I agree also.  Though hardcore fans that have been following her all these years may not like the "new" Mariah Carey, I guess that is how she have grown up to.  She gone to a more rap rnb like songs, and ditched the ballads that made her famous. 

She has gone through alot of problems with her relationships and record company.  All this time, she have been hiding herself.. doing what Sony wants her to do (which are ballads).  But now she got more space to express herself after the divorce with Matola and Sony.  Her true strength are in ballads but now she is more interested in rap-hiphop-rnb... and expressing her sexuality.

This reminds me of Britney Spears, she gone through the same situation too.  When she first started off, she was portraited as the "Girl Next Door".  Her newer albums are more catchy and expresses her true self.