Mariah Carey Addresses Anderson .Paak Dating Rumors, Her Status With Nick Cannon, and More

Since her last studio record, Mariah Carey has confronted intense personal upheaval — from co‑parenting twins with ex‑husband Nick Cannon to the devastating, back‑to‑back losses of her mother and sister. In a candid conversation with Gayle King on CBS Mornings on Sept. 24, 2025, the singer spoke about how those experiences have shaped her life and the music on her forthcoming album, Here for It All.

Carey described the summer of 2024 as especially harrowing: her mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, died on the same day in August 2024. She said she isn’t entirely certain how she processed such profound grief, but noted the comfort of being at her mother’s side during her final days. “Towards the end, I was with her the whole time,” Carey told King, adding that being present offered some solace.

In her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, she detailed a complicated and often painful relationship with her mother. When King asked whether Carey had found peace with Patricia before her passing, the singer answered simply, “I do,” and said Patricia offered words that proved healing.

Carey also acknowledged the bittersweet circumstances surrounding her sister, whom she hadn’t seen in years, and the lingering guilt she carries over that estrangement. “My sister had an extremely hard life,” she said, reflecting on the difficulties that marked Alison’s years.

Beyond personal matters, the interview touched on Carey’s return to recording. Here for It All, arriving Friday, Sept. 26, is her first album since 2018’s Caution. The record features contributions from Shenseea, Kehlani and The Clark Sisters, and includes production from Anderson .Paak, who also appears vocally on a track called “Play This Song.”

Carey confirmed that she reached out to .Paak herself; the two were seen together in Aspen around Christmastime last year, where a People report captured them holding hands. Addressing the resulting dating speculation, Carey downplayed labels: “He just likes to hold my hand,” she said, later describing their connection as “something special.”

Asked about her relationship with Nick Cannon — with whom she shares twins Moroccan and Monroe — Carey declined to elaborate, saying it’s best to let him “be in his own world.”

Here for It All arrives Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. Watch Carey’s full interview with Gayle King below.

Related: Mariah Carey and Anderson .Paak were seen holding hands in Aspen

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