Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer Mariah Carey, released in North America on December 3, 2002, through MonarC Entertainment[3] and Island Records.

[4] Throughout the project, she collaborated with several musicians, including Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, 7 Aurelius and Dre & Vidal.

Internationally, the album reached the top-ten in Japan and Switzerland, peaked inside the top-forty in seven other countries, and has sold over three million copies worldwide.

The lead single, "Through the Rain" reached number one in Spain and peaked inside the top-ten in Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Before the release of Charmbracelet, Carey experienced a year of critical, commercial and personal struggles, following the poor reception of her debut film Glitter (2001) and its accompanying soundtrack, as well as her subsequent hospitalization.

[9] Carey checked into a hospital in Connecticut, following a controversial appearance on Total Request Live, in which she gave ice cream to fans, left troubling messages on her website and demonstrated what was considered by the media as "erratic behavior".

"[12] After a fortnight's hospitalization, Carey flew to Capri, Italy, where she stayed for five months and began writing and producing material for a new studio album about her recent troubles.

[17] She worked with longtime collaborators Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Randy Jackson[14] and other songwriters and producers 7 Aurelius, Just Blaze, Damizza and Dre & Vidal.

During the photo shoot for Charmbracelet at Capri, Carey happened to listen to Def Leppard's greatest hits album Vault (1995), which contains the song, and decided to cover it.

[37] It begins as a "piano-driven slow jam", which is followed by a "dramatic chord progression" after the second chorus, and Carey's "precise and fluttery voice reaches incredible heights" as it "turns the power ballad into something more delicate.

"[37] Barry Walters from Rolling Stone wrote that on "Yours", "Carey's lead vocals blend into choruses of overdubbed Mariah's cooing overlapping phrases.

To bring in the customers, Carey delivers her parts here in the familiar high-pitched coo, sort of Minnie Riperton without soul, backed by just-press-play synth-strings and soft, sparkly keyboards."

Sarah Rodman from The Boston Herald described it as fascinating and wrote, "it sounds as though Carey is singing in falsetto while still in her chest voice.

According to Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine, Carey makes vague allusions to her ex-husband Tommy Mottola with the line, "Wish I'd stayed beneath my veil".

[20] "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy", one of the album's most personal songs, is named after Carey's father; she makes direct reference to him and a moment they shared at his death bed.

[37][41] The song is backed with a simple piano accompaniment, and Carey recounts a visit with her father in his hospital room: "Strange to feel that proud, strong man / Grip tightly to my hand.

Scenes of Carey singing in a street when rain starts to fall are juxtaposed with the story of a mixed-race couple who run away from their families, who oppose their relationship.

[64] On December 2, Carey traveled to Brazil for South American promotion of Charmbracelet, appearing on the popular television program Fantástico.

[66] On December 3, 2002, Carey appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she performed "Through the Rain" and "My Saving Grace", and gave a highly publicized interview about her hospitalization.

[67] Before her breakdown, Carey had been booked for a private interview with ABC's Barbara Walters, executive producer of The View, following Glitter's release.

[67] Instead of giving Walters the full-coverage interview following Carey's return to the public eye, Island decided Oprah was more appropriate, and changed the appearance.

[69] During the performance, images of newspaper headlines reporting Carey's breakdown were projected on a large curtain behind her, with one reading, "When you fall down, you get back up.

[71] She wore a long, purple, skin-tight Washington Wizards' dress, and performed "Boy (I Need You)", "My Saving Grace" and "Hero", which received a standing ovation and brought Jordan to tears.

[72][73] On March 1, 2003, Carey performed at the Soul Train Music Awards, sporting a retro-curled hairstyle and wearing a burgundy evening gown.

[74] She performed "My Saving Grace", and as at the American Music Awards, images of newspaper headlines and inspirational photographs were projected onto a large screen.

[81] The Charmbracelet World Tour garnered generally positive reviews, with music critics and audiences praising the quality of Carey's live vocals and the production of the shows.

[83] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic rated the album two and the half out of five stars, and criticized its production and the condition of Carey's voice.

He wrote that "Through the Rain" sinks in its own sodden sentimentality, as do by-the-numbers efforts like 'Yours' and 'I Only Wanted' ", and added that "'Clown' is a moody number graced with mournful acoustic guitar and a gorgeously nuanced vocal, while 'Sunflowers for Alfred Roy' is a short, sweet song sung to a lovely piano accompaniment".

"[37] Ethan Browne of New York slated the album's whimsical chimes and tinkling keyboards, and wrote, "Was Charmbracelet recorded in a Casio shop?

"[38] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine complimented Carey's mixture of pop and hip hop melodies, and wrote, "Though there's nothing as immediate as 'Fantasy' or 'My All' here, Charmbracelet is significantly less contrived than 1999's Rainbow and almost as creatively liberating as Butterfly.