Editing Mariah Carey (section)

=== 1997–2000: New image with ''Butterfly'' and ''Rainbow'' ===
Carey's subsequent musical releases followed the trend that began with ''Daydream''. Her music began relying less on pop and adult contemporary-tinged balladry and instead incorporating heavy elements of hip hop and R&B. On ''Butterfly'', she collaborated with a bevy of producers other than Afanasieff, such as [[Sean Combs]], [[Q-Tip (musician)|Q-Tip]] and [[Missy Elliott]].<ref name="nickson40">{{harvnb|Nickson|1998|p=157}}</ref> ''Butterfly'' was released on September 10, 1997,<ref name="1997-09-10">{{cite web|url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/MariahCarey/discography/SRCS-8500|title=バタフライ|trans-title=Butterfly|language=ja|publisher=[[Sony Music Japan]]|access-date=October 1, 2022|archive-date=October 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001234356/https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/MariahCarey/discography/SRCS-8500|url-status=live}}</ref> and introduced a more subdued style of singing, with critics noting Carey's incorporation of [[Breathy voice|breathy vocals]].<ref name="L2U7u">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YzkdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6616,590422&dq=mariah+carey+breathy+voice&hl=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721104927/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YzkdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MC4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6616,590422&dq=mariah+carey+breathy+voice&hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2012|title=Carey's 'Butterfly' Shows but Thin|last=Tainen|first=Dave|newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|date=September 16, 1997|access-date=August 19, 2011}}</ref> Some viewed her lack of propensity to use her upper range as a sign of maturity,<ref name="buff">{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9A6859F16A45&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=In Brief|last=Demone|first=Larry|newspaper=[[The Buffalo News]]|date=March 7, 1997|access-date=August 5, 2011|archive-date=May 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510041425/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9A6859F16A45&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}}</ref> while others questioned whether it forebode waning vocal prowess.<ref name="Iox35">{{cite magazine|last=Juzwiak|first=Rich|title=Mariah Carey – Butterfly|magazine=Slant Magazine|date=April 15, 2005|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/mariah-carey-butterfly/330|access-date=December 20, 2010|archive-date=February 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203182919/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/mariah-carey-butterfly/330|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="shapiro18">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=104}}</ref> The music video for the album's lead single, "[[Honey (Mariah Carey song)|Honey]]", her first since separating from Mottola, introduced a more overtly sexual image.<ref name="shapiro19">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=101}}</ref> ''Butterfly'' became Carey's best-reviewed album, with attention placed on the album's exploration of more mature lyrical themes. In their review of the album, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote it was "not as if Carey has totally dispensed with her old saccharine, Houston-style balladry ... but the predominant mood of ''Butterfly'' is one of coolly erotic reverie."<ref name="UjjXX">{{cite magazine|last=Hoskyns|first=Barney|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/butterfly-19971030|title=Mariah Carey – Butterfly|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=December 12, 1997|access-date=August 19, 2011|archive-date=August 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827203908/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/butterfly-19971030|url-status=dead}}</ref> AllMusic editor [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] described Carey's vocals as "sultrier and more controlled than ever," and felt the album "illustrates that Carey continues to improve and refine her music, which makes her a rarity among her '90s peers.'"<ref name="all">{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r314312/review|title=Butterfly|publisher=AllMusic|date=April 12, 2008|access-date=August 9, 2011|archive-date=January 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115113609/https://www.allmusic.com/album/butterfly-mw0000594785|url-status=live}}</ref> "Honey" and "[[My All]]", the album's fifth single, both topped the Hot 100, making Carey a female artist with the most number-one singles in the chart's history. Though a commercial success, ''Butterfly'' failed to reach the commercial heights of her previous albums, ''Music Box'' and ''Daydream''.<ref name="shapiro20">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=102}}</ref>

