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R&B fans shared the best examples of 'singing like the rent is due' and the clips are incredible

These singers left it all on stage.

via Setor VIP/Wikimedia Commons and DefenseImagery/Wikimedia Commons

Mariah Carey performing at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands, June 2019 and Whitney Houston performing "Saving All My Love for You" during the HBO-televised concert "Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston"

R&B music news site RNB Radar asked its audience on Twitter to share “an example of someone singing like the rent is due,” and they didn’t disappoint. The tweet thread of artists leaving it all out on the stage received over 30 million views because it was a fantastic way to experience some of the greatest R&B, soul and gospel singers giving their best performances.

To sing like the “rent is due” is to belt out the song like your life is on the line or that you’ll be living in the streets for the next few weeks if you don't give it your all. The artists that appeared most often on the list were Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle and Christina Aguilera, who were all known to give it their all every time out.

Here are 11 of the best videos shared on Twitter in response to RNB Radar’s request.

Christina Aguilera’s rendition of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” at the Grammys in 2007 goes next level when she hits that high note at the 18-second mark.

This would have to be the Legendary Christina Aguilera’s show stopping rendition of James Brown “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” at the Grammys 2007. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/oIDdOxwDFy
— Albie (Housewives & Madonna Super Fan) (@_MANDONNA_) June 17, 2023

The Lord definitely took notice of Karen Clark Sheard's show-stopping rendition of “Balm in Gilead.”

I meanpic.twitter.com/w7g4dN6ogM
— Mandie (@__capricciosa) June 16, 2023

D’Atra Hicks used every emotion one woman can muster in this passionate performance of “How Much Can One Heart Take?” from the stage presentation of “Madea’s Family Reunion.”

D’Atra was singing like the rent, car payment, light bill, phone bill, and daycare were ALL due at the same time! pic.twitter.com/oeJhOeH3Gf
— ✨ Ed 🤦🏽‍♂️ ✨ (@eddluxe) June 19, 2023

Shoshana Bean’s stirring performance of “Make it Rain” is enough to make the sky open and pour down.

Shoshana was singing for free rent for a year… pic.twitter.com/Hz8ufGAvu9
— ✨ Ed 🤦🏽‍♂️ ✨ (@eddluxe) June 18, 2023

Whitney Houston left it all out on stage every time. This compilation proves it.

https://t.co/RV2Z7RwxRd
— whit (@legendofNippy) June 17, 2023

In one of the best battles in “The Voice” history, Trevin Hunte and Amanda Brown went toe to toe on Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love.”

Trevin Hunte vs Amanda Brown - Vision of Lovepic.twitter.com/bPbNbTOmiu
— Ɗισηα ♌️🌞♏️🌛♒️ 🌅 (@Elladrien) June 17, 2023

Once again, Whitney Houston, this time performing one of the most popular renditions of “The Star Spangled Banner,” a live version recorded at the Super Bowl in 1991. “If you were there, you could feel the intensity,” Houston said, according to Today.com. “We were in the Gulf War at the time. It was an intense time for our country. A lot of our daughters and sons were overseas fighting. I could see in the stadium, I could see the fear, the hope, the intensity, the prayers going up.”

There will never be another pic.twitter.com/LB7RTaN2u4
— Real Deal (@Real_DealRaps) June 16, 2023

How does Carrie Underwood not pass out when hitting the big note on “Broken Wing”?

Carrie Underwood always pushes her voice to the limit. She doesn’t hold back. pic.twitter.com/wPorA95Jw4
— Dustin Mont 🏳️‍🌈🇨🇦 (@DustinMont) June 17, 2023

Singing a duet with Mariah Carey is no easy task. But Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men is totally up for it in this performance of “One Sweet Day.”

