Daily Inquirer, popularly known as the Inquirer, is the most widely read broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines, with a daily circulation of 260,000 copies. It is one of the Philippines' newspapers of record...
praised Carey's vocals, "I didn't expect her voice to be that crystal clear!". Concluding his review on a positive note, Asilo wrote "After 15 songs, we couldn't seem to get enough of Mariah – and we became a believer!".
Re-release
While preparing for the Asian leg of the Charmbracelet World Tour, Carey announced that Charmbraclet would be re-released with four additional tracks. The album would be released on July 26, 2003, the same day Carey North American leg of the tour would begin. The first song Carey included was her duet with Busta RhymesBusta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, which was released as a single from his album, It Ain't Safe No More
It Ain't Safe No More
It Ain't Safe No More... is the sixth studio album by American rapper Busta Rhymes, released in 2002 . The album eventually went Gold with 605,000 copies sold as of December 5, 2007.- Track listing :...
(2002). The song was Carey's highest charting song internationally since prior to Glitter (2001), reaching top five peaks in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom. When discussing the re-release in an interview with Carson Daly
Carson Daly
Carson Jones Daly is an American television host. He is the host of NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, a late-night talk show that began airing on January 7, 2002. Before his role as host of that program, Daly was a VJ on MTV's TRL, and a DJ for the Southern California based radio station KROQ-FM...
, Carey explained: "The Busta Rhymes duet, I Know What You Want, has become so successful and we always said I would put it on my album as well. So that was really the catalyst. And then I have the other songs left, and we thought we would re-release it [with those tracks included] because the fans were requesting it. So that's the whole reason behind that." The other three songs included on the re-release, "There Goes My Heart", "Got a Thing 4 You" featuring Da Brat
Da Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
and Elephant Man, and "The One (So So Def Remix)" featuring Bone Crusher
Bone crusher
A bone crusher was a device for crushing animal bones. Bones obtained during slaughter were cleaned, boiled in water and dried for several months. After that, they were suitable for crushing with the special machine into a relatively dry gritty powder which was used as fertilizer.The machine,...
, were recorded in The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
. Charmbracelet re-release charted for three weeks on the album chart and peaked at number 96. According to Oricon, it has sold 4,936 copies.
Track listing
Credits and personnel
Credits for Charmbracelet are adapted from the album's liner notes.- Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
– songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Asif AliAsif AliAsif Ali is an Indian film actor who works in Malayalam cinema. He made his debut in 2009 in the acclaimed film Ritu. And has went on to perform in critical and commercial hits such as Apoorvaragam , Traffic , and Salt N' Pepper .-Early life:Asif Ali was born on 4 February 1986 in Ranni...
– engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Florian Ammon – digital editingDigital audio editorA digital audio editor is a computer application for audio editing, i.e. manipulating digital audio. Digital audio editors are the main software component of a digital audio workstation.-For use with music:...
, audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, vocal engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Giulio Antognini – assistant engineer
- Bobby Ross Avila – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Rob Bacon – composer, guitar, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Karen Elaine Bakunin – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Charlie Bisharat – string quartetString quartetA string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, stringsStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"... - Printz Board – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Oswald "Wiz" Bowe – assistant engineer
- Denyse Buffum – viola
- Eve Butler – string quartet, strings
- Cam'ronCam'ronCameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
– rapRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”... - David Campbell – string arrangements
- Darius Campo – string quartet, strings
- Shawn CarterJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
– composer - Dana Jon Chappelle – engineer, vocal engineer
- Susan Chatman – string quartet, strings
- Andrew Chavez – assistant engineer
- Steve Clark – composer
- Lionel ColeLionel ColeLionel Cole is a pianist, songwriter, composer, music editor, and music supervisor. He has served as a regularly touring member Mariah Carey's live band. Cole also partnered with Malcolm-Jamal Warner, to create the jazz and funk band Miles Long. The first album "The Many Facets of Superman" ...
– composer, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizer bassSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Larry Corbett – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Bryan-Michael Cox – composer, producer
- Kenneth Crouch – bassBass drumBass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, composer, fender rhodesRhodes pianoThe Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - DamizzaDamizzaDamion Young, better known by his stage name, Damizza, is a record producer, artist & author known for producing artists such as Ice Cube, Shade Sheist, Snoop Dogg, Korn, Nate Dogg, Ca$his, and Mariah Carey, including Carey's single "Crybaby."...
– producer - Melonie Daniels – background vocals
- Vidal DavisDre & VidalDre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
– Composer, Mixing - Mario Diaz de Leon – string quartet, strings
- Joel Derouin – string quartet, strings
- Vincent Dilorenzo – assistant engineer
- DJ Vice – programming
- Karen Dreyfus – viola
- Jermaine DupriJermaine DupriJermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
– composer, mixing, producer - Elizabeth Dyson – cello
- Joe Elliott – composer
- Brian Frye – engineer
- Matt Funes – viola
- Kevin G. – engineer
- Armen Garabedian – string quartet, strings
- Paul Gregory – assistant engineer, engineer
- Kevin Guarnieri – digital editing, engineer
- Matt Gunes – viola
- Mick Guzauski – mixing
- Reggie Hamilton – bass
- Dawn Hannay – viola
- Andre HarrisDre & VidalDre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
– composer, mixing - David Ryan Harris – guitar
- James HarrisJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
– composer - Leon Haywood – composer
- Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing
- John Horesco IV – assistant
- O'Shea JacksonIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
– composer - Randy JacksonRandy JacksonRandall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
– bass, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, producer - Jimmy JamJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
– guitar, instrumentationInstrumentationInstrumentation is defined as the art and science of measurement and control of process variables within a production, or manufacturing area....
