Mariah Carey will be “surprise dropping†an album sometime very soon, she tells Billboard magazine this month. And while she’s not explicitly calling it a “Beyoncé move,†it’s happening too close to Beyoncé’s release to truly deny the connection. (And is it really a Beyoncé-style release if you announce that it’s going to happen?) No matter the strategy, Carey’s been pushing back the release of her 14th album for some time, so this also might also just be a good way to get it out there already. Meanwhile, if you’re hoping for that throwback Mariah sound you’ve always known and loved, you might be in luck? Only this diva can get away with studying her own collection when seeking inspiration:
“After immersing herself in her own catalog (“a friend of mine made me a playlist with 1,000 of my songs on it called ‘The Ultimate MC Audio Collection,’†she says), Carey explored her feel-good, hip-hop/R&B side as well as her more introspective moments that could give her fans the best of all worlds.â€