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(Left) Mariah on Red Carpet. (Right) Mariah playing Mrs. Weiss in film Precious.

The 4th quarter of 2009, has been an anathema for superstar Mariah Carey. According to Nielsen Soundscan, her current album is selling grimly. However, Carey has managed to secure a bit of hope given her role in the critically acclaimed film Precious. Mariah is neither hot nor cold she’s lukewarm. She’s far from a has been but yet she is not at the top of her game.

Mariah Carey has garnered immense success in the music industry evidenced by her numerous Grammy and Billboard music awards. Having sold over 175 million records worldwide and 62.5 million domestically Mariah is the third best-selling female artist and she is ranked sixteenth overall as a recording artist in the U.S. To our dismay, Mariah’s latest album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel released on 9/29/09, debuted at #3 on Billboard’s 200 selling a mere 168K and within five weeks stands at 290K.  This is a considerable flop giving her previous 2008 LP E=MC2 that debuted at #1 with 463K, to date selling 2.5 million worldwide. With two singles in the can and a recent third H.A.T.E.U., reaping negative reviews; critical success for Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is bleak. It is apparent that thirty-nine year-old Mariah Carey does not reach the 18-26 year-old demographic Memoirs is catered to, and it is evident that her fans who fell in love with her sultry ballads and upbeat dance classics of the 90’s are not satisfied either. (Facts and figures are taken from Nielsen’s Soundcan)

Yet, this past weekend marks a breakthrough for Mariah as it has surly ushered in her first acting success after several disappointing attempts (Glitter, Tennessee). In Precious, Mariah convincingly portrays Mrs. Weiss, a frumpy looking social worker who is assigned the task of counseling and helping the protagonist, Precious Jones. This emotional film depicts a heartrending American story of a sexually and emotionally abused African American girl named Claireece Precious Jones, and serves as an eye-opener to those who are not privy to the harsh realities plaguing poor communities across the country. Precious raked in $1.8million in the U.S. box office this past weekend, despite only opening in 18 cinemas, all while also receiving Oscar buzz from critics and fans . Precious will be another Indie success story that upsets the Hollywood establishment similar to 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire.

Mariah Carey is at a crossroads in her career, much like Janet Jackson. The transition from a pretty young thing (PYT) to a sultry seasoned, yet relevant cougar is a challenging feat for any aging  female artist. Madonna has made this transition smoothly. She still intrigues and excites audiences as she remains sexy and relevant by reinventing herself as time passes. Madonna ramped up her humanitarian causes, collaborated with young hip new artists and producers all while staying true to her sound. She created a lucrative book publishing opportunity while continuing to sell out tours. As the saying goes, “There is always hope” and Mariah has more than just hope, she has an opportunity to reinvigorate her career. Presently Mariah maintains a sense of youth and spontaneity with her marriage to Nick Cannon, which strengthens her youthful relevancy. However, Mariah should capitalize on her Precious buzz, by re-releasing her Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel album with additional songs that cater to her fans that fell in love with her in the 90’s, in addition to ramping up her humanitarian causes. Pursuing these different avenues will restore herself as a formidable pop icon in addition to establishing her as a capable actress given the impending success of Precious. This will allow Mariah continued success in branding herself and will inevitably lead to additional endorsement opportunities and product offerings beyond her fragrance line.

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Here is The trailer for film Precious.

Currently playing in select locations, Precious will be in theatres nationwide on November 20th, 2009.