, producer - Eric Johnson – acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
- Just BlazeJust BlazeJustin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
– instrumentation, producer - Suzie Katayama – cello, string contractor
- Gimel "Young Guru" Katon – mixing
- Steve Kempster – string mixing, track engineer
- Peter Kent – string quartet, strings
- Kevin G. – engineer
- Ann Kim – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Lisa Kim – violin
- Myung Hi Kim – violin
- Melissa Kleinbart – violin
- Soohyun Kwon – violin
- Trevor Lawrence – composer, drum programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- Jeanne LeBlanc – cello
- John Lemkuhi – percussion, sound DesignSound designSound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
- Ken Lewis – mixing
- Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
– composer, guitar, instrumentation, producer - Theodore Life – composer
- Liza Lim – violin
- Trey LorenzTrey LorenzTrey Lorenz is an African American singer and songwriter. He was born in Florence, South Carolina and is a graduate of Wilson High School.-Biography:...
– background vocals - Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– mastering - Mario Deleon – strings
- Rob Mathes – conductor, string arrangements
- Jeremy McCoy – bass
- Melanie Daniels – background vocals
- Colin Miller – engineer
- Ann Mincieli – assistant engineer
- Tadd Mingo – assistant engineer
- John D. Mitchell – drum programming
- Bill Molina – engineer
- Billy Odum – guitar
- William Odum – guitar
- Tim Olmstead – assistant engineer
- Suzanne Ornstein – violin
- Alyssa Park – string quartet, strings
- Sara Parkins – string quartet, strings
- John Patitucci – bass
- Kelly PriceKelly PriceKelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
– singing, background vocals - Michelle Richards – string quartet, strings
- Steve Richards – cello, strings
- Alexander Richbourg – drum programming, vocal programming
- Robert Rinehart – viola
- Tom Rosenthal – viola
- Jeff Rothschild – assistant engineer
- Laura Seaton – violin
- 7 Aurelius – composer, producer, programming
- Andrew Sherman – piano
- Jaime Sickora – assistant engineer
- Dexter Simmons – mixing
- Fiona Simon – violin
- Carl "Butch" Small – percussion
- John Smeltz – engineer, mixing
- Dan Smith – cello, strings
- Daniel Smith – cello
- Justin Smith – composer
- Lloyd Smith – composer
- Xavier Smith – assistant, assistant engineer
- Jay Spears – assistant engineer, digital editing
- Brian Springer – engineer
- Brian Sumner – assistant engineer
- Phil Tan – engineer, mixing
- Mary Ann Tatum – background vocals
- Lesa Terry – string quartet, strings
- Michael Thompson – guitar, classical guitarClassical guitarThe classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
, steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use... - Jeremy Turner – cello
- German Villacorta – assistant engineer
- Seth Waldman – assistant engineer
- Dexter Wansel – composer
- Norman Whitfield – composer
- Pete Willis – composer
- Evan Wilson – viola
- John Wittenberg – string quartet, strings
- Mary Wooten – cello
- Jason Wormer – assistant engineer
- James "Big Jim" Wright – composer, producer
- Sharon Yamada – violin
- Jung Sun Yoo – violin
- Bradley Yost – assistant engineer
- Damion Young – composer
- Antony Zeller – assistant engineer
Recording locations
Recording locations are adapted from Charmbracelet liner notes.- Capri Digital Studios (Capri, Italy)
- Capro Studio (Capri, Italy)
- Compass Point StudiosCompass Point StudiosCompass Point Studios were founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records.In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, many musical artists from across the world came to the Bahamas to record music at its facilities. Many producers, including Chris Blackwell himself, used the studio to produce...
(Nassau, Bahamas) - Enterprise 2 Studios (Los Angeles, California)
- Flyte Tyme Studio (Edina, Minnesota)
- Henson StudioHenson Recording StudiosHenson Recording Studios was established in 2000 at the former A&M Studios. The remake of We Are the World was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in February 2010 to benefit the Haiti earthquake victims....
(Los Angeles, California) - Quad Recording (New York, New York)
- Right Track Studios (New York, New York)
- SouthSide Studios (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Studio Atlantis (Los Angeles, California)
- The Record Plant (Los Angeles, California)
- The Studio (Philadelphia, Philadelphia)
- The Village RecorderThe Village (studio)The Village is a famous recording studio in Los Angeles, California.Since the 1960s, The Village has been the home to recordings by artists such as Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers, The Beach Boys, Mariah Carey, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Alice Cooper, Elvis Costello, The Doors, Bob...
(Los Angeles, California) - The Womb (Los Angeles, California)
- Westlake AudioWestlake Recording StudiosWestlake Recording Studios is a well-known music recording studio in West Hollywood, CA.-History:The studio was founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s by Tom Hidley, and is credited as "one of the first big commercial efforts to produce acoustically standardised 'interchangeable' rooms"...
(Los Angeles, California) - Zac Recording (Atlanta, Georgia)
Charts
| Chart (2002–04) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
42 |
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
34 |
| Belgian Flanders Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
48 |
| Belgian Walloon Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
28 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
30 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 30 |
| French Albums Chart | 12 |
| German Albums Chart | 32 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
4 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 50 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 9 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
52 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
3 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 2 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| French Albums Chart | 121 |
| US Billboard 200 | 61 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | ABDP Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos The Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos is an official representative body of the record labels in the Brazilian phonographic market.- About :... |
Gold |
| Canada | CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Gold |
| France | SNEP Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
Gold |
| Hong Kong | IFPI | Gold |
| Japan | RIAJ Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Platinum |
| Switzerland | IFPI | Gold |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |