Socialite Life debuted back in 2003. SL Flashback showcases some of our favorite content from years past.
Mariah Carey has a message for fans: Call me Mimi! The singer now joins the list of divas whoโve taken an alternative moniker, such as Jennifer Lopez (J.Lo) and Madonna (Esther). In fact, Careyโs new name will appear in the title her forthcoming album: The Emancipation of Mimi.
โMimi is a very personal nickname only used by those closest to meโฆ just one of those little things that Iโve kept for myself in an attempt to have some delineation between a public persona and a private life,โ Carey explains on her website.
By publicly adopting her private name, Carey explains, โI am letting my guard down and inviting my fans to be that much closer to meโฆ Most importantly, I am celebrating the fact that Iโve grown into a person and artist who no longer feels imprisoned by my insecurities or compelled to try and live up to someone elseโs vision of โMariah Carey.โ I now feel I can honestly say โthis is me, the real me, take it or leave it.'โ
That sounds like a threat to me. Iโm taking a stand, I will never call Mariah. Mimi.
This article was originally published on November 23, 2004.