Mariah Carey ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’ Single Review

Hold on a minute, let me get this straight. It’s Mariah Carey’s eagerly anticipated new single and she’s only turned up to sing the hook and a couple of finger-fluttering ad libs over the top? How is this ho only here for the “feature vocalist” parts of her own damn single?

I think for a lot of poor hungry Lambs, this all-important new Mimi single has been built up to be some sort of main event that should be particularly pleasing to appreciators of her urban collaborations.

Y’know, sequined props where props are due – our favourite Midas-caressed manatee did pioneer the hip hop rap/diva sung vocals format that has revolutionised modern pop R&B. But honestly, this collabo structure is just not cutting it for her in ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’.

For a major comeback single, you shouldn’t have to sit through over a minute of guest rappers verses to hear more of Mimi‘s famed wailings. That’s not where the box office is at, boo.

Everything about this song has been a chore for me. It has been a chore sitting through the rap spittings (this would not have been a problem if I had actually signed up to hear Rick Ross and Meek Mill – which I didn’t). It has been a chore trying to work out what exactly I should be taking away from this ‘Triumphant’ experience.

Mariah, when she is on point, is actually one of the most effective pop songwriters of her generation. She has served up legitimate timeless smashes that cut straight to the heart with brilliant lyrics, sentiments and vocal delivery – think: ‘Butterfly’, ‘Bye Bye’ and ‘Breakdown’.

In the lead up to ‘Triumphant”s release, Mimi had tweeted that the lyrics were very personal to her. It’s almost as if she’s deliberately drawing attention to it because she might fear people would miss the message? Since when has this been an issue for a properly executed Mariah song? Never.

With sizeable rap verses taking precedence and perforating beats competing with her vocal parts, I’m starting to wonder how important these lyrics – or in fact, Mariah herself – really is to the song.

Right now, Mimi would be giving more value for money in a single seating on the Home Shopping Network than she would in all four minutes of ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’. And you know something about that ain’t right.

Listen to Mimi’s new single in full now:

Footnotes:

The single hits digital shelves on 7 August. Expect the video for ‘Triumphant (Get ‘Em)’ to premiere soon. Mimi’s forthcoming 14th studio album is slated for release later this year.