Happy 25th Anniversary to Mariah Carey’s fifth studio album Daydream, originally released October 3, 1995.
I remember washing my mother’s car on a somewhat cool day in mid-May of 1990. Fourteen years old at the time, the act itself was nothing new to me, a repetitive task I did at least once a month to earn some pocket money. But what did make this particular day so special was turning the radio on and being introduced to a new singer named Mariah Carey and her debut single “Vision of Love.”
That was the first day of what has gone on to become a very long love affair with one of the world’s greatest vocalists, coupled with my affection for her music that has not only never failed to disappoint, but also pulled me through some of the toughest moments of my life. I was a lamb before the term had even been conjured up, a feat that I am not only proud of, but hold incredibly dear to my heart to this very day.
Fast forward five years from Carey’s eponymous debut LP Mariah Carey (1990) and nearly as many albums in the intervening period and we arrive at the heart of the ‘90s and the singer’s fifth studio album, Daydream. It is important to point out that this album was released less than a year after the now legendary Merry Christmas album that has also given Carey the title of “Queen of Christmas,” not to mention selling millions of copies globally and constantly re-entering the charts each Christmas. But I digress.
Daydream, which houses 12 tracks in most markets—the Japanese edition contains the “Fantasy (Def Club Mix)” and the Latin American/Spanish version contains the Spanish song “El Amor Que Soñe” (The Love That Dreams)—debuted at number one in nine markets around the world and entered the top five in nearly every other major music market.
It’s not hard to believe that with six singles released from the album, Daydream remains one of the biggest selling albums of all time with sales in excess of 20 million copies. Twenty. Million. Now, let that sink in.
The team assembled for this album consists of longtime collaborator Walter Afanasieff, with whom Carey had worked with on all of her albums up until this point, as well as the legendary DJ/producer David Morales and So So Def Recordings founder Jermaine Dupri who co-wrote and co-produced the album’s fourth single. “Always Be My Baby” cementing the beginning of a long working relationship with the singer.
The extra layers of musical deliciousness don’t stop there. Long-time backing vocalist and one of the best voices in the business, Melonie Daniels, get credits, along with Kelly Price, Babyface and even Japanese DJ and House Music maestro, Satoshi Tomiie. Eclectic, yet incredibly solid choices, all of which aided in the weaving of this musical masterpiece, and it clearly shows.
Daydream is at its peak when Carey allows herself to be immersed in R&B and hip-hop. Whether it be the album’s lead single “Fantasy” (that remix with Puffy and Ol’ Dirty Bastard is still fresh today) or the ‘70s inspired “Underneath the Stars,” Carey ensures that she still incorporates her identity within the music she so beautifully delivers. Her vocal arrangements are consistently imaginative, and that “whistle” sends the hairs on the back of my neck upwards, every single time we are indulged in its novelty.
Babyface exercises his songwriting and soundsmithing expertise on “Melt Away,” which allows Carey to explore the lower tones of her range. A rich and velvety depth is put on display in this track and this may have allowed Carey to discover that her voice was equally as captivating in the lower keys, something that many vocalists need to face as the passage of time makes it harder for them to reach those ever-elusive higher notes.
Classic Carey is still as interesting on Daydream as she was on her debut and this can be heard on tracks like “Long Ago” and the gorgeous “Melt Away.” It’s not unjust to say that Carey dominated the music stratosphere with her vocal gymnastics and Daydream was no exception. With vocal arrangements that would confuse even the most seasoned vocalist, Carey didn’t shy away from demonstrating just what it was that set her apart from the rest: her voice.
“One Sweet Day” brings the dynamo of Boyz II Men’s harmonizing to Carey’s gymnastic riffs, something that could be seen as ostentatious if it weren’t for the fact that this is a eulogy of sorts for Carey’s close friend, the late David Cole (C+C Music Factory). A closer listen to the lyrics and it will all come together.
Carey seized control on Daydream and it shows, from beginning to end. Her writing is pure and honest and something that she now had even more control over, but it’s important to note that so much was going on around the singer at the time, including a messy breakup with husband and former Sony Records boss Tommy Mottola, not to mention the apparent snub at the 38th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1996. With so many monumental things surrounding her at the time, it is almost awe-inspiring to see a young woman take control of her career and steer it in the direction she wanted it to go. And the two-and-a-half decades that have elapsed since have proven that she has done just that.
The transition on Daydream wasn’t limited just to Carey’s musicality. As mentioned above, the once controlled Carey had now broken those shackles and put herself in the driver’s seat of her career. Some have said that this album was the end of Mariah’s innocence and that she could no longer hide behind the guise of the self-proclaimed “eternal 12-year-old.” I disagree. It’s all relative and somewhat subjective, but what we do know is that Mariah Carey and Daydream have both endured and stood the test of time. Honeyed and emotive, this album is yet another masterpiece from one of the greatest vocalists of our time, who was so clearly at the top of her game.
Enjoyed this article? Read more about Mariah Carey here:
Mariah Carey (1990) | Glitter (2001) | Caution (2018)
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