Mariah, 37, opened her heart about her breakdown in the September issue of US magazine Interview. She said: "I consider the breakdown a breakthrough. I needed to hit rock bottom however it happened."

Mariah on her new sound for her upcoming album: It's a fun record - it's been my obsession. Look, to me, that I'm able to do what I love for a living is a gift from God. I could be doing something I hate every day. Yes, sometimes it's tough because I've got to sleep 15 hours to sing the way I want to. It's not easy because my vocal chords are different than most people's. But that aside, this album has been so much fun because I'm writing with a lot different people but mainly a lot of rappers and I will bring something to the table that they wouldn't have and vice versa.

Mariah on her love for rap music: People think I just started experimenting with hip-hop and working with rappers when I worked on Butterfly album [1997] and that I just started working with whoever they saw me hanging out with, be it Q-Tip or Puffy or whoever, but they don't realize that I've been a fan of hip-hop and using hip-hop loops forever - I had to sneak it when I was married and when I was in that system. The masses were not up on hip-hop, but ever since I can remember I was into rap - like the Sugarhill Gang is one of the first records I ever bought, and then like Grandmaster Flash. I grew up with hip-hop.

Mariah on the theme of her new sound: I sat in the hot tub the other night playing some songs for some friends and one of them felt that it was a very pro-woman kind of thing. And I was like, "You know what, I didn't do that intentionally." It is not that the songs are male-bashing, but she felt that it was very empowered-woman moment. I love to be able to play things for people who can listen to something rough. When I'm playing something for someone from the record company I need to perfect it a little bit more.
scans via MARIAHDAILY.COM.

[urban-hoopla]

Labels: Mariah Carey, Newsstand Snapshots