So So Gay
Since giving birth to twins last year, Mariah Carey has been a busy woman, almost immediately returning to the music studio to prepare her eleventh studio album. ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’ is the lead single to be taken from the currently untitled album, which features guest raps from Rick Ross and Meek Miller. Written by Carey with her long-time collaborator Jermaine Dupri, and Bryan-Michael Cox, ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’ talks about Mariah’s personal troubles and how she got through them.
The single is a mid-tempo, R&B and hip-hop song that harks back to the sounds of Carey’s last comeback album, The Emancipation Of Mimi. The track kicks off with a rap by newcomer Meek Mill, while Mariah whispers along, almost inaudibly, like an echo in the background. It’s only in the chorus when she unleashes her vocals: ‘Can’t fall down / Stay triumphant / Keep on living / Stay on your toes / Get off the rope / Don’t let ‘em ever count you out / Realise all things are possible / In your heart who’s the greatest / Reach for the stars / Be all that you are / And make ‘em all fall down’. The second verse is then taken by hip-hop veteran Rick Ross, who, like Meek Mill, tells us about the difficulties he’s faced in life – so lots of talk about money, ‘hoes’, haters, climbing mountains and tops and bottoms (no jokes, please).
Ever since the start of the millennium, and especially after the success of The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey has stuck with the R&B sound which is a far cry from her earlier records, such as ‘Emotions’ and ‘Hero’. As such, it’s beginning to get a little tiresome, particularly when supposedly guest artists dominate the song, as is the case with ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’. Besides the chorus and middle eight, Carey does very little singing that showcases what she’s famous for – her range and vocals – and unfortunately when she does sing she sounds like she inhaled a gallon of helium beforehand. ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’ reminds us of ‘It’s Like That’ (the lead single from The Emancipation Of Mimi) – a decent party song that would go down well in a club perhaps, especially with its uplifting, anthemic message, but let’s hope the next single will be more like ‘We Belong Together’, showcasing her big voice rather than relying on rappers and a heavy production that ultimately goes nowhere.
Download ’Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’ from iTunes or Amazon now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Lx9_5tPdQ
