Some musicians believe that their albums are like children and they simply cannot pick their favorite one. But not Mariah Carey. She took to Instagram to reveal which of her albums she likes best.
The talented songstress has released an astonishing 14 albums since her self-titled first record came out in 1990. Some people might consider her debut her best effort. After all, it is quite surprising when someone brand-new comes onto the music scene and immediately scores four No. 1 hits, “Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “Someday,” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry.” The Mariah Carey album has now sold more than 15 million units worldwide and has been certified platinum nine times in the United States alone.
However, the 49-year-old believes that her sixth release is, by far, her best effort yet.
“Happy anniversary Butterfly,” Carey wrote on Instagram on Sunday, September 16, which is exactly 21 years after the album was released to the public in 1997.
“This is still my fave album and always will be,” she added.
Two images of the singer from the album cover’s photo shoot accompany her caption.
The first beautiful photo of Carey, then just 28-years-old, is the one that was used as the cover of Butterfly. In the pic, the skinny superstar is wearing a matte gold tube top and matching bottoms. A gold belly chain with a butterfly charm on it adorns her stomach. She has an innocent look on her face, and her hair is wildly tousled, blowing in the wind. A colorful butterfly is perched on her left hand, which is holding some pieces of her hair.
In the second snapshot, Carey, wearing the same metallic outfit, has her eyes closed as she appears to be shaking her gorgeous mane around. The aforementioned butterfly has its wings spread open as it flies around near her hair.
Butterfly, which debuted in the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 album chart, is notable for being Carey’s first batch of new tunes after separating from her husband of four years, Tommy Mottola, who at the time was also the chairman and CEO of her record label, Sony.
There were five singles released from the record — “Honey” and “My All,” which both hit No. 1 on the charts, and “Butterfly,” “The Roof,” and “Breakdown” — which featured contributions from the likes of Sean “Diddy” Combs, Missy Elliott, Q-Tip, and Da Brat.
In an October 30, 1997, review of Butterfly, Rolling Stone said that “the predominant mood of Butterfly is one of coolly erotic reverie,” and “Carey has spread her wings, and she’s ready to fly.”
Although she said that Butterfly is her favorite record, that doesn’t mean Carey won’t stop trying to come out with even better songs.
Last week, she released her first new song and video since the 2014 album Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse. The tune, “GTFO,” is from her upcoming 15th studio album, which will drop later this year.
She will be touring overseas until the end of the year, and then will return to Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace in February to continue performing the headlining show The Butterfly Returns.