The search continues to find the Mystery iTunes Artist set to Beyoncé an album on iTunes sometime in the next few weeks. And while there are a few primary suspects — Lana Del Rey, Nicki Minaj, Madonna (a boy can dream) — we’ve yet to identify the culprit.
But now, an eyebrow-raising piece of evidence has just led us in a festive new direction: The next cover of Billboard Magazine and, more importantly, the description…
It’s Mariah Carey.
This Is My Life Since I Last Left Off
After waiting five years between albums, Mariah Carey finally explains the personal struggle behind her all-at-once digital release, from that Idol debacle (‘bamboozled’) to a need for ‘uplifting’ music: ‘It’s all been a blur.’
“Behind her all-at-once digital release…”
An all-at-once digital release? That’s got the same ring to it as a “visual album experience” to me.
And what’s more: Last night, Jermaine Dupri was interviewed on the red carpet of the ASCAP Pop Awards regarding Mariah’s oft-delayed record: “May. A couple of weeks,” he said quickly. “In today’s society, people are buying promotion as opposed to music. I don’t know that people are into music the way they should be,” he continued. Letting the music speak for itself? What a novel idea.
UPDATE: The mystery artist is indeed Mimi!
Billboard revealed more of the details regarding Mariah’s all-at-once release today, which will be emancipated “all at once” digitally:
But, as Billboard exclusively reveals in its latest cover story, Carey will be taking a surprise approach to the project by revealing her new album’s title, track listing, artwork and music all at once via to-be-announced digital partners (a physical release at retail is expected the following week.) “I have to be the one that announces this, especially the title,” Carey says, noting that the album takes its name from a “personal possession of mine that’s part of an entity that I’ve had almost all my life.”
Though Carey doesn’t mention other artists in describing her strategy, it’s clear she’s taking a page out of the “Beyoncé” playbook.
The article also reveals that Mariah’s new record will include collabos with Hit-Boy, Mike Will Made It, Wale, Nas, Trey Songz, Larry Gold, the Love Unlimited Orchestra — and a special guest star. (I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that it’s not a sequel to “Up Out My Face” with Nicki.)
A massive Billboard cover announcement sort of defeats the purpose of the “surprise” element, but hey. That Mimi — always full of surprises!
Tell the Lambily member in your life not to practice the art of letting go just yet: May is about to be #beautiful.
