Mariah Carey to Record ‘Almost Home’ for ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’
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Disney announced today that multiple GRAMMY® Award–winning superstar Mariah Carey has recorded the song, ‘Almost Home,’ for Oz The Great and Powerful, the studio’s highly anticipated fantastical adventure, directed by Sam Raimi, releasing in theaters nationwide on March 8, 2013.
‘Almost Home’ will be released as a single by Carey’s label, Island Def Jam, on February 19, 2013. ward-winning photographer/director David LaChapelle will direct Carey in the music video for ‘Almost Home.’ The two long-time collaborators are reuniting in what LaChapelle describes as ‘a duet between Mariah and the movie.’ LaChapelle photographed Carey previously for album covers, and directed her in the music video ‘Loverboy.’ Disney, Carey and Island Def Jam plan to launch a promotional campaign to support the single, the video and the film.
‘”Almost Home” has a message that works beautifully with the film,’ Mariah Carey says of the song she co-wrote and co-produced for Oz The Great and Powerful. ‘It’s a feel-good record, evoking the feeling of reaching your home and being with people that you love.’
‘Almost Home’ is performed by Mariah Carey, produced by Mariah Carey and Stargate for 45th & 3rd Music LLC, written by Simone Porter, Justin Gray, Lindsey Ray, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Mariah Carey. Courtesy of Island Def Jam Music Group/Universal Music Group.
Disney’s fantastical adventure Oz The Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard character. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great wizard but into a better man as well.
Oz The Great and Powerful is produced by Joe Roth, with screen story by Mitchell Kapner and screenplay by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire. Grant Curtis, Palak Patel, Josh Donen and Philip Steuer are serving as executive producers. “Oz The Great and Powerful” opens in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2013.
Categories: Movies Tags: James Franco, Mariah Carey, Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, Movies, Music, Oz, Oz the Great and Powerful, Rachel Weisz, Soundtracks, Wizard of Oz
CONFIRMED: Mariah Carey is Disney Fantasy Godmother
As Disney Cruise Line’s newest member of the fleet, the Disney Fantasy, is moored at Pier 88 in New York City awaiting her christening tomorrow evening, we have received reports that Disney Cruise Line crew members working at the terminal have been advising details on who will be attending tomorrow’s festivities along with the most highly anticipated reveal of all: the ship’s Godmother.
We can now confirm rumors that Mariah Carey will serve as Godmother of the Disney Cruise Line Disney Fantasy. A native of the state of New York, Carey shot to fame in the early 90s with her impressive vocal range and pop hits which included, amongst many other hits, ‘Fantasy,’ which debuted on the #1 spot on the Billboard 100. The album itself also debuted as number one in sales, making her the first female solo artist to accomplish such a feat.
Still recording, Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon have recently become proud parents of twins Moriccan and Monroe (aka Roc and ‘Roe) and the new family will no doubt be soon enjoying the ship’s many amenities.
When Carey becomes the latest Godmother in the Disney Cruise family, she will be joining other luminaries such as Patty Disney (Disney Magic), Tinker Bell (Disney Wonder) and Jennifer Hudson (Disney Dream).
In addition to Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, other New York celebrities are expected to attend the private ceremony including comedian-actor Jerry Seinfeld. According to our information, the ceremony is scheduled to take place between 6 pm and 11 pm.
This information comes to us via @JasonDonohue. Disney Cruise Line had not immediately responded to a request for confirmation but Mariah Carey is scheduled to perform at Gotham Hall in New York City along with P. Diddy as part of the ‘Plot Your Escape’ event which is scheduled to begin at 9 pm ET, so it’s definitely feasible.
UPDATE #1: 2/29/12 – Rebecca Peddie of Disney Cruise Line has responded to our request for comment, stating ‘We are looking forward to revealing our Godmother tomorrow [3/1] night. We have not announced any entertainment plans.’
