MARIAH CAREY is looking for a hit. Evidently, she wasn’t getting any help from her management company, Roc Nation. Her manager Melissa Ruderman jumped from Roc to Range Media in January. Now Mariah has followed. The UK Sun and Deadline.com suggested that Mariah had a falling out with Jay Z, who owns Roc. Mariah responded by saying she was proud of the number 1 single she had with Jay Z, called “Heartbreaker.”
Only: “Heartbreaker” was a hit in 1999. Mariah has not been able to muster a new hit in over a decade. Her only record that sells is “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Every November it takes off, and gives Mariah a new lease at number 1 for about a week.
But for people under 30, that’s all they know of Mariah. Can Range Media help her? They’re not really a music outfit. It seems an odd choice. Also, Range is owned by Point 72, the financial firm guided by Steve Cohen, owner of the Mets and survivor of a financial scandal with the SEC. He had to pay them $1.8 billion in fines as SAC Capital, Point 72’s previous name. I’m not sure Mariah understands she may soon be singing the national anthem at Mets games.
One story said Mariah wanted to an “R&B album,” whatever that means. What was she doing before? What Mariah should do is record an album of real songs, not deploying her high octave over yodeling. When she covered “Without You” and “I’ll Be There,” her audience responded. Her song, “Dreamlover,” is the only single in her carton of hits besides “Vision of Love” with a melody and a hook. Cover some cool R&B oldies not so well known, have some new ones crafted like Bruno Mars’ latest hit. That’s the only way Mariah will get on radio or back on the charts.