We’re now on the other side of Halloween, so inevitably thoughts start to turn to Christmas: chestnuts roasting on an open fire, children singing Christian rhyme and... Mariah Carey.
The Queen of Christmas turned up on a Reddit Ask Me Anything last Friday, in which fans were encouraged to, well, ask her anything. Her appearance was ostensibly to promote the reissue of her 2001 album Glitter, but she was also asked about a more interesting archive item – her still-unreleased mid-'90s grunge album.
This is Someone’s Ugly Daughter, which was recorded with friend Clarissa Dane in 1995. A version of it was released under the moniker Chick, with Mariah relegated to backing vocals. It flopped, and it’s only in recent years that the singer has admitted that a version with her singing lead exists.
In the Reddit chat, Mariah’s response to a query about when the album would finally be released was “I get asked this about once a week. My answer is…#notyet (this is a hint!)”
Fans will be disappointed. Nearly two years ago on La Culturistas podcast, Carey said “I’m so mad I haven’t done that yet,” of its release.
Late last year The Sun quoted a source close to the singer as saying “After years of casual talks about what to do, everyone has now agreed the album will be released in the second half of 2026.” We’re now hurtling towards the end of 2026 and there’s still no sign of it.
As well as the update about Someone’s Ugly Daughter, we also found out that Mariah is “always working on music and coming up with lyrics and ideas” but doesn’t know “exactly the next album will happen.” She also quite fancies a collab with Lenny Kravitz: “I love Lenny too… Lenny, if you’re seeing this, call me!”
Meanwhile, Carey has now given her customary signal that we’re approaching the holiday season. Yesterday she posted on social media, ‘it’s time’, but for a change it came with a twist.
The accompanying video features a camera tracking shot that leads to a grotty New York dive bar in which a punk band is playing. But who is fronting the group? Unlikely as it may seem, the punkster in garish makeup and leather jacket stage-diving into the crowd… is Mariah herself.
That, of course, led into All I Want For Christmas Is You. It will, no doubt, start climbing the charts in both the US and UK and reach Number One yet again some time between now and 25 December.
Anyway, for UK fans there is the added festive treat – the diva will be performing a short British tour at the end of November, popping into Birmingham Utilita Arena on 27 November, London’s O2 on 30 November and the Co-Op Live in Manchester on 2 December.