UPDATE #2: 3/1/12 – At the christening ceremony, Disney Cruise Line has confirmed Mariah Carey will serve as Godmother of the Disney Fantasy
Categories: Disney Cruise Line Tags: DCL, Disney Fantasy, Mariah Carey
Disney Parks Announces Full Lineup for 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Special
Disney Parks has pulled out all the (silver) bells and whistles for the 2010 “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” TV special – including performances from five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Mariah Carey, country music chart-topper Darius Rucker, singer/actress Amber Riley, Disney Channel stars Selena Gomez and Debby Ryan, young soprano sensation Jackie Evancho, “American Idol” Lee DeWyze, swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, professional dancers from ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars” and R&B sensation Sean Kingston.
From start to finish, the 2010 “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” is packed with festive musical performances from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.
- Global pop superstar Mariah Carey gives fans a tuneful taste of her brand-new holiday album, “Merry Christmas II You,” with a new song, “Oh Santa,” and her perennial holiday smash, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
- Big band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy gets the season swinging with “Christmas Is Starting Now” from the fun-filled holiday album, “Phineas & Ferb: Holiday Favorites”
- Professional dancers from ABC-TV’s smash-hit series, “Dancing With The Stars,” Tony Dovolani, Kym Johnson, Louis Van Amstel, and Chelsea Hightower, join in with a jovial jive
- Former Hootie & the Blowfish front man and current country music star Darius Rucker shares his new hit holiday single, “Candy Cane Christmas”
- Singer Amber Riley stars in a balcony performance above Main Street, U.S.A, as Disney princesses and princes join in a regal dance below
- R&B superstar Sean Kingston performs the holiday classic, “This Christmas”
- Disney Channel starlet Selena Gomez, from the Disney Channel hit show “Wizards of Waverly Place,” casts a holiday spell with the seasonal favorite, “Winter Wonderland”
- “American Idol” Season 9 Champion Lee DeWyze performs his own rousing rendition of “The Little Drummer Boy”
- Ten-year-old soprano sensation Jackie Evancho sings “Pie Jesu,” one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s songs that she wowed audiences with this year on the TV show “America’s Got Talent”
- Direct from Disney Channel, “The Suite Life on Deck” star Debby Ryan rocks the parade route with her modern take on “Deck the Halls” from the all-new Disney holiday movie, “The Search for Santa Paws”; she’ll be joined by little Santa Paws himself, the star of the film, which is now available on Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Movie Download
Ryan Seacrest leads the fun as the show’s host at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and Nick Cannon hosts from Disneyland Resort in California. Maria Menounos serves as a special co-host at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and Samantha Brown checks in as the show’s travel correspondent.
Categories: Television Tags: Christmas, Holidays, Mariah Carey, Parade, Radio Disney, Ryan Seacreast
Disney Starlet Debby Ryan Confirmed as Christmas Parade Performer as First Speculated by Stitch Kingdom
Admittedly it was a very targeted shot in the dark, but the Orlando Sentinel now provides official confirmation from the Walt Disney World Resort that ‘Suite Life On Deck’ co-star Debby Ryan will be performing in the Magic Kingdom portion of the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as we first speculated late last month. Ryan was an easy pick for us as she performs in a music video for ‘Deck the Halls’ on the The Search For Santa Paws
In addition to Debby Ryan, also scheduled to perform today is Glee starlet Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones) as reported by area resident Banks Lee who has checked in from the taping.
The Walt Disney World Resort also confirms the scheduled appearance of Mariah Carey as we first reported in early November as well as the replacement of hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa by Ryan Seacrest. We also recently reported that ‘American Idol’ winner Lee DeWyze and ‘America’s Got Talent’ runner-up Jackie Devancho are also expected to perform.
The staged performances of the Magic Kingdom portion of the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade begin taping today with additional performances tomorrow with the actual parade portion taped on Saturday. The Disneyland portion of the parade featuring performances by Selena Gomez, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and ‘Dancing With The Stars’ pros Tony Dovolani, Chelsie Hightower, Kym Johnson and Louis Van Amstel with host Nick Cannon was taped last month.
