Mariah Carey has never been one to shy away from a label, particularly one that has followed her for decades. The word “diva” is thrown around like a backhanded compliment in popular culture, a term often reserved for those seen as high-maintenance, difficult, or unreasonably demanding. But in Carey’s hands, it’s a crown. Not an insult. Not a burden. A crown.
Speaking ahead of the September release of her sixteenth studio album, Here For It All, Carey reframed the narrative entirely. She introduced her “Diva O’ the Day” mindset, which she clarified extends to “Diva O’ Life,” telling listeners, “It’s whatever you want it to be.”
When suggested that perhaps being a diva is actually a celebration of “everything that encapsulates you and makes you who you are,” Carey didn’t hesitate: “I think so.” In her view, diva status is less about petulance and more about unapologetic self-definition, an embrace of individuality rather than a surrender to stereotype.
This tour cycle finds Carey in the UK, fresh from headlining Brighton Pride on August 2 and preparing for her Heritage Live appearance at Sandringham on August 15. Alongside discussing her new music, she reminisced about her career’s foundational moments, particularly the enduring love for her debut single, “Vision of Love.” Written before she even had a record deal, Carey described its release as “a pretty big moment for me… I just enjoyed that time so much.”
She fondly recalled performing “We Belong Together” and her collaboration with Busta Rhymes on “I Know What You Want,” calling him “one of the greatest of all time” and “a dear friend.” Even lighter moments, like the use of her song “Fantasy” in Rush Hour, where a kidnapped Soo Yung gleefully belts it in the captors’ car, remain close to her heart. “That scene is still a moment for me… she’s adorable,” Carey said.
Her new work is equally personal. Recent single “Sugar Sweet” features Shenseea and Kehlani, blending in a “Caribbean vibe,” while the lead single “Type Dangerous” samples Eric B. & Rakim’s “Eric B. Is President.” For Carey, getting clearance for that sample was a euphoric, full-circle moment: “I grew up loving it.”
Mariah Carey isn’t rejecting the diva label. She’s redefining it, on her own terms, for Here For It All, out September 26.
