Mariah Carey is one of the most prolific artists of our time with her heavenly eight-octave voice and songs that have touched us in more ways than one. Mariah was at the height of her career with the release of The Emancipation of Mimi in 2005, and ever since then she's released only modest hits. New chanteuses have come and gone such as Ariana Grande, but there can only ever be one Mariah.

2009's Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is still my favorite Mimi album. It may have not been well-received, but I felt it had the perfect amount of R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop and her signature piano ballads. However, Mariah's much-delayed release of Me. I Am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse, preceded by a smattering of odd single releases, gives Memoirs a run for its money.

Me. I Am Mariah is not an immediate hit, I must admit. Just like it's slow-burning piano ballad opener 'Cry.', the album takes some getting used to. It doesn't have that 'Touch My Body' or 'Obsessed' mega-hit to get you addicted. I might dare compare it to BEYONCÉ in that the album is an intimate journey which explores Mimi as a person, rather than giving us a string of hits that will catapult this album to the top of the charts. It's slow-burning, yet very enticing and satisfying,
The Mariah I've always loved is the hip-hop/pop cross-over diva that turns out a fierce club jam. 'Thirsty' brings out that "Mariah, dahhhling" side of her that's annoying yet divalicious. What better way to secure a hit than with a shoutout to your haters? Who knew a balladeer could shine so brilliantly on a trip-pop beat? The real shining moment of the album, however, is 'You Don't Know What to Do', a Donna Summer-like disco jam. From it's grandiose piano-driven opening to the celestial chords of the infuriatingly-catchy chorus, the song could score Mariah one of her biggest hits in recent memory.

Her most quintessential pop offerings are sandwiched in amongst all of this. Her biggest hit off this album was last year's summer jam '#Beautiful' and this year's Valentine's Day ode to love 'You're Mine (Eternal)'. Despite my hate of the Miguel collab, these two tracks are there to bring in the new fans, and they are actually some of the better moments on the album.

It wouldn't be a Mimi record without her urban moments, and there's where master hit-maker Mike WiLL Made It (who is single-handedly responsible for Miley Cyrus's meteoritic rise in popularity) comes in. 'Faded' brings that more contemporary vibe to the album and lets Mariah have her "I'm over you" moment. She's bitchy but in the most gorgeous of ways. But then there's 'Money ($ * / …)' which deserves respect for the title alone. Again, it has that irreverent "holier than thou" moment as she proclaims that money just ain't a problem while trying to disguise it as a loving sentiment, but it's fantastically produced with Hit-Boy at the helm and gives us that urban bounce flair that we crave.
'Meteorite' is one of my favorites, and it's probably because it's a groovy club-banger that revolves around the fleeting reality of fame. Mariah begins the song by quoting Andy Warhol's "15 Minutes of Fame" statement, and it's clear that Mariah's reveling in her longevity and putting down all the basics who are trying to make careers happen that aren't destined to be #DivaStatus. 'Make It Look Good' makes an impact with a sort of country flair with a harmonica-driving beat on which Mariah goes for a Kesha speak-singing chorus. It's brilliantly delicious.

With 'Dedicated', which contains a brilliant feature from Nas, she lets things percolate and reminds us of her humble R&B beginnings. The real standout is when she whips out the whistle register and puts bitches to shame as her vocals storm the song. 'Camouflage' is a gorgeous piano ballad that reminds you why Mariah is one of the most revered chanteuses in history. It's sheer perfection.
The highlight of the album, though, has to be 'Supernatural'. This one features #DemBabies (as Mariah lovingly refers to her twins) in an ode to her children that inevitably every mommy pop star has in their discography. It's a gorgeous R&B ballad that shows off Mariah's strengths, but then during the final minute we hear Mimi having a conversation with her kids and Monroe adorably proclaims "I'm a chanteuse!" If this one doesn't slay your life I feel sorry for you.

Rounding out the album are 'One More Try' and 'Heavenly (No Ways Tired / Can’t Give Up Now)' which work in tandem to bring Mariah's story to a close. 'One More Try' is a cover of George Michael's #1 hit, and Mariah belts over the power ballad giving us one of the most emotional moments of the record. The church-organ and "come to Jesus" sound carry through into the closing number. 'Heavenly' brings one last genre, gospel, to an already packed record, but it is the most poignant and celebratory moment. Mariah leaves us with a heartfelt message and a smile plastered on our faces. We now know the true meaning of "Me. I Am Mariah."
It's a monstrous album which thankfully is a good problem to have. The record is inundated with many genres that intermingle in an adorable muddle that only someone with Mariah's legacy can get away with. It's not a record that you will want to return to instantly, rather it's a retrospective look at who Mariah is as a person which takes time to appreciate. I'm not ready to proclaim it as Mariah's greatest body of work, but it does bring together all the best elements. I guess this chanteuse isn't so elusive after all. Now let's see how long she can stay in the limelight before fading away into obscurity again, or until she finds herself in the middle of another diva-off with gal pal Nicki Minaj.

Tracks to Check Out: 'Supernatural', 'Camouflage', 'Heavenly', 'Meteorite', 'You Don't Know What to Do', 'Thirsty'

Overall Rating: 7.5