Categories: Magic Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Christmas, Debby Ryan, Holidays, Mariah Carey, Parade
Mariah Carey to Perform at Walt Disney World Portion of Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
According to Mariah Carey tracker, MariahDailyJournal.com, future mom-to-be Mimi is scheduled to record a performance for the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade at the Magic Kingdom on Friday, December 3. The Disneyland portion, which has already been taped, featured performances by Selina Gomez and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and hosted by Mr. Carey himself, Nick Cannon, making it truly a bicoastal event. There’s little doubt Mariah will be performing a track from her recently released holiday album Merry Christmas II You
Categories: Magic Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: ABC, Christmas, Holidays, Mariah Carey, Parade
Christina Milian and Chad Michael Murray Star in ABC Family Original Holiday Movie, ‘Christmas Cupid’
Christina Milian, Ashley Benson and Chad Michael Murray star in ABC Family’s new holiday movie, “Christmas Cupid,” premiering during ABC Family’s annual 25 Days of Christmas on Sunday, December 12, at 8:00PM ET/PT. Milian (“Bring It On: Fight to the Finish,” “Snowglobe”) stars as Sloane Spencer, a high powered Hollywood publicist who finds herself haunted by the ghost of her recently departed infamous client Caitlin (Ashley Benson, “Pretty Little Liars”). With just days before Christmas, Caitlin takes Sloane on a journey to meet the ghosts of her ex-boyfriends from the past, present and future to try and guide her to true love in a modern day take on the Charles Dickens’ holiday classic story A Christmas Carol.
Sloane is a beautiful, intelligent and successful young power player working for the top PR agency in Hollywood. She represents one of their most prominent clients, starlet and notorious party girl Caitlin Quinn, and is also dating the hot heir to the agency, Andrew. Sloane thinks she has it all until one fateful evening when her star client meets her untimely death just as Sloane is in the midst of planning Caitlin’s Christmas Day movie premiere. Sloane’s challenge is to turn the premiere into a memorial and still have it be the event of the century. All the while her workplace nemesis – and former boyfriend – Jason, is lobbying for the promotion she deserves. Sloane is seen by her friends and family as a workaholic who has no time for the impending holidays, and a shadow of the girl they once loved. But Sloane’s fate may soon change when she’s visited by Caitlin’s ghost who begins to haunt her, claiming that she must atone for her past misdeeds. Under Caitlin’s counsel, Sloane then endures a series of nightly encounters with visions of her ex-boyfriends, all slighted by her in some way, including her first true love Patrick (Chad Michael Murray, “One Tree Hill”). Sloane reluctantly embarks on a soul-searching journey to redeem herself, find love, and experience a Christmas she will never forget.
Also starring are Jackée (“Everybody Hates Chris”) as Vivian, Burgess Jenkins (“One Tree Hill”) as Andrew, Ryan Sypek (“Wildfire”) as Jason, Ashley Johnson as Jenny and Patrick Johnson as Brad. “Christmas Cupid” was written by Aury Wallington and directed by Gil Junger (“My Fake Fiancé”). Jody Brockway and Craig McNeil serve as executive producers.
Mariah Carey’s “Oh Santa” single from her new holiday album, Merry Christmas II You, will make its television debut as the opening song featured in “Christmas Cupid.” Amber Stevens (“Greek”) will also be singing a new arrangement of “Deck The Halls” for the film.
Categories: Movies, Television Tags: ABC Family, Christmas, Holidays, Mariah Carey
‘Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas To You’ Holiday Special to Debut on ABC December 13
From the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, ABC Television Network presents international superstar Mariah Carey in the music special, “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You,” Monday, December 13 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET). The special will feature Mariah performing songs from her new holiday album, Merry Christmas II You, available Tuesday, November 2nd on the Island Def Jam Music Group.
