The Daydream World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...
in support of her fifth studio album ''
Daydream
Daydreaming is the stream of consciousness that detaches from current, external tasks when attention drifts to a more personal and internal direction. This phenomenon is common in people's daily life shown by a large-scale study in which partici ...
'' (1995). The tour lasted seven shows, starting on March 7, 1996 in Tokyo, Japan, and ending on June 23, 1996 in London, England.
Background and development
The Daydream World Tour was Carey's second tour (after the U.S.
Music Box Tour in 1993), and her first tour to have dates out of the United States. The tour was held in honor of the success of her new album at the time, ''Daydream''; the album had spawned three of Carey's nineteen number-one singles ("
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...
", "
One Sweet Day
"One Sweet Day" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and vocal group Boyz II Men. The song was released on as the second single from Carey's fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995) by Columbia Records. The artists co ...
", and "
Always Be My Baby
"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996, as the third single in the United Sta ...
"), became her second album to be certified Diamond in the U.S., shipping 10 million copies there and is one of her most critically acclaimed albums. It was also held to promote the album across Europe and Asia.
Stage
The stage set for the tour was perhaps the largest Carey has performed on. It contained three sections: center stage, left flank, and right flank. Center stage contained two platforms where the band and backup singers were situated, a center set of stairs, a curved staircase to the right, a giant screen at the center, a huge chandelier suspended from the ceiling, and a giant cylindrical cage with an elevating platform in the middle for the singer to make her entrance at the start of the show, then moved aside when not needed. The left and right flanks were both the same: they had long runways extending outwards in opposite directions, the walls changed colors throughout the show for ambiance, and at the end were smaller screens so the audience could see Carey performing.
Concert synopsis
The concert began with "Daydream Interlude" (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix), with Carey being taken down the cage on the elevating platform. She ad libbed the words to the song quietly over the microphone, and the song stopped when she opened the cage's doors, and the lights flicked on and off rapidly as she greeted the audience. The band then started playing "
Emotions
Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. ...
." The intro to the song was cut in half, and the ending skipped from the last chorus to the famous
whistle register
The whistle register (also called the flute register or flageolet register) is the highest register of the human voice, lying above the modal register and falsetto register. This register has a specific physiological production that is different f ...
notes at the song's end. She then sang her rendition of the
Journey
Journey or journeying may refer to:
* Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations
** Day's journey, a measurement of distance
** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road
Animals
* Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
classic "
Open Arms." The next song she performed was her then-single at the time, "
Forever
Forever or 4ever may refer to:
Film and television Films
* ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice
* ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama
* ''Forever'' (1992 film), an American ...
." She moved over to the set of stairs on the right side of center stage and surprised her fans by singing "
I Don't Wanna Cry
"I Don't Wanna Cry" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eponymous debut studio album (1990). Written by Carey and Narada Michael Walden, and produced by the latter, the song was released as the album's fourth ...
", a move most unexpected, since she has stated that she tries to sing the song as rarely as possible. After her song ended, the band continued playing an instrumental version of the song while Carey was offstage, changing costumes for the next section of the concert.
Music began playing again combining synths and chimes as an extended version of the intro to the lead single of ''Daydream'', "Fantasy." Carey performed the original version of the song, as opposed to singing the Bad Boy Remix of the song as she did during the Butterfly and other later tours. A group of dancers joined Carey during the performance, using the same dance moves seen in the song's music video. She then spoke briefly with the audience, telling them that she wanted them to sing with her during the next song, "Always Be My Baby." The part she taught with them was "Do Do Doop," and told them that it was a competition between each section of the stadium on who could sing it the loudest. She then presented her band members and exited the stage to change outfits yet again while the band performed the
Rufus & Chaka Khan hit "
Ain't Nobody
"Ain't Nobody" is a song by American funk band Rufus and American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on November 4, 1983, as one of four studio tracks included on their live album, ''Stompin' at the Savoy'' (1983). "Ain't Nobody" quickly gather ...
." The lights dimmed a dark blue and purple color, and on screen appeared stock footage of
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan ...
from the ''
Fantasy: Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden'' concert in October 1995. The band began playing "
One Sweet Day
"One Sweet Day" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and vocal group Boyz II Men. The song was released on as the second single from Carey's fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995) by Columbia Records. The artists co ...
." Because of schedule conflicts between Carey and Boyz II Men, the group was unable to tour with her, so during the song at all the concerts, Boyz II Men's parts from the album cut were played over the speakers and footage of them appeared on the center screen, while Carey continued to sing live.
After the song was over, the curtains fell, and Carey sang her "favorite song from the new album," "Underneath the Stars," followed by her rendition of the
Badfinger
Badfinger were a Welsh rock band formed in Swansea, who were active from the 1960s to the 1980s. Their best-known lineup consisted of Pete Ham (vocals, guitar), Mike Gibbins (drums), Tom Evans (bass), and Joey Molland (guitar). They are rec ...
song "
Without You." She was then accompanied by the Chapel of Hope Choir in singing "
Make It Happen." After the lights went down at the end of the song, she left the stage for yet another costume change. The lights suddenly flickered on, and a R&B/dance instrumental played, while a dancer appeared and started breakdancing. He was then joined by a group of other dancers, followed by Carey, who began singing a cover of
The SOS Band's "
Just Be Good to Me
"Just Be Good to Me" is a song by the S.O.S. Band, written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for their fourth studio album, ''On the Rise'' (1983). "Just Be Good to Me" was released as the lead single from ''On the Rise'' in March 1983, ...
." She sang "
Dreamlover", and then left the stage for one final costume change.
A familiar synth intro started playing, and Carey began singing her first single, "
Vision of Love
"Vision of Love" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eponymous debut studio album (1990). It was written by Carey and Ben Margulies. After being featured on Carey's demo tape for Columbia Records, the song was ...
