Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey Song)

Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey Song)

"Heartbreaker" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 21, 1999 by Columbia Records as the lead single from Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow (1999). The song was written by Carey and Jay-Z and produced by the former and DJ Clue. Additional writers are credited, since the song's hook is built around a sample from "Attack of the Name Game" by Stacy Lattisaw. "Heartbreaker" pushed Carey even further into the R&B and hip-hop market, becoming her first commercial single to feature a hip-hop artist. Lyrically, the song tells of a relationship from the female perspective, and how the protagonist incessantly returns to her lover, even though he continuously cheats on her and breaks her heart.

The song received mixed reviews from music critics, many of which felt it was not original or innovative in terms of a creative step forward. Additionally, it was compared heavily to Carey's previous song "Fantasy" (1995), which also built its hook from a sampled beat. "Heartbreaker" experienced strong worldwide success, peaking atop the charts in Canada and the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Carey's fourteen chart topper there. Across Europe and Australasia, the song achieved high charting, peaking atop the charts in New Zealand and Spain, and becoming a top five single in France and the United Kingdom.

Carey performed "Heartbreaker" live on several television and award show appearances around the world. She performed "Heartbreaker" and the Desert Storm remix at the MTV European Music Awards, held on November 11, 1999 in Dublin, Ireland. Additionally, the song was performed on The Oprah Winfrey Show, British music chart program Top of the Pops and The Today Show. Additionally, the song was featured the set-lists of all of Carey's succeeding tours, making its debut during the album's accompanying set of concerts, the Rainbow World Tour and was featured on Carey's compilation album, Greatest Hits (2001).

The song's music video, directed by Brett Ratner, became a "fan favorite" according to MTV News. Additionally, it became one of the most expensive ever made, costing over $2.5 million. The video features Carey and her friends visiting a movie theater and catching her boyfriend (played by Jerry O'Connell) on a date with another woman. The video features Carey playing two characters, the brunette villainous named Bianca, and herself, during a physical altercation in between the two women in the bathroom. Due to contractual agreements at the time of its filming, Jay-Z was unable to make an appearance in the video, instead being portrayed as an animated cartoon. The video was inspired by several films including Grease and Enter the Dragon.

Read more about Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey Song):  Background, Recording and Lyrics, Composition, Remix, Critical Reception, Chart Performance, Music Video, Live Performances, Track Listings, Credits and Personnel

Famous quotes containing the word carey:

    I believe with all my heart that the Church of Jesus Christ should be a Church of blurred edges.
    —George Carey (b. 1935)