Though it began with a particularly bumpy takeoff — a gaffe-ridden New Year’s Eve performance in which she gave up halfway through — Mariah Carey’s 2017 has course-corrected in time for Christmas, her favorite time of the year. Following a scrapped engagement to Australian billionaire James Packer, the 47-year-old siren is now blissfully involved with 34-year-old dancer Bryan Tanaka. The “All I Want for Christmas” singer also has a new single, appropriately titled “The Star.” But it’s not about Mariah. The tune is the title song to Columbia Pictures’ animated film (in theaters Nov. 17) about the birth of Jesus Christ, told from the point of view of the animals in the manger. (Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and Tracy Morgan voice the Wise Men’s camels.) The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Carey in a Beverly Hills hotel suite after she performed the song live for the first time — with backing help from Moroccan and Monroe, her 6-year-old twins with ex-husband Nick Cannon — for an audience of Golden Globe voters.
How did the Hollywood Foreign Press receive your song?
The last time I met them was when we were working on the movie Precious with Lee Daniels, and I was with the entire cast of that movie. Today they decorated the ballroom with Christmas trees and lights, and it was like walking into a wonderland. So I was happy that happened — but I am not accustomed to waking up early and putting on a performance. And this was the first time I had performed the song live — with my kids there. But they did a great job. I was so proud.
You wrote “The Star&dquo; with Marc Shaiman. How was that process?
We worked at his studio, and they provided us with a clip from the film where they wanted the song to appear — when the group is traveling to Bethlehem. It was, for me, an unorthodox approach to songwriting. This was the first time I ever wrote to picture. I really enjoyed being able to look at something visual while he is on the piano, and we’re going back and forth with the melodies together and writing the lyrics.
So now they seem to call you “the Queen of Christmas.”
“They.” I don’t know who “they” are. That is not my appellation.
You’re not thrilled with that title.
It’s not that I’m not thrilled. I just don’t think I deserve it. I’m just a person who likes Christmas, OK? Who happened to write some songs.
Tell me about your childhood and what Christmas meant to you.
I’ve always loved Christmas. Even though we didn’t have a lot of material things, like money, my mom would always make it festive. She would wrap up, like, some fruit and sign the card from the dog or the cat. Just to have something to open up. Because I grew up in New York, sometimes we had snow at Christmas. Now I try to create this magical moment with Christmas where Santa Claus comes, and it’s in Aspen.
What’s the hardest thing about being Mariah Carey?
Darling, is there anything easy? No, I don’t mean that. Can you take a guess?
If I had to, I would say it’s got to be all the scrutiny you get from the media.
Of course it is. But I guess I feel like this is something I have wanted to do for my whole life. If that comes with it, you take the good with the bad and you just have to be well balanced and handle anything that comes along. It’s up to me to decide what to focus on. Yeah, we all take knocks from people in the media. I’m not the only one who does, so I’m not going to belabor that point. I’m just going to keep being myself and keep pushing.
What do you want for Christmas this year?
Peace and harmony. Can we have that?
I don’t know. Can we?
Let’s hope for the best.