" as she appeared at the top of the winding staircase. She continued singing as she slowly made her way down the stairs. Once the song was over, she sang her signature song, "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...
." The last song of the show, "
Anytime You Need a Friend
"Anytime You Need a Friend" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, for her third studio album, ''Music Box'' (1993). It was released on May 24, 1994, through C ...
", she dedicated to the audience. She was accompanied once again by the Chapel of Hope choir, and started off with the album version. She then surprised the audience by transitioning into the more upbeat C&C Remix version of the song, and she exited the stage via the spiraling staircase, while the choir, band, and dancers continued the song, thus ending the concert. For the Tokyo Dome concerts, following the performance of "Anytime You Need a Friend," Carey would return to the stage and perform her biggest Japanese hit, "
All I Want for Christmas Is You", as an encore for her fans. Footage of the home video version of the music video played, while she wore the red dress and go-go boots from the black-and-white 1960s music video. She exited the stage through the elevator cage, ending the concert with one last kiss to her fans over the microphone.
Broadcasts and recordings
The performance of "
Forever
Forever or 4ever may refer to:
Film and television Films
* ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice
* ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama
* ''Forever'' (1992 film), an American ...
" at the Tokyo Dome is the official music video for that song. The video took footage from the performance, and is intercut with black-and-white footage of Carey exploring Japan that was handpicked by the singer.
Carey announced during the
Rotterdam Ahoy
Rotterdam Ahoy (formerly known as Ahoy Rotterdam or simply as Ahoy) is a convention centre and multi-purpose indoor arena located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Opened originally in 1950, the current complex consists of three main venues: a fair ...
concert that the performance of "
Underneath the Stars" was going to be the official music video for the song, but that video would never be officially released until 2020, when the footage for the video was found, after having been lost for many years prior.
The performances from "
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...
", "
Always Be My Baby
"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996, as the third single in the United Sta ...
", "Underneath the Stars," "
Make It Happen", "
Dreamlover", "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...
", and "
Anytime You Need a Friend
"Anytime You Need a Friend" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, for her third studio album, ''Music Box'' (1993). It was released on May 24, 1994, through C ...
" from the Tokyo Dome concerts were used in the 1996
Fox special ''Mariah Carey: New York to Tokyo''. Her performance of "
All I Want for Christmas Is You", also from those same concerts, would later be uploaded in
high definition onto Carey's
VEVO
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, ...
channel on December 3, 2019.
The audio of the Tokyo Dome show was released on Mariah's
The Rarities album on October 2, 2020, while the Japanese edition also contained a Blu-ray of the show and was also posted on Mariah's official YouTube channel for a limited time.
[ Mariah Carey]
''Last chance to watch...''
Set list
# "Daydream Interlude" (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)
(Introduction)
# "
Emotions
Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. ...
"
# "
Open Arms"
# "
Forever
Forever or 4ever may refer to:
Film and television Films
* ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice
* ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama
* ''Forever'' (1992 film), an American ...
"
# "
I Don't Wanna Cry
"I Don't Wanna Cry" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eponymous debut studio album (1990). Written by Carey and Narada Michael Walden, and produced by the latter, the song was released as the album's fourth ...
"
# "
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...
"
# "
Always Be My Baby
"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996, as the third single in the United Sta ...
"
# "
Ain't Nobody
"Ain't Nobody" is a song by American funk band Rufus and American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on November 4, 1983, as one of four studio tracks included on their live album, ''Stompin' at the Savoy'' (1983). "Ain't Nobody" quickly gather ...
"
(Band introductions)
# "
One Sweet Day
"One Sweet Day" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and vocal group Boyz II Men. The song was released on as the second single from Carey's fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995) by Columbia Records. The artists co ...
"
# "
Underneath the Stars"
# "
Without You"
# "
Make It Happen"
# "
Just Be Good to Me
"Just Be Good to Me" is a song by the S.O.S. Band, written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for their fourth studio album, ''On the Rise'' (1983). "Just Be Good to Me" was released as the lead single from ''On the Rise'' in March 1983, ...
"
# "
Dreamlover"
# "
Vision of Love
"Vision of Love" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eponymous debut studio album (1990). It was written by Carey and Ben Margulies. After being featured on Carey's demo tape for Columbia Records, the song was ...
"
# "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...
"
# "
Anytime You Need a Friend
"Anytime You Need a Friend" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, for her third studio album, ''Music Box'' (1993). It was released on May 24, 1994, through C ...
"
# "Anytime You Need a Friend"
(C+C Club Mix) utro
Malte Fynboe Manniche Ebert (born june 26, 1994), better known by his former nickname Gulddreng, is a Danish musician. His identity was unknown until the father of his host family from an exchange trip announced his name on Facebook. His name tr ...
/small>
Notes:
* " All I Want for Christmas Is You" was performed as the encore in Japan.
Shows
Personnel
*
Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff (born Vladimir Nikitich Afanasyev; February 10, 1958), formerly nicknamed Baby Love in the 1980s, is an American record producer and songwriter of Russian-Chinese descent. He was a collaborator with Mariah Carey on her first ...
– musical director, piano, organ
*
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013.
Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing ba ...
–
bass
*
Dan Shea – keyboards
*Vernon Black – guitar
*Gregory "Gigi" Gonoway – drums
*Peter Michael – percussion
*Melonie Daniels – background vocals
*
Kelly Price
Kelly Cherelle Price (born April 4, 1973) is an American R&B and gospel singer. She started her singing career in 1992. Price originally garnered attention by singing backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including her ''Billboa ...
– background vocals
*Deborah Cooper – background vocals
*Cindi Mizelle - background vocals
*Shanrae Price – background vocals
References
{{Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey concert tours
1996 concert tours