The Elusive Chanteuse is the fourteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on May 27, 2014 in the United States, by Def Jam Recordings.

The album consists of guest appearances from Nas, Miguel, Wale, and Fabolous, in addition to Carey's twins Moroccan and Monroe.

Singles released from the album included the US Hot 100 top twenty song "#Beautiful" (a duet with Miguel), "The Art of Letting Go", "You're Mine (Eternal)", and "You Don't Know What to Do" (featuring rapper Wale).

[9] Her husband Nick Cannon told Billboard in May 2011 that Carey had already completed a good amount of recording for a new album, a few months before during her pregnancy: "She's planning on having a [new single] out this year.

[10] In January 2012, Cannon updated everyone on the album, saying: "My beautiful wife is planning to make her return to the music scene after taking time off to focus on the pregnancy and the birth of our two wonderful babies, Moroccan and Monroe.

"[11] On August 3, 2012, Carey released "Triumphant (Get 'Em)", a collaboration with rappers Rick Ross and Meek Mill, which was originally claimed to be the lead single for her upcoming studio album.

[14] In September 2011, producer and friend Jermaine Dupri took to his social network Global14 to reveal that he's back in the studio with Carey working on new music.

[17] Carey said about her fourteenth studio album: "I'm collaborating with a lot of my favorite people but the main thing is [that] I'm not trying to follow any particular trend, I want it to be well received.

[18] Some of the people that Carey worked with on the album include: DJ Clue?, Randy Jackson, Q-Tip, R. Kelly, David Morales, Loris Holland, Stevie J, James Fauntleroy, Ray Angry, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, James "Big Jim" Wright, Hit-Boy, The-Dream, Da Brat, and Rodney Jerkins.

[19][20][21] Carey gave Billboard an exclusive interview in their March 9, 2013, issue, stating: "It's about making sure I have tons of good music, because at the end of the day, that's the most important thing....

[28] That same month, Carey announced to MTV News that she has added three new songs to the track list, one extra Hitboy record and two new remixes[29] and stated that she is in the process of choosing a new title for the album.

Crazy personal," Henderson continued calling the album's lyrical content an "deliberately confusing innocence with insight, obliviousness with bliss.

"[2] Carey's voice on the album was described by Elysa Gardner of USA Today, as "artful melisma, robust belting and decorative high notes."

"[42] The album opens with "Cry", a gospel song built over a piano, "simmering vocals and full-bodied runs" containing "swirling organs and scaling ad-lib.

"[43] Described by Billboard magazine as being one of the album's most "heaviest moments," lyrically the song discusses Carey's desire to hold a lover until they both start "bawling.

[47][48][49] Carey's "big vocals" combined with Miguel's "signature eclectic rock and roll sound" results in "#Beautiful" having an old school vibe to it reminiscent of the Stax Records/Motown Records era,[50] according to a reviewer for The Honesty Hour.

[57] "You Don't Know What to Do" features American rapper Wale and contains interpolations of "I'm Caught Up in a One Night Love Affair", written by Patrick Adams and Terri Gonzalez.

[44] "Meteorite" is built over a "disco beat", lyrically the song is a running "commentary on celebrity culture", and contains a sample from "Goin' Up in Smoke", performed by Eddie Kendricks.

[44] "Heavenly (No Ways Tired / Can't Give Up Now)" is a gospel song with a choir that is dedicated as a tribute to the late Reverend James Cleveland.

[46] "Betcha Gon' Know" was originally recorded and included on Carey's 2009 album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the remix featuring R. Kelly leaked in July 2011, and draws influence from R&B.

[73] Carey told Ryan Seacrest in September 2012: "I want[ed] [it] to [be released] sooner, but I guess it wouldn't be ready until around January 2013, somewhere around there.

[87] The singer taped a performance of "The Art of Letting Go", along with a medley of "Auld Lang Syne", "Fantasy", "Honey", "#Beautiful", "Emotions", "Always Be My Baby", "Touch My Body" and "We Belong Together", for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, which aired on December 31, 2013.

[103] At AllMusic, Andy Kellman rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying how Mariah has abandoned the brevity of her earlier releases, but says the songstress is "still capable of delivering 40 minutes of strong, supremely voiced R&B when she's up for it.".

[104] Kenneth Partridge of Billboard rated the album a 77 out of 100, writing how Mariah has found her musical niche that her fans have come to expect that is a "mix of pop-classicist balladry and hip-hop-tinged summer jamming".

[44] At Entertainment Weekly, Melissa Maerz graded the album a B, saying how the release proves that her voice has been put through its paces, which she writes when Mariah is "trying to power through a note where it sounds like digital technology might be holding her up by the straps of that crocheted swimsuit.

[111] According to Maher however, the collaborations serve no purpose just showing how Mariah is "desperate[ly] skirting around for identity" that "leaves this album feeling underwhelming.

[107] Kevin Ritchie of Now rated the album four N's out of five, finding out that "Carey's back to adding her sparkly touch to summer-ready pop tunes.

"[113] At Pitchfork, Jordan Sargent rated the album a 7.7 out of ten, giving her credit for not sounding "desperate" because the tonality is "defiantly like Mariah, acknowledging her place in the pop ecosystem both implicitly and explicitly without chomping at the bit.

"[110] At The Boston Globe, Sarah Rodman gave a mixed review of the album, commenting on how even the good moments are "sabotaged", and the release as a whole is highly predictable with "a clutch of interchangeable slow-to-midtempo tunes long on pulsating atmosphere—several with distractingly fidgety rhythmic tracks—but short on melody or verve.

"[105] At musicOMH, Amelia Maher rated the album two-and-a-half stars out of five, stating how Mariah's vocal range is undoubtedly robust, but this time around on the release she "falls short.