After concluding her [[Butterfly World Tour]], Carey participated in the [[VH1 Divas]] [[benefit concert]] on April 14, 1998, where she sang alongside [[Aretha Franklin]], [[Celine Dion]], [[Shania Twain]], [[Gloria Estefan]], and [[Carole King]].<ref name="divas">{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/28692993.html?dids=28692993%3A28692993&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Apr+16%2C+1998&author=Bruce+Haring&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=VH1+display+of+%27Divas%27+makes+all+feel+%27Natural%27&pqatl=google|title=VH! Display of Divas Makes Me Feel 'Natural'|last=Haring|first=Bruce|newspaper=USA Today|date=April 16, 1998|access-date=August 19, 2011|archive-date=July 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725032117/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/28692993.html?dids=28692993%3A28692993&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Apr+16%2C+1998&author=Bruce+Haring&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=VH1+display+of+%27Divas%27+makes+all+feel+%27Natural%27&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> Carey began conceptualizing a film project ''All That Glitters'', later re-titled to simply ''[[Glitter (film)|Glitter]]'' (2001),<ref name="boston">{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/80313960.html?dids=80313960%3A80313960&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Sep+11%2C+2001&author=SARAH+RODMAN&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=Music%3B+All+that+litters+%60Glitter%27%3B+Carey+displays+newfound+maturity+-+when+you+can+hear+her+among+the+guest+stars&pqatl=google|title=All That Litters, 'Glitter'|last=Rodman|first=Sarah|newspaper=[[Boston Herald]]|date=September 11, 2001|access-date=February 5, 2011|archive-date=July 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725010353/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/80313960.html?dids=80313960%3A80313960&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Sep+11%2C+2001&author=SARAH+RODMAN&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=Music%3B+All+that+litters+%60Glitter%27%3B+Carey+displays+newfound+maturity+-+when+you+can+hear+her+among+the+guest+stars&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> and wrote songs for other projects, such as ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]'' (1997) and ''[[Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 film)|How the Grinch Stole Christmas]]'' (2000). After ''Glitter'' fell into [[developmental hell]], Carey postponed the project and began writing material for a new album.<ref name="shapiro21">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=114}}</ref> [[Sony Music]] executives insisted she prepare a greatest hits collection in time for the holiday season.<ref name="shapiro22">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=115}}</ref> The album, titled ''[[Number 1's (Mariah Carey album)|#1's]]'' (1998), featured a cover of Brenda K. Starr's "[[I Still Believe (Brenda K. Starr song)|I Still Believe]]" and a duet with Whitney Houston, "[[When You Believe]]", which was included on the soundtrack for ''[[The Prince of Egypt]]'' (1998).<ref name="shapiro23">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=116}}</ref> ''#1's'' became a phenomenon in Japan, selling over one million copies in its opening week, making Carey the only international artist to accomplish this feat. It sold over 3.25&nbsp;million copies in Japan in its first three months and holds the record as the [[List of best-selling albums in Japan|best-selling album]] by a non-Asian artist.<ref name="japansales">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yg0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA49|last=McClure|first=Steve|title=International News|magazine=Billboard|date=January 23, 1999|access-date=October 3, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Mariah Carey in Cannes, 2000.png|thumb|left|upright|Carey being interviewed in [[Cannes]] in 2000]]
With only one album left to fulfill her contract with Sony, and with a desire to separate herself professionally from the record label her ex-husband still headed, Carey completed the album in three months in mid-1999.<ref name="shapiro6">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=75}}</ref> Titled ''[[Rainbow (Mariah Carey album)|Rainbow]]'', the album found Carey exploring with producers whom she had not worked with before. ''Rainbow'' became Carey's first album to not feature a collaboration with her longtime writing partner, Walter Afanasieff. She instead chose to work with [[David Foster]] and [[Diane Warren]]. "[[Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey song)|Heartbreaker]]" and "[[Thank God I Found You]]" both topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, while [[Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) (Mariah Carey recording)|her rendition]] of [[Phil Collins]]' "[[Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)]]" with Irish boy band [[Westlife]] became her second number-one song on the UK charts. ''Rainbow'' was released on November 2, 1999, to the highest first-week sales of her career at the time, and debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref name="shapiro30">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=133}}</ref> Carey's tense relationship with Columbia grew increasingly fractious; she began posting messages on her website, sharing inside information with fans on the dispute, as well as instructing them to request "[[Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)]]" on radio stations.<ref name="shapiro28">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=134}}</ref>

Ultimately, the song was only given a very limited and low-promotion release.<ref name="shapiro29">{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|pp=135}}</ref> Critical reception of ''Rainbow'' was generally positive, with the general consensus finding: "what began on ''Butterfly'' as a departure ends up on ''Rainbow'' a progression – perhaps the first compelling proof of Carey's true colors as an artist."<ref name=ew>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/11/12/rainbow/|title=Mariah Carey – Rainbow|last=Smith|first=Danyel|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=November 12, 1999|access-date=March 8, 2011|archive-date=May 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521001925/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,271534,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Though a commercial success, ''Rainbow'' became Carey's lowest selling album at that point in her career.<ref name="Fox2008">{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/mariah-careys-biography|title=Mariah Carey's Biography|last=Friedman|first=Roger|publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=April 3, 2008|access-date=August 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528231038/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205054,00.html|archive-date=May 28, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>