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Mariah Carey finally plays Minnesota: How does she compare with 8 other volcanic voices?

How does Mariah Carey, who makes her overdue Twin Cities debut this week, measure up to other grand female voices?

By Jon Bream

March 8, 2019 at 1:30PM
FILE - In this Dec. 31, 2017 file photo, Mariah Carey performs at the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York. Carey, one of the world's most celebrated artists, is performing in Saudi Arabia for the first time, but there's a growing chorus of Saudi women calling on her to cancel the concert in support of detained women's rights activists. Activists say her concert is an attempt by the government to polish its image after the Oct. 2 killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi inside t
Mariah Carey (Brent N. Clarke/Invision/The Associated Press)

The numbers are stunning: Mariah Carey has scored a record 18 No. 1 songs, won five Grammys — and performed zero concerts in the Twin Cities area. None. On Wednesday the 49-year-old songbird supreme finally will headline a show in Minneapolis. That will give us a chance to see how Carey, she of the gymnastic voice and five-octave range, compares with other stratospheric singers.

Christina Aguilera

Age: 38

No. 1 pop songs: 5

Grammys: 5

Signature song: "Fighter"

Concert grade: B-minus. It's been a long time since "The Voice" coach performed here, but in 2007 she manifested too much lung power, with her voice getting shrill and over-the-top.

Celine Dion

Age: 50

No. 1 pop songs: 4

Grammys: 5

Signature song: "My Heart Will Go On"

Concert grade: B. The Vegas queen brings plenty of pomp and Cirque du Soleil-ness and, of course, that athletic voice with its heart-thumping vibrato and glass-shattering force.

Ariana Grande

Age: 25

No. 1 pop songs: 2

Grammys: 1

Signature song: "Thank U, Next"

Concert grade: A-minus. Once dubbed a Mariah clone, she is learning to rein in the vocal histrionics and becoming a powerfully emotional singer as she builds a trove of top-notch, highly personal, self-penned songs.

Patti LaBelle

Age: 74

No. 1 pop songs: 2

Grammys: 2

Signature song: "Lady ­Marmalade"

Concert grade: A. With her expert command of dynamics, emotion and showmanship, this ageless diva delivers with an unparalleled combination of vivacious personality and vocal prowess.

Ann Wilson

Age: 68

No. 1 pop songs: 2

Grammys: 0

Signature song: "Alone"

Concert grade: B. Her group Heart started out as a female-fronted answer to Led Zeppelin, and she remains potent as a Robert Plant-inspired wailer.

Jennifer Hudson

Age: 37

No. 1 pop songs: 0

Grammys: 2

Signature song: "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"

Concert grade: C-plus. This gospel-reared screamer raises the roof higher than Prince and Little Richard combined, but lacks first-rate original material.

Amy Lee

Age: 37

No. 1 pop songs: 0

Grammys: 2

Signature song: "Bring Me to Life"

Concert grade: B-plus. The Evanescence frontwoman brings rock drama and remarkable range — all while playing piano — no matter who's in her revolving cast of sidemen.

Lisa Fischer

Age: 60

No. 1 pop songs: 0

Grammys: 2

Signature song: "How Can I Ease the Pain"

Concert grade: A-plus. Arguably the finest female singer on Earth, she's a master at mixing genres — from jazz and soul to rock and classical — in the same song.

