Mariah Carey Breaks Silence On 'Extremely Difficult' Album Recording Process

Losing two relatives on the same day was a tragedy that significantly affected Mariah Carey's life and career.

The renowned singer-songwriter, dubbed the "Songbird Supreme" for her powerful vocals, recently opened up about the pain of losing her mother and estranged sister in August 2024. Following their deaths, her brother renewed his efforts to drag her to court.

Mariah Carey addressed the painful time in her life while promoting her new album, "Here for It All."

Mariah made a spectacular comeback to music after a seven-year hiatus with the release of an album. She addressed the process behind the 16th studio release in a new interview, revealing it stemmed from loss and healing.

The celebrated singer worked on the album while grieving the simultaneous deaths of her mother, Patricia Carey, and estranged sister, Alison. The duo died on the same day in August 2024, a tragedy that left Mariah with a few regrets.

"I don't know how I processed it. I just know that it was extremely difficult for me to navigate. It was tough because I have always had an interesting relationship with my mother," Mariah confessed to Gaye King on "CBS Mornings."

Mariah has been vocal about her complicated relationship with her late mother and sister, shedding light on their issues in the 2020 memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey." However, she managed to resolve some of their differences before Patricia's death.

The media personality noted she was with her mother in her final days, and Patricia had said some things that were the "very healing" she needed. Unfortunately, Mariah was unable to close her chapter with her estranged sister as she did with her mom.

The "All I Want for Christmas Is You" hitmaker noted she felt "really bad" about her estrangement from Alison. Although she wasn't sure if the pain stemmed from regret or her guilt complex about everything, Mariah noted it was a "tough" situation as her sister had a challenging life.

While addressing her latest album, Mariah described it as a mix of the old and new. "I would say it's new Mariah, but still sounds like Mariah, but there's a little twist to it that makes it a little bit different," she explained.

The singer's words hit the mark as fans were giddy with excitement when she teased one of her new songs in July. The Blast covered the story, reporting that many were impressed when Mariah dropped a snippet of "Sugar Sweet" on Instagram.

She shared a video of herself in the kitchen, rocking a sizzling pink sequin dress, while the new song played in the background. The catchy tune had fans proclaiming the track would be their song of the Summer once it was released.

As stated, "Here for It All" marks Mariah's 16th studio album, which will officially be released on September 26. The project's lead single, "Type Dangerous," was released in June, accompanied by an energetic music video that had fans clamoring for more.

Mariah's new album was a collaborative effort with Anderson .Paak, with the lead single spanning several remixes with renowned artists like Big Sean, Busta Rhymes, DJ Snake, and Luísa Sonza.

The excitement for Mariah's new album began in 2023 when she first teased the possibility of new music. Fans became certain she was working on a studio project in May 2024 when she confirmed the news in an interview.

Mariah's late mother and sister weren't the only family members with whom she had a complicated relationship, as her brother filed a lawsuit over her 2020 memoir.The Blast reported that Morgan Carey sued his sister for making defamatory comments in 2021.

Morgan alleged he was not the drug dealer Mariah painted him to be in her book and requested to amend his lawsuit in April 2025, after discovering a controversial documentary. In the clip, his sister claimed their family had her institutionalized and medicated after she signed a major record deal.

However, Mariah implored the court to deny his request, claiming their mother had informed her of his dark past. She argued that the amendment shouldn't proceed because Patricia, a key witness to the events mentioned in the memoir and documentary, was dead.

Will Mariah Carey break new records with her 16th studio album?