Mariah Carey Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Butterfly

Mariah Carey, the Elusive Chanteuse of Music, is celebrating 25 years of her iconic album Butterfly with an expansive edition and plenty of surprises to mark this momentous occasion. Stream it now or pick up a copy in vinyl or cassette format along with new merchandise and anniversary gifts to commemorate this momentous milestone.

“Butterfly” is not only Mariah Carey’s sixth studio album title, it also symbolizes her freedom to explore and express her deepest emotions regarding both personal and professional relationships. Lyrically, she’s moving away from her earlier ethereal pop anthems in favor of something deeper with an angular voice – with stunning results. On this record, Mariah shows off all of her vocal prowess for the first time – leaving it open-hearted and stunningly honest.

On her album, she explores the tension between being both Diva and Queen. It’s as though she is grappling with being both chaste and untamed at once, as her voice carries her along in an embrace of awe and ecstasy.

Carey says she’s releasing the record in an effort to free herself from her marriage’s stagnation. It serves as a metaphor: “I’ve been trapped, and it’s time for change,” Carey declares. She has also addressed other obstacles like her relationship with Sony and even her reluctance to be open about being bisexual (the album’s title track deals with this struggle).

She doesn’t appear to be regretting taking on a different musical direction, yet she also seems to have let go of much of the pretense. On songs such as “I’m Not Fear to Be Myself/It’s Your Love,” her voice comes alive with renewed vitality – as if it had been given new life by being allowed to express itself freely.

On the title track of her album, Carey sings, “When I’m free, it’s a feeling I can’t resist/Staying on the inside, you’re on the outside – we’re both just trying to get through it together.” To accompany this poignant moment in Carey’s life, she created an emotionally moving video featuring images of herself surrounded by her ex-husband’s belongings – an apt visual representation of both liberation and finding true love within yourself regardless of what others think or say.

Carey originally covered Prince’s song on Butterfly, reimagining it with Dru Hill’s hip-hop soul vocal unit. This marked a major turning point in her life and helped free her from the oppressive influence of her divorced husband Tommy Mottola at Columbia Records.

After a storied career as a singer-songwriter, Carey is now forging ahead as an acclaimed designer. Her first line of fashion accessories and jewelry will debut on HSN in November; it will be sold both in stores and online.