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If you were watching Ryan Secreast’s rockin’ New Year’s Eve last night you saw Mariah Carey’s incredible lip sync fail. I don’t know what was more uncomfortable, watching Carey prance around in what had to be uncomfortable shape wear, or her “I give up!” reaction to not being able to hear the music in her earpiece.

Most NYE performances are taped in October and this is why! Live is a danger especially when you are a busy person who doesn’t have time for soundcheck like Mariah. The BEST part of this video is seeing her backup dancers go through their routine, just like the practiced, like professional performers.

Not taking away her great talents or career, Carey is definitely known to be a little quirky and sometimes hard to work with. Take this story from an illustrator who was hired to draw a Christmas card for Carey.

Or if you can’t see it:

Working With Famous People II:
The Mariah Carey Affair, a christmas story
So I get this call from a friend of mine:
-Adriano, I have a job for you. It is an illustration for a Christmas Postcard and it is for Mariah Carey. Can we meet and talk about.
Me: Sure, as far as she pays.
There I go to the meeting. “She wants herself, in front of a house , with her dog, decorating a Christmas tree, here are the photo references. How long do you take for it? It is a flat rate of a thousand. These are the previous artists, it seems they need a new one.”
ME: I have it done and finished for tomorrow.
”Awesome!”
Go back home, think to myself “this is kinda of a simple gig. let me knock it off in a sec, get out of the way and back to focus on stuff I actually care about.” The drawing is done, next day I email him the art.
It is December 5th.
December 9th
CLIENT: Adriano, they called us with 17 revisions. Mariah herself made a drawing with everything that needed to be changed.
ME: 17? There are not even 17 elements on the art itself. Where has she found 17 things to change?
CLIENT: I can’t even explain. You need to see.
I meet him and there it is:
Redraw the dog, the house is too common I want a gingerbread house, not a city behind but mountains, redraw the dog he is too big, add snowflakes, add gifts under the christmas tree, no wrinkles on her smile, redraw the dog, etc and etc.
CLIENT: How long is it gonna take for you to change all this?
And here was my MAJOR mistake on this whole story
ME: I have it for tomorrow.
CLIENT: Awesome!
I sent him the new version. It is December 10th.
December 13th
CLIENT: Adriano, they sent us more changes.
ME: Yes, fine, but I have other stuff to do now. It will take a couple of days.
December 14th
CLIENT: Adriano, they are menacing to ditch the whole thing if they don’t see the changes immediatelly. Are you out of your mind? We are going to loose the client.
ME: But I said… ok ok, whatever, let me work on it.
REVISIONS: Redraw the dog he is not cute enough, add more ginger to the house, Mariah should be wearing a BUTTERFLY RING, redraw the dog you didn’t get his spots right, etc, etc
December 18th
CLIENT: Adriano, MORE revisions.
ME: It is almost christmas? When is this people going to print this thing? Easter?
REVISIONS: Redraw the dog, the BUTTERFLY RING should be a MONARCH BUTTERFLY, etc
DECEMBER 20th
CLIENT: Adriano…
ME: I KNOW, I KNOW… GIVE ME THE SHIT!
REVISIONS: redraw the dog, the ring looks too much like a butterfly now adda shining to it
DECEMBER 22ND
CLIENT: …
ME: WHAT, NOW?
REVISION: the butterfly ring is upside down, we will live with the dog you drew
DECEMBER 23rd
ME: so, can we get paid before New Year’s eve since this ##### made us go through this living hell?
CLIENT: Midjanuary.
ME: Awesome…
I did a few more times since times were tough but you work for this creature you pay the price back.
Now you know why they always need new artists. They sucked all the blood from the previous ones.
I still want to kill that dog.
#mariahcarey #livinghell

Ouch indeed.

1 COMMENT

  1. Apologies if I missed something here but… the artist and agent did not think they should provide a sketch before going to final art?

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