Viewers are in for a special treat as Carey sings unforgettable renditions of yuletide classics and original tunes, including her new holiday hit, “Oh, Santa!” In the spirit of giving, the program will also feature Carey surprising some very special fans and helping to make their wishes come true.
Joel Gallen will direct the special and serve as executive producer alongside Carey.
Carey’s new holiday CD, Merry Christmas II You, is her 13th studio album and features a selection of traditional yuletide classics + 4 original songs composed by her (including first single “Oh Santa!”) and a brand new recording of her all-time standard, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Merry Christmas II You follows up her worldwide multi-million-selling Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (released September 2009), her multi-platinum E=MC2 (2008), and worldwide 10 million selling The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The Emancipation of Mimi generated three Grammy Awards (including Best Contemporary R&B Album), two #1 singles, and countless more honors during its 18-month chart stay. Soundscan’s biggest-selling album of 2005, Mimi, featured “We Belong Together” (Grammy winner for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song) and “Don’t Forget About Us,” Carey’s 16th and 17th #1 career singles, respectively. They tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley’s 17 #1′s.
Three years later, Carey surpassed Elvis when “Touch My Body” (from E=MC2) became her 18th #1 Hot 100 hit. “Touch My Body” spent two weeks at the top, Carey’s 78th and 79th cumulative career weeks at #1, which tied Elvis’ long-standing all-time high of 79 weeks at #1, as calculated by Billboard. Carey is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits. The success of E=MC2 brought total sales of Carey’s albums, singles and videos to more than 200 million worldwide, distancing her even further from the pack as the top-selling female recording artist in history.
Categories: Music, Television Tags: ABC, Christmas, Holidays, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey Delivers ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ News to Dream Sacrificer
There is no bigger Mariah Carey fan than the talented and charismatic Finis Gaston, a shining star in his own right in his Baker, Florida neighborhood. Imagine his surprise when the music legend came to the small town where he takes care of his niece and nephews. Finis was coaching one of his cheerleading sessions yesterday, Monday, October 18, when Carey announced to the Gaston family that they are the latest recipients of an “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
Finis was raised by a single mother in a poor neighborhood, where his mom also took care of his young niece and two nephews. When Finis was 16, the straight A-student and sports enthusiast tried out for the Baker School cheerleading team. After the coach saw his sky-high jump and perfect toe-touch, she volunteered to pay for everything he needed in order to be on the team. He made school history as the first male cheerleader and his confidence and sense of humor made him a school favorite. His dream to go to college and earn a degree in social work came true when he was discovered by a football scout, who offered Finis a full scholarship to Alabama A&M University.
But with just one year left to graduation, Finis’ beloved mother unexpectedly died. Although he was living his dream, he didn’t hesitate to leave college to return home and care for his niece and nephews. Family comes first for Finis, and splitting up the children to be sent to foster care was not an option for him. In addition to his job as a lunch server at Baker School, Finis is a volunteer coach for a local area girls’ cheerleading team at the Baker Area Youth Association. He has led their team to win local competitions and, more importantly, has given the girls a much-needed boost of confidence. He opened a gymnastics business called Finest Tumblers, but he had to shut down when the building was recently sold. The community lost a fun, healthy place for kids to train, and Finis lost the income that he planned to use to make his family’s home safe and livable.
Finis and his niece, 18-year-old Jasqulon Gaston, her baby boy, LaRon and Finis’s nephews, Tyshun Morris, 15 and Tyvun Morris, 8, will go on vacation to Walt Disney World. Meanwhile, “EM: HE” design team leader Ty Pennington and designers Michael Moloney, Tracy Hutson and Johnny Littlefield, local builder Heritage Homes and community volunteers will build the structure.
The location address is: 1301 Rainbow Ave., Pensacola, FL 32505
Categories: Television Tags: ABC, EMHE, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Mariah Carey
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