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 ...

C+C Music Factory C, or c, is the third letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''cee'' (pronounced ), plural ''cees''. History "C" ...

Robert Clivillés Robert Manuel Clivillés (; born July 30, 1964
from

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

as the third and final single from her second

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

, ''

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. ...

'' (1991). The

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...

-, R&B-, and

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

-influenced track incorporates traces of

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

in its

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...

and crescendo. Described by author Chris Nickson as Carey's most personal and inspirational song (up until "

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 ...

"), it tells of her personal struggles prior to her rise to fame, and how her faith in God helped sustain her. The song was praised by music critics, many of whom applauded Carey's incorporation of several musical genres, as well as the song's personalized lyrical content. Aside from its critical acceptance, "Make It Happen" was successful in the United States, but charted weakly internationally compared to her previous singles. It peaked at number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and finished at number 42 on ''Billboard'''s Year-End Chart. The song reached number 7 in Canada and the top 40 in the United Kingdom and Australia, but did not reach the top 50 in the Netherlands and Germany. The song's music video was filmed in a cathedral-like church. A benefit event inside, titled "Save Our Church", features Carey as the main performer, leading a choir in song as she sings to the constant cheering and applause of the crowd. Aside from the video's message of prayer and religion, the video features men and women of different backgrounds. Carey included the song on the set lists of all of her concert tours throughout her career, and the track was included on her compilation albums ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' (2001), ''Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey'' (2010), and ''

The Essential Mariah Carey ''The Essential Mariah Carey'' is the third greatest hits album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Song ...

'' (2012). On July 31, 2020, along with the celebration of the 30th-anniversary of her debut studio album ''

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 ...

'', as well as Carey celebrating 30 years in the music industry, she released the song as a six-track extended play, titled ''Make It Happen EP'', which contains some remixes from the U.S. CD maxi-single, as well as live renditions, including her performances at '' Fantasy: Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden'' in 1995 and '' VH1 Divas Live'' in 1998.

Background

As a child, Carey lived with her mother Patricia in a small apartment on Long Island, New York. They were poor and had to move several times as Patricia found different jobs. As a result, Carey frequently transferred into different schools, and at the age of seventeen, she moved into a small Manhattan studio with other young women to pursue a career in music. She had already begun working on her demo tape with

Ben Margulies Ben Margulies is an American Grammy-nominated songwriter and an RIAA nine-time platinum-certified record producer, as well as a drummer, guitarist, pianist, and singer. He is best known for co-writing seven of the eleven songs on Mariah Carey's ...

, a classmate at her school in Huntington, Long Island. During this period, she lived a lifestyle of poverty, often sharing a box of spaghetti with her five roommates and wearing torn shoes. She held several jobs, while juggling school, writing, and recording music. After graduating from high school, Carey invested more time into her music while working sporadically at different jobs. She began working for Puerto Rican singer

Brenda K. Starr Brenda Joy Kaplan (born October 14, 1966), known by her stage name Brenda K. Starr, is an American singer and songwriter. She is well known originally in R&B, dance and pop but now mostly in salsa-based music. She is also well known for her 19 ...

as a background singer, hoping to find new opportunities and meet important record executives along the way. At a gala for

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

executives, Starr gave a copy of Carey's demo tape to

Tommy Mottola Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American music executive, producer and author. Mottola is currently the Chairman of Mottola Media Group and was previously the Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, parent of the Columb ...

, CEO of

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

. Mottola was sufficiently impressed with the tape to sign Carey to the label. Two years later in 1991, Carey was well under way writing and recording material for her second

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

, ''

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. ...

'' (1991). During the months spent conceptualizing the album, Carey decided to write a song that would illustrate her lifestyle prior to her success. She felt listeners' hearing her

rags-to-riches Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame, fortune and celebrity—sometimes instantly. This is a common archetype in literature and popul ...

story might inspire them to pursue their dreams. As a result, Carey wrote what was described by author Chris Nickson as her "most inspirational song" (up until "

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 ...

"), titled "Make It Happen".

