Background
Throughout 2004, Carey began conceptualizing and working on a new project, eventually titled The Emancipation of Mimi, her tenth studio effort. The album became the best-selling album in the United States of 2005, and the second best-seller around the world, with over 12 million units sold. It earned a myriad of music industry awards, and brought Carey back to the top of pop music following her decline in 2001. After completing The Adventures of Mimi Tour, Carey began working on material for her eleventh studio effort, the yet untitled E=MC² (2008). Throughout 2007, Carey recorded the album in a studio built into her private villa in Anguilla, in the Caribbean. E=MC² was hailed as one of the most anticipated albums of 2008, with many critics weighing their opinions on whether Carey would be able to deliver significant success, following her achievements with The Emancipation of Mimi. "Touch My Body" was eventually chosen as the lead single through a vote in between the record executives at Island Records, with the final choices being the former and "I'm That Chick" (titled "I'm That Chick You Like" at that point). After choosing the former, the song was sent to radio stations worldwide on February 12, 2008 and to digital outlets on March 24, 2008.
"Touch My Body" experiences strong commercial success, becoming Carey's eighteenth chart-topping single on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as placing within the top-five in several European countries. As a result, E=MC² debuted at number one in Canada and the United States, with the highest first-week sales of Carey's career, and in the top three in Australia and the United Kingdom. Following in a similar formula as her last album, Carey chose a ballad to be the follow-up single, "Bye Bye". Though receiving praise from music critics, and strong speculation that it would become another worldwide hit for Carey, the song stalled at number nineteen on the Hot 100, and achieved weak international charting. Subsequently, Carey's label, Island Records, decided to release an up-tempo and dance-able number that would be easily a "summer hit". They chose "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time", and released it to US radio stations on July 1, 2008, and to several European markets throughout August.
Read more about this topic: I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time
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