Mariah & Wanya from Boyz II Men One Sweet Day pic.twitter.com/pBAH5eH0n0
— adi_ylah, M.Ed. (@adiylah) June 17, 2023

Prince isn't singing here, but he gave every ounce of soul he had while playing The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" during the George Harrison tribute at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The way Prince made that guitar sing. You just know he had 3 kids, a wife, and the red notice was on the door

My all time favorite music clip#RIPTHEGREATESTTOEVERDOIT
🌹🌹🌹🌹 pic.twitter.com/wI4B0InCHO
— Asia (@AQueensTale_) June 17, 2023

Teddy Pendergrass’ passionate performance of “Turn Out the Lights” ensured the rent would get paid. Either he’d come up with the money or there’d be no shortage of women in the audience who would lend him a few bucks after setting this perfect thirst trap.

pic.twitter.com/5NSelYh3dz
— My Fault (@Who_Remy) June 18, 2023

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Pop Culture

Mariah Carey calls video of an autistic kid singing 'All I Want for Christmas Is You’ pure 'JOY'

It was #AutisticJoy on full display.

via Wikimedia Commons

Mariah Carey singing "All I Want for Christmas Is You" at Disney World.

One of the most common misconceptions about people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is that they are emotionless. The disorder exists on a spectrum, so everyone is different, but people with ASD experience the same emotions as everyone else and sometimes more intensely.

“Sometimes, an individual with autism may display their emotions differently than one might expect, but this does not mean they are emotionless,” Autism Learning Partners wrote. “Some individuals with autism may internalize their feelings, not as a direct result of autism, but because of external factors such as bullying or trauma.”

A viral video posted by mother Jennifer White-Johnson shows that people with ASD have no problem experiencing emotions and when that’s mixed with self-confidence can result in eruptions of pure, unbridled joy.

On December 13, White-Johnson posted a video of her son Knox, 10, performing “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey and it was pure joy. Knox has ASD but that didn’t hold him back from performing. In fact, it’s probably one of the reasons why he was so carefree.

"Timeline cleanse if you need one!” White-Johnson wrote in her post. “Knox tonight at his 4th-grade school winter concert singing @MariahCarey 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' #AutisticJoy on full display! My kid is everything! I hope Mariah sees this!!"

\u201cTimeline cleanse if you need one! Knox tonight at his 4th grade school winter concert singing @MariahCarey \u2018All I Want For Christmas Is You\u2019 #AutisticJoy on full display! My kid is everything! I hope Mariah sees this!!\u201d
— Jen White-Johnson (@Jen White-Johnson) 1670991490

The amazing thing is that Carey, the Queen of Christmas, saw the video and reposted it on Twitter. “Your kid IS everything!!!!!!” Carey wrote. “Knox, you made my day. Your JOY gives me and everyone watching JOY. THANK YOU for reminding me why I wake up in the morning and do what I do. I love you.”

\u201cYour kid IS everything!!!!!! Knox, you made my day. Your JOY gives me and everyone watching JOY. THANK YOU for reminding me why I wake up in the morning and do what I do. I love you \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u201d
— Mariah Carey (@Mariah Carey) 1671040429

The family had Carey’s tweet framed and Knox thanked her in a response video. “Thank you Mariah for making me feel so alive in my life. I’ve never felt so overjoyed in my life, Amen,” Knox said.

\u201cWhat he says in the video: \u2018Thank you Mariah for making me feel so alive in my life. I\u2019ve never felt so overjoyed in my life, Amen\u2019 @MariahCarey #MariahCarey #AutisticJoy\u201d
— Jen White-Johnson (@Jen White-Johnson) 1671397620

White-Johnson was happy that her video could show people a side of ASD that people try to hide.

"We don't want to shush our son and we don't want to make it a point to say you're being too loud when all he's really doing is being happy," White-Johnson told Good Morning America. "Even going further, with a Black autistic child, there's certain expectations of what that child's behavior is going to be like. I've even heard various people say that they're surprised he can even emote to that degree because they didn't think that young, autistic children could do that. And it's like, well, he's still a human being and he has feelings and he has emotions that he's excited to share. And while he's still navigating this kind of experience that he has, he knows that he's free to explore what that means for him."

Kudos to White-Johnson for sharing the video of her child’s performance because it’s a joy to watch and it shows a side of ASD that more people need to understand. When people see that people with ASD have big feelings, it lifts the stigma surrounding the disorder and makes it more likely they'll be treated like everyone else.