Composition

Following the success of her self-titled debut album, Carey desired to pen her personal struggles prior to her signing with Columbia. She hoped to give her fans an idea of what her life was like two years prior and to instill relief or inspiration in them. In the song, Carey sings "Not more than three short years ago / I was abandoned and alone / Without a penny to my name / So very young and so afraid / No proper shoes upon my feet / Sometimes I couldn't even eat / I often cried myself to sleep." Later in the song, Carey sings "But still I had to keep on going / I struggled and I prayed / And finally found my way," retelling how her faith helped guide her until her career blossomed and expressing to listeners the importance of finding and connecting with God. Author Chris Nickson wrote the following regarding the song, its lyrics and composition:

That wasn't just a faith in herself and her talent, but also the ability to let herself go, to pray to God, and to trust in what would happen. These were, by far, her most inspiring words to date, letting others know that no matter what they were doing, no matter how difficult things were, with help they would win through. Musically, the piece had a restrained dance beat, very Mowtownish, that owed a little more to gospel, with a chorus - sung by Mariah, Trey and Patrique - that rose gloriously from the verse to repeat and drive and its very positive message home.

"Make It Happen" is a

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

track that draws influence from pop, R&B, gospel, and dance-pop genres; its tempo is 108 beats per minute. The song was written and produced by Carey and

C+C Music Factory C, or c, is the third letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''cee'' (pronounced ), plural ''cees''. History "C" ...

's David Cole and

Robert Clivillés Robert Manuel Clivillés (; born July 30, 1964
from

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

,

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

,

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

,

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

, and

tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called " zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, tho ...

. Additionally, Carey incorporated a

church choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

into the track's

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...

, which, according to Nickson, helped the song become even more of an anthem. The song is set in

common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...

and is composed in the key of

D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed ...

. Carey's vocal range spans from the low-note of C₃ to the high-note of G₅, while the song's

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

follows a

chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...

of G_sus2–G–G/F–Em₇–G/D–C–G/B–Am₇.

Reception

Critical response

"Make It Happen" has received acclaim from music critics, many of whom complimented its uplifting lyrical content.

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

critic

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, oc ...

named the song one of his top two picks from ''Emotions'', while

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' called it an "uplifting pop-gospel homily". Steve Morse of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' wrote: " tspositive message also soars through a gospel rearrangement. After hearing it, we understand why arey namedgospel star Shirley Caesar ... such a strong influence". In a different review of the album, Morse called "Make It Happen" "glorious" and described it as "a clear slice of spiritual autobiography".

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' stated that here, Carey "tones down the vocal acrobatics slightly and delivers her most appealing and affecting single to date." He added, "Infectious pop/house musical context is slick enough to keep radio fires burning, but tough enough to further develop her club profile. Spiritually uplifting lyrics are a bonus." '' Cashbox'' commented, "The overall sound of the single is quite different from her previous fast-paced cuts and should pick up with little or no promotion." ''

Gavin Report The ''Gavin Report'' was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs. The p ...

'' said it is "a brightly lit pop n' soul single with hit written all over it." Pan-European magazine ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' noted, "Dryly thumping beats, trebly rhythm guitar and dabs of synthesized violins make for a song with Chic-like feel. With its '70s dance influenced production aiming for the feet instead of the emotions, Carey stands a fair chance of having an uptempo dance/EHR hit on her hands." In a review for Carey's ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' in December 2001,

Devon Powers Devon Powers (born 1977 or 1978) is an American communication studies professor, author, and former music journalist. Biography Powers was born in 1977 or 1978. Her father, Lee R. Powers, is an engineer and her mother, Mandy Powers, is a nurse. ...

from

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

called the song's lyrics "power through prayer" and described some of its vocals as having "churchy overtones". Rob Tannenbaum from ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' described the track as "a teary tale of how she kept her religious faith despite hard times", while complimenting its "overheated

ocal Ocal or OCAL may refer to: * Öcal, Turkish surname * Öçal Öçal is a Turkish surname. Notable people with the surname include: * (born 1959), Turkish musician * Özgür Öçal (born 1981), Turkish footballer {{DEFAULTSORT:Ocal Turkish-la ...

growling." ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' editor Jan DeKnock called it "upbeat" and "inspirational", while Mellisa A. Jacque from the '' St. Petersburg Times'' wrote "Carey evokes a deep-felt strength and love for life, and the music has a jazzy feel in its sparsity". ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the '' Chicago ...

