Current:Home > BackQ&A: Mariah Carey wasn’t always sure about making a Christmas album-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Q&A: Mariah Carey wasn’t always sure about making a Christmas album
View Date:2024-12-23 18:28:30
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mariah Carey relishes the fact that she has become culturally synonymous with Christmas — thanks in part to the longevity of her iconic song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and its ubiquity every year when the holidays roll around.
But the Grammy winner admits she initially wasn’t sure about doing a Christmas record when her label pitched it. “I was a little bit apprehensive,” she recalls, reflecting on her album, “Merry Christmas,” turning 30 this month.
Ahead of her appearance at Sunday’s American Music Awards and an upcoming Christmas tour that kicks off in November, Carey spoke with The Associated Press about the advice she would give to young artists navigating fame and the use of her song, “Always Be My Baby,” in Ari Aster’s 2023 horror comedy, “Beau Is Afraid.”
The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: What has it been like to celebrate nearly 20 years of “The Emancipation of Mimi” and reflect on this album’s legacy?
CAREY: I think “The Emancipation of Mimi” is one of my albums where there were different boundaries that got pushed aside and I was really happy about that because I needed to come back, apparently. And so, it was a comeback. But it’s one of my favorite albums. And celebrating it this year and this celebration of “Mimi” was really fun because I never get to do those songs. I never do them. And this this time I did.
AP: Because of that kind of underdog feeling, you felt some artistic liberty and empowerment that maybe you hadn’t before?
CAREY: Yeah, I feel like people were ready to re-embrace me. And, you know, how did I feel about that? I mean, I feel like the album “Charmbracelet” was a very good album too, but not everybody knew that album. So, you know, when “We Belong Together” came out after “It’s Like That,” which didn’t do as well but still did pretty well. Whatever.
AP: “It’s Like That” is a great song.
CAREY: It’s a good song. And I love performing it. You know, I go through stages with these albums. It’s interesting.
AP: Your first Christmas album, “Merry Christmas,” is turning 30 this month. That was obviously a formative record for you and your career. Do you remember anything about its inception?
CAREY: So that was the record company saying, “You should do a Christmas album.” And I was like, “I don’t know that I should at this juncture.” Because, you know, I was very young and was just starting out and I felt like people do Christmas albums later in their lives. But now people have started to do them whenever, like right at the top of their career. So, I mean, what was I feeling like? I was a little bit apprehensive and then I was like, “I love this.” And I decorated the studio and just had the best time.
AP: Chappell Roan has made headlines for speaking out about how she is grappling with sudden fame. As someone who has been in the public eye for so long, do you have advice for young artists who are dealing with this?
CAREY: Well, I have been through my share of dramas and it’s not fun because you grow up thinking, “I want to be famous.” I mean, really with me, it was always, “I want to be a singer. I want to write songs.” But “I want to be famous” was right there with it. I feel like it was probably because I didn’t feel like I was good enough on my own because of the things I went through growing up. And that’s not a good way to feel, you know?
But my advice would be try your hardest to go into this industry with a love of your talent or what’s really real for you. You know, if it’s like, “I want to be famous. I want to run around with those people, whoever they are, the famous people,” then it’s probably not the best idea.
AP: Have you seen Ari Aster’s “Beau Is Afraid” with Joaquin Phoenix?
CAREY: Yes. I had to approve that. I thought it was interesting the way they used my song, “Always Be My Baby.” That was interesting. I mean, it didn’t really match with the movie, but, you know, I was just being edgy by saying, “You know, okay, fine.” It was very different. I mean, I wasn’t reluctant, but I thought, “This is something way different than I’ve done ever.”
veryGood! (59987)
Related
- Sister Wives’ Christine Brown Shares Glimpse Into Honeymoon One Year After Marrying David Woolley
- Millions of kids are missing weeks of school as attendance tanks across the US
- Bruce Springsteen honors Robbie Robertson of The Band at Chicago show
- ‘Ash and debris': Journalist covering Maui fires surveys destruction of once-vibrant Hawaii town
- MLS Star Marco Angulo Dead at 22 One Month After Car Crash
- Netherlands' Lineth Beerensteyn hopes USWNT's 'big mouths' learn from early World Cup exit
- Prosecutors clear 2 Stillwater police officers in fatal shooting of man at apartment complex
- 'Rust' movie weapons supervisor pleads not guilty to manslaughter
- Trump ally Steve Bannon blasts ‘lawfare’ as he faces New York trial after federal prison stint
- NYC teen dies in apparent drowning after leaping off ledge of upstate waterfall
Ranking
- Horoscopes Today, November 10, 2024
- Netherlands' Lineth Beerensteyn hopes USWNT's 'big mouths' learn from early World Cup exit
- North Carolina woman wins $4 million in new scratch-off lottery game
- Celebrity hair, makeup and nail stylists: How the Hollywood strikes have affected glam squads
- When is 'The Golden Bachelorette' finale? Date, time, where to watch Joan Vassos' big decision
- Caitlin Clark, Iowa teammates seek to pack football stadium for Oct. basketball matchup
- Theft charges for 5 ex-leaders of Pennsylvania prison guard union over credit card use
- Iran's leader vows to enforce mandatory dress code as women flout hijab laws
Recommendation
-
California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to China
-
Attorney General Garland appoints a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe
-
Elsa Pataky Pokes Fun at Husband Chris Hemsworth in Heartwarming Birthday Tribute
-
Target recalls more than 2 million scented candles after reports of glass shattering during use
-
Let Demi Moore’s Iconic Fashion Give You More Inspiration
-
James Williams: The Crypto Visionary's Journey to Pioneering Digital Currency Investment
-
3 hunters found dead in underground reservoir in Texas were trying to rescue dog, each other
-
In the twilight of the muscle car era, demand for the new 486-horsepower V-8 Ford Mustang is roaring