Twitter: @JonBream • 612-673-1719


Mariah Carey performs on stage at the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP)
Mariah Carey performs on stage at the 2017 New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
FILE - In this May 28, 2016 file photo, Christina Aguilera performs during a concert at the annual Mawazine Music Festival in Rabat, Morocco. Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, and members of Prince's inner circle will highlight a family-sanctioned Prince tribute concert in St. Paul on Oct. 13, 2016. The lineup also includes Chaka Khan, John Mayer, Tori Kelly, Anita Baker, Doug E. Fresh, Luke James, Bilal and Mint Condition. (AP Photo /Abdeljalil Bounhar, File)
FILE - In this May 28, 2016 file photo, Christina Aguilera performs during a concert at the annual Mawazine Music Festival in Rabat, Morocco. Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, and members of Prince’s inner circle will highlight a family-sanctioned Prince tribute concert in St. Paul on Oct. 13, 2016. The lineup also includes Chaka Khan, John Mayer, Tori Kelly, Anita Baker, Doug E. Fresh, Luke James, Bilal and Mint Condition. (AP Photo /Abdeljalil Bounhar, File) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
FILE - In this July 31, 2016 file photo, Celine Dion performs in concert at the Bell Centre in Montreal. In the wake of multiple allegations against R. Kelly, some performers are denouncing songs the R&B hitmaker created for them. Dion followed in Lady Gaga's footsteps, removing her Grammy-nominated duet with the embattled singer, R. Kelly, "I'm Your Angel," from streaming platforms. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - In this July 31, 2016 file photo, Celine Dion performs in concert at the Bell Centre in Montreal. In the wake of multiple allegations against R. Kelly, some performers are denouncing songs the R&B hitmaker created for them. Dion followed in Lady Gaga’s footsteps, removing her Grammy-nominated duet with the embattled singer, R. Kelly, “I’m Your Angel,” from streaming platforms. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP, File) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
FILE - In this June 2, 2018 file photo, Ariana Grande performs at Wango Tango at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. The Recording Academy’s Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion is a launching a new initiative announced Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, to create and expand more opportunities to female music producers and engineers. More than 200 musicians, labels and others have already pledged, including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Pearl Jam, Pharrell and Grande. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invi
FILE - In this June 2, 2018 file photo, Ariana Grande performs at Wango Tango at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. The Recording Academy’s Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion is a launching a new initiative announced Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, to create and expand more opportunities to female music producers and engineers. More than 200 musicians, labels and others have already pledged, including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Pearl Jam, Pharrell and Grande. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
R&B superstar Patti LaBelle performed at the Grandstand Wednesday night. ] Aaron Lavinsky ¥ aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com R&B superstar Patti LaBelle and the Commodores performed at the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015.
R&B superstar Patti LaBelle performed at the Grandstand Wednesday night. ] Aaron Lavinsky ¥ aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com R&B superstar Patti LaBelle and the Commodores performed at the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
BRENDAN SULLIVANÊ¥ brendan.sullivan@startribune.com MINNEAPOLIS - July 18, 2010 - The Lilith Fair, all female music festival took place at the Target Center on Sunday. IN THIS PHOTO: ] Ann Wilson of the band Heart rock out with thousands of fans who attended the Lilith Fair, which is an all female music festival, that took place at the Target Center on Sunday.
BRENDAN SULLIVANÊ¥ brendan.sullivan@startribune.com MINNEAPOLIS - July 18, 2010 - The Lilith Fair, all female music festival took place at the Target Center on Sunday. IN THIS PHOTO: ] Ann Wilson of the band Heart rock out with thousands of fans who attended the Lilith Fair, which is an all female music festival, that took place at the Target Center on Sunday. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Jennifer Hudson and the DC choir perform "The Times They Are A Changin'" during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Jennifer Hudson and the DC choir perform “The Times They Are A Changin’” during the “March for Our Lives” rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Heather Charles/ Staff Photographer Minneapolis, MN: 7/13/04: Amy Lee ,the lead singer of Evanescence, performs with the band for a crowd of about 9,000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. GENERAL INFORMATION: review of rockers Evanescence,Please concentrate on lead singer Amy Lee.
Heather Charles/ Staff Photographer Minneapolis, MN: 7/13/04: Amy Lee ,the lead singer of Evanescence, performs with the band for a crowd of about 9,000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. GENERAL INFORMATION: review of rockers Evanescence,Please concentrate on lead singer Amy Lee. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Lisa Fischer performed at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, Minn. on Tuesday, december 9, 2014. ] RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER reneejones@startribune.com ORG XMIT: MIN1412092008250475
Lisa Fischer performed at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, Minn. on Tuesday, december 9, 2014. ] RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER reneejones@startribune.com ORG XMIT: MIN1412092008250475 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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