'' critic Michael Corcoran called it a "so-so composition" and described it as a "zombie dance-pop" production, though he said the song was salvaged by Carey's "stunning vocals".

Copyright lawsuit

Carey, Cole, Clivillés and

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

were sued in June 1994 by songwriter Kevin McCord, who accused the party of incorporating significant musical elements from his 1979 song, "I Want to Thank You", into "Make It Happen". McCord said, "If you listen to the chords at the beginning of the song, the similarity is obvious. It's the exact same chords in a different key"; he also noted lyrical similarities. Carey's side initially claimed McCord had no standing to sue, but McCord's attorney showed the song's copyright owners had transferred their legal interest in "I Want to Thank You" to McCord "in an effort to adjudicate their claims". Though a Carey spokesperson maintained the copyright infringement allegations were false, McCord said he had turned down settlement offers from Carey's camp. McCord eventually accepted a settlement offer of about US$500,000.

Chart performance

Carey's debut album sold over 15 million copies globally and produced four chart-topping singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Although "

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. ...

" became Carey's fifth chart-topping single in the US, sales for the album, ''Emotions'', stalled. As sales of ''Emotions'' continued to plummet, Columbia released "Make It Happen" as the third worldwide single from the album. Following a strong promotional boost for the song, it only peaked at number 5 on the Hot 100, becoming Carey's lowest charting US single to that point. It remained in the top 40 for 16 weeks and was ranked at number 42 on ''Billboard'''s 1992 Year-End Chart. On the February 22, 1992, issue of ''RPM'', "Make It Happen" debuted at number 97 on the Canadian singles chart. On May 16, the song reached its peak position of number 7, staying in the singles chart for 19 weeks. The song's charting throughout Australia and Europe was weak in comparison to Carey's previous singles (the single was not released in New Zealand, despite Carey's popularity in that country at the time). On the May 10, 1992,

Australian Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

, "Make It Happen" debuted at number 45. The following week, it rose to its peak of number 35, and spent five weeks within the chart. Similarly, in the Netherlands, the song attained a peak of 59 and spent only five weeks in the Dutch Top 100. The song entered the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

at number 20 on the week ending April 18, 1992. The following week, the song rose three spots to its peak position and charted for five weeks. "Make It Happen" was awarded a BMI Pop Award in 1992.

Music video

The

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...

for "Make It Happen" was directed by

Marcus Nispel Marcus Nispel is a German film director and producer, Fulbright Scholar, best known for several high-profile American remakes such as '' The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', as well as an extensive career in television commercials and music videos. ...

and features Carey performing at a closing church.

Alisa Reyes Alisa Adriana Reyes is an American actress, best known for three seasons that she appeared on Nickelodeon's ''All That'' (1994–97) and providing the voice of LaCienega Boulevardez in the Disney Channel original series, ''The Proud Family'' (200 ...

, best known from

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...

's ''

All That ''All That'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by Brian Robbins and Mike Tollin. The series originally aired on Nickelodeon from April 16, 1994, to October 22, 2005, lasting ten seasons, and was produced by Tollin/Robbins ...

'' appears on stage with Mariah. A benefit being depicted within, titled "Save Our Church", involves several other churchgoers who have congregated there to raise money through song. As the video begins, inspectors enter the building, searching the premises prior to its closing. Soon after, however, Carey makes her way to the stage with a few background singers and is soon joined inside the edifice by swarming groups of religious individuals. As she begins playing the song, an additional choir forms on the small stage with several small children on the upper tiers. Several musicians enter the room as the video progresses. Towards the video's climax, the crowd cheers Carey and begin clapping and chanting praises. Nispel said he added additional raw sounds, such as cheers, praises, and shouts, into the video in order make it feel like a "real, live experience". In his biography of Carey, Nickson noted the inclusion of men, women, and children of different races and ages: "The video tried to incorporate and further the song's image of religious belief and racial equality. The audience, as they filled into the dusty and deserted building, was made up of the widest cross section possible: old and young (with a strong emphasis on the children), abled and disabled, all races and color."

