Background
In 2001, Carey suffered a physical and emotional breakdown, causing her to abandon promotion of her then-released studio album Glitter (2001), and its accompanying film. Since she was hospitalized for exhaustion, the film project received strongly negative critical feedback, with the album faring slightly better. Following Carey's absence from the public eye, as well as her abandonment of promotional appearances for the film and soundtrack, her unprecedented $100 million five-album record deal with Virgin Records (EMI Records) was bought out for $50 million. After recovering and completing her contractual agreement with Virgin Records, Carey began recording her intended "comeback" and follow-up album, Charmbracelet (2002). Although the album focused on incorporating several inspirational and adult contemporary ballads and re-capturing Carey's audience from throughout the 1990s, critics took notice of Carey's different vocals.
As Glitter had been a mixture of 1980s covers and more dance-oriented material, Charmbracelet was void of up-tempo numbers, and harbored on slower, more contemporary melodies. In his review of the album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine harshly criticized the album's content, but also Carey's voice, which he described as "in tatters". He wrote "Whenever she sings, there's a raspy whistle behind her thin voice and she strains to make notes throughout the record. She cannot coo or softly croon, nor can she perform her trademark gravity-defying vocal runs. Her voice is damaged, and there's not a moment where it sounds strong or inviting." Though fueled by strong media attention regarding Carey's return to music, as well as her new deal with Island Records, the album failed to deliver the type of success she had been accustomed to throughout the 1990s, and only managed sales of five million copies globally. After the album's release, and its succeeding tour, Carey began conceptualizing and working on a new project, eventually titled The Emancipation of Mimi, her tenth studio effort. "We Belong Together" became a song that critics considered Carey's "return to form" and "the return of The Voice", after several questioned her vocal abilities following the release of Charmbracelet.
Read more about this topic: We Belong Together
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