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Man's festive cover of Radiohead's 'Creep' is great, but not what anyone expected

via Rhysics/TikTok

Rhysics Radiohead cover.

A member of the Sydney, Australia band Rhysics has pulled the ultimate "Mariah-roll" by singing Carey's 1994 Christmas megahit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" over Radiohead's 1994 self-loathing anthem, "Creep."

On Monday, musician Jordan Siwek posted a TikTok video of him playing an instrumental version of "Creep" on the piano and invited people to sing it with him on the app. "Creep! Duet with Me!" he wrote.

The member of the Rhysics responded by posting a video that began with the ultimate misdirection. He says that every guy in their 20s and 30s knows "all the words by heart" to the song and then instead of singing "Creep" belts out "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

@rhysics_
#duet with @pianojordan It's so nice when people remember about this song every 12 months or so :) #mariahcarey #alliwantforchristmas

The interesting thing about the mashup is that the music to "Creep" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is actually pretty similar. Both have similar chord progressions that move from G to versions of B to C and then, the catcher here is the switch to C minor.

Both songs do the C to C minor switch at the same time, "Christmas" in the first verse on the word "underneath" and "Creep" on the word "cry." Notice that both songs suddenly get melancholy when the chord flips from major to minor. It's a jarring change, one that The Beatles used more than a few times.

While the member of the Rhysics' vocal performance does a great job at bridging the gap between both songs, this isn't the first someone has made a "Creep" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" mashup.

In 2019, William Maranci made a mashup of the two songs by splicing Thom Yorke's vocal over Carey's music.

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Mariah Carey hid her mental illness for 17 years. Now she's owning it.

For years, international pop icon Mariah Carey was living with a condition that greatly affected her life — but she kept it a secret and even refused treatment.

In a new interview, Carey revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder back in 2001 after a mental breakdown. However, fear of being publicly outed led her to keep the diagnosis a secret, and refuse treatment, until recently.

"I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me," she said. "It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music."

— (@)

Seeing stories of other celebrities discussing mental illness helped her come forward.

A number of other public figures have come forward in recent years with their own stories of living with mental illness. The positive response to those stories helped Carey seek treatment and speak publicly about her own experiences.

"She's hoping she can have the same sort of positive impact with other people," People magazine editor-in-chief Jess Cagle said.

"I'm just in a really good place right now, where I'm comfortable discussing my struggles with bipolar II disorder," Carey said. "I'm hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone."

Carey's public behavior has been scrutinized and even mocked for years.

Carey has gone through a number of highly scrutinized public incidents throughout her career. Most recently, she was attacked online relentlessly following a 2016 New Year's Eve performance rife with technical difficulties (and what was perceived as an odd reaction to them).

— (@)

Now that she's sharing her story, those incidents are placed in a different light, whether or not they were directly tied to her bipolar disorder. And they also can help to serve as an educational moment about how we can all react more sensitively to public figures during "embarrassing" or "awkward" moments.

Carey revealed that she's been going to therapy and taking medications that have helped bring her symptoms under control.

"It can be incredibly isolating," Carey said of living in secret with her condition. "It does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me.”

— (@)

Every time a public figure like Carey opens up about mental health, it reduces stigma and increases acceptance.

No one is required to share private details of their life that they may want to keep private. And not everyone's experience is the same. But when beloved figures like Carey — or famously "strong" celebs like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — come forward to share their vulnerabilities, it makes it a little easier for the next person to do the same.

Mariah Carey showed a tremendous amount of bravery by coming forward to tell her own story, and she's also doing a service to anyone out there navigating their own personal mental health journeys.

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For years, international pop icon Mariah Carey was living with a condition that greatly affected her life — but she kept it a secret and even refused treatment.

Seeing stories of other celebrities discussing mental illness helped her come forward.

Carey's public behavior has been scrutinized and even mocked for years.

Every time a public figure like Carey opens up about mental health, it reduces stigma and increases acceptance.