Live performances

Carey has performed "Make It Happen" on live television, during charity appearances, and on numerous concert tours. Her first live performance of the song was an acoustic version on the television show ''

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...

'' in 1992, which was later released on the EP entitled ''

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...

'' (1992). Carey's performance was recorded on March 16, 1992, at

Kaufman Astoria Studios The Kaufman Astoria Studios is a film studio located in the Astoria section of the New York City borough of Queens. The studio was constructed for Famous Players-Lasky in 1920, since it was close to Manhattan's Broadway theater district. The p ...

in Queens, New York. The show featured several musicians, back-up vocalists, and a crew of ten just for the filming and recording. The show was directed by Larry Jordan, who had previously worked with Carey on the music video set for " Someday". Nickson felt the song was superior to the studio version, due to its stripped performance and vocals:

The roughness of this version succeeded in a way the recorded version on 'Emotions' could never manage. In the sterile atmosphere of a studio, where perfection, technology, and overdubbing were the rules, spontaneity had no place. On the stage, it was valued, and this performance had it. Everyone pushed everyone just a little further, to create something wonderful, and judging by the response, the audience realized it, as did Mariah when the song was finished. It was a rare moment, one that true performers strive for and don't find often enough to satisfy themselves.

Carey performed "Make It Happen" at an intimate concert at Proctor Theatre in New York on July 15, 1993. The concert was released as the home video ''

Here Is Mariah Carey ''Here Is Mariah Carey'', also known as ''Mariah Carey'' or ''This Is Mariah Carey'', is the third video album by American singer Mariah Carey. It presents Carey performing live at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, New York, in July 1993, and al ...

'' (1993). At the VH1 Divas taping in 1998, Carey was the opening performer of the event, and after "

My All "My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, ''Butterfly'' (1997). It was released as the album's fifth single overall and second commercial single on April 21, 1998, by Columbia Records. The song ...

", her single at the time, she followed with "Make It Happen". As during the usual live performances of the song, a gospel choir accompanied her. On July 2, 2005, a benefit concert was held in

Hyde Park, London Hyde Park is a Grade I-listed major park in Westminster, Greater London, the largest of the four Royal Parks that form a chain from the entrance to Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Pa ...

, titled

Live 8 Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland, from 6–8 July 200 ...

. The televised event was watched by over 9.6 million Britons and attended by over 200,000. Carey performed a three-song set list, opening with "Make It Happen" followed by "Hero" and "

We Belong Together "We Belong Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her 10th studio album, ''The Emancipation of Mimi'' (2005). The song was released on March 15, 2005, through Island Records, as the second single from the album. ...

", featuring a live choir of African children during the first two songs. On April 12, 2005, Carey performed the song as part of a three-song concert for ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...

'', drawing the biggest crowd in

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

since December 2004. Following a live rendition of " It's Like That" with

Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ. Early life Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...

, Carey was joined on stage by several male and female vocalists, all wearing white gowns and serving as a gospel choir. Similarly, on October 2, 2009, Carey played a four-song set list at

Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The 14 original Art Deco ...

for a taping of ''

The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...

''. "Make It Happen" was performed with a church choir and children's quartet. Aside from the televised appearances and charity events, "Make It Happen" was featured on the set lists of several of Carey's world tours. The song was routinely performed on the

Music Box Tour The Music Box Tour was the debut concert tour in 1993 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, in support of her Diamond-certified third studio album, ''Music Box'' (1993). It is Carey's first headlining tour, visiting six cities in the United ...

and the

Daydream World Tour The Daydream World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey in support of her fifth studio album ''Daydream'' (1995). The tour lasted seven shows, starting on March 7, 1996 in Tokyo, Japan, and ending on June 23 ...

in 1993 and early-mid 1996, respectively. During her first show at Japan's

Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium. Construction on the stadium began on May 16, 1985, and it opened on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of th ...

on March 7, 1996, Carey performed the song alongside a twenty-five person choir and several additional musicians and background vocalists. "Make It Happen" was featured on Carey's

Butterfly World Tour The Butterfly World Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour promoted Carey's album ''Butterfly'' (1997), and included songs from several of her previous albums. The tour visited Asia, Australia and t ...

in early 1998, during which she was joined on stage by several choir members and musicians. Similarly, two years later, the song was placed as the ninth song on the set list during select dates of her

Rainbow World Tour The Rainbow World Tour was the fourth concert tour in 2000 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and supports her seventh studio album ''Rainbow'' (1999). The tour started in Europe on February 14, in Antwerp, Belgium, also an itinerary t ...

. Similar set-ups were featured for her following

Charmbracelet World Tour The Charmbracelet World Tour was the fifth worldwide concert tour in 2003–2004 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey in support of her ninth studio album ''Charmbracelet'' (2002). The tour started on June 20, 2003 in Seoul, South Korea, an ...

and

The Adventures of Mimi Tour The Adventures of Mimi was a 2006 concert tour of arenas by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was one of a few tours in her then-sixteen-year career and was named after a fan's "Carey-centric" diary of the same name. The bus tour start ...

, where church choirs were brought out for the song, in addition to additional background vocalists and musicians. In the

Angels Advocate Tour The Angels Advocate Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour supported her twelfth studio album, '' Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'' (2009). The tour played 26 shows, primarily visiting the United Stat ...

, the song served as a dancer's interlude; Carey entered during the bridge of the song. On September 26, 2010, during the song's performance in a show in Singapore for that tour, Carey slipped on stage, and the small slip was blamed on Carey's US$10,000 heels. She asked her assistant to remove them and completed the concert barefoot. Carey started performing the single for the first time since November 2014 on her second

concert residency A concert residency (also known as musical residency or simply residency) is a series of concerts, similar to a concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countrie ...

placed in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

,

The Butterfly Returns The Butterfly Returns was a concert residency by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It began on July 5, 2018 and concluded on February 29, 2020. This was Carey's second concert residency placed in Las Vegas ...

(2018).

Track listings

* US CD maxi-single # "Make It Happen" (Extended Version) – 6:15 # "Make It Happen" (Dub Version) – 7:27 # "Make It Happen" (C+C Classic Version) – 5:22 # "Make It Happen" (Radio Edit) – 4:52 # "Make It Happen" (LP Version) – 5:07 # "Emotions" (Special Motion Edit) – 4:45
* US 12" single, UK 12" single and UK cassette single # "Make It Happen" (Extended Version) – 6:15 # "Make It Happen" (Dub Version) – 7:27 # "Make It Happen" (C+C Classic Version) – 5:22 # "Make It Happen" (LP Version) – 5:07
* US 7" single and * * UK 7" single # "Make It Happen" (Edit) – 4:05 # "Emotions" (Special Motion Edit) – 4:45
* UK CD maxi-single # "Make It Happen" (Radio Edit) – 4:08 # "Make It Happen" (Extended Version) – 6:15 # "Make It Happen" (Dub Version) – 7:27 # "Make It Happen" (C+C Classic Version) – 5:22 # "Make It Happen" (LP Version) – 5:07
* Make It Happen EP # "Make It Happen" (Radio Edit) – 4:08 # "Make It Happen" (C&C Classic Version) – 5:22 # "Make It Happen" (Extended Version) – 6:15 # "Make It Happen" (Dub Version) – 7:27 # "Make It Happen" (Live at Madison Square Garden) – 4:45 # "Make It Happen" (VH1 Divas Live) – 5:22

Credits and personnel

;Recording * Recorded at Skyline Studios, Electric Lady Studios and Axis Studios, NYC. * Mixed at Axis Studios, NYC. ;Personnel * Lyrics – Mariah Carey * Music – Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés * Production – Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés * Programming – Alan Friedman (for YIPE!) * Mixing – Bob Rosa * Engineers – Acar S. Key, John Mathias * Keyboards – David Cole * Guitar – Paul Pesco * Drum programming – David Cole, Robert Clivillés * Vocal arrangement – Mariah Carey, David Cole * Background vocals – Mariah Carey, Trey Lorenz, Patrique McMillan Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Emotions''.

Background

Composition

Reception

Critical response

Copyright lawsuit

Chart performance

Music video

Live performances

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Charts

References

Further reading