Mariah Carey on Being QUEEN of Christmas, Roc and Roe’s Gift Lists & New TOUR! (

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Transcript

00:00 So now, Queen of Christmas is a title we have affectionately bestowed upon you, right?

00:04 And I know you've earned it, but what do you think of the title, Queen of Christmas?

00:08 Well, I never called myself Queen of Christmas.

00:11 Other people started calling me Queen of Christmas, and I was like, "Oh, that's so cute," but

00:16 I wasn't like, "That's me!"

00:17 I don't know, let's get it on a shirt now.

00:21 I feel like we need to sell merch.

00:22 Yeah, I mean, it's fun, you know what I mean?

00:25 And it's flattering, you know?

00:26 It's a testament to the longevity of your Christmas music.

00:28 Yes.

00:29 You've been doing this for years, right?

00:30 I don't know, I haven't.

00:31 I wasn't born when I first started.

00:32 That's right, I forgot time.

00:33 Yes, you're right.

00:34 It's time now.

00:35 It's time now.

00:36 Now's the time.

00:37 We don't know what time it is.

00:38 You don't know what time it is?

00:39 Yeah.

00:40 But it's time.

00:41 It's time!

00:42 I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need.

00:55 The Queen of Christmas has defrosted.

00:57 What's exciting is you're about to give Santa a run for his money because you're taking

01:00 your Christmas extravaganza on the road.

01:02 Yes.

01:03 "Merry Christmas, One and All."

01:05 How would you describe this show?

01:07 Well, until I get out there and start doing it, I'm not going to know.

01:10 But it's not that I'm not going to know.

01:13 I'm immersed in the music.

01:15 I'm just super excited to be with the fans and just have an experience with them on the

01:23 road together for "Merry Christmas, One and All."

01:27 So, yeah, getting going.

01:29 It's getting into the frosty weather soon.

01:31 That's right.

01:32 And all of that.

01:33 You're bringing a different kind of sleigh, huh?

01:35 What's the one part of the show that you're excited to bring to fans?

01:39 I think really it's kind of a potpourri of sorts.

01:44 It's kind of like, you know, we start with the Sugar Plum Fairy and go all the way through

01:49 many holiday hymns and then regular holiday songs and then some of my songs that I haven't

01:57 done in a while that I, obviously I must have been frozen when I did them, but they're some

02:02 big, my other big hit songs.

02:05 So they're coming out the ice block too.

02:06 They're coming out too.

02:07 That's good.

02:08 And, you know, so we get, like I said, a potpourri of songs, the whole shebang.

02:16 And you say that I also see sights, but smell as well.

02:19 Like the sights and smells.

02:21 It's a 4D experience.

02:22 Yes, for sure.

02:24 How many different ensembles are we working with for this tour, Mariah?

02:27 We're working with, on the outside, like 10.

02:32 But really I can't do 10 costume changes.

02:34 So we have about four that I'm very excited about.

02:38 And then if I need to swap some out.

02:40 I was going to ask.

02:41 You might rotate if you need to.

02:42 Rotation never hurt anybody.

02:44 No, not at all.

02:45 Especially when it's you and especially when it's Christmas.

02:47 I feel like it must be so fun to kind of put those kind of looks together to really complete

02:51 the visual.

02:52 Yeah, it is fun to put those kind of looks together because it's a holiday themed concert.

02:57 But again, it's also doing my own records that are not holiday themed.

03:03 So you kind of get to mix and match with the wardrobe and all the things.

03:08 I love it.

03:09 Well, you love a theme, clearly, you know.

03:10 It's a theme, darling.

03:11 It's a theme.

03:12 It's festive.

03:13 It's festive.

03:14 It's time.

03:15 Speaking of, okay, so that It's Time video.

03:17 I mean, I checked at the time of this interview, it has 119 million views and counting, which

03:22 apparently is the most viewed video on X, aka Twitter.

03:25 I mean, the fans ate this one up.

03:28 How much fun was it filming this one, especially because your kids got to be a part of it?

03:31 Yeah, it was a lot of fun because we started putting this video together like September.

03:36 Wow.

03:37 September, maybe October 1st.

03:40 And so it was really fun because we had to do everything from scratch and then put a

03:47 lot of it in post and then just decide what it was going to be when we landed in Christmas

03:53 time, which was on the top of, what's the biggest mountain again?

04:00 Mount Everest.

04:01 It was on the top of Mount Everest.

04:02 That's right.

04:03 There you go.

04:04 I'm about to say Mount Fuji and all different places.

04:05 I almost said Rushmore.

04:06 But there was visual effects in this one, huh?

04:11 You said post.

04:12 Yes, there was post.

04:13 Come on, budget.

04:14 Come on.

04:15 I did it myself.

04:16 Good for you.

04:17 Of course.

04:18 And next year.

04:19 But no, it was a lot of fun and to get all those details together was just like, it took

04:26 a while, but it was fun.

04:27 Well, Rock and Roll, I know they've joined you on stage in the past.

04:30 I hear they're going to be part of this show as well in some capacity?

04:33 Yes, they are.

04:34 Okay.

04:35 I obviously see your kids on TikTok as well.

04:36 I mean, they are so talented and they are hams.

04:40 They just love the camera.

04:41 Yes.

04:42 Are you proud of that?

04:49 I'm proud of them in general.

04:51 They just know so many things and they're on top of everything.

04:56 And yes, they're going to be coming around the country with me and doing their thing.

05:02 And I'm excited to watch them.

05:04 They're growing fast.

05:05 Don't even remind me.

05:06 I know.

05:07 But now, is mom giving them tips on their TikToks though?

05:11 Like for example, the perfect lighting, you know, stuff like that?

05:14 Well, they don't really care about it like I care about it.

05:16 I care about it.

05:17 But they know that I care about it.

05:18 Right.

05:19 So, you know.

05:20 I love it.

05:21 They'll know if we're in a poorly lit room, they'll be like, "Mom, this room is not, the

05:25 lighting is so bad."

05:28 Rock and Roll, their Christmas wishlist.

05:29 Is it wild or is it pretty manageable?

05:32 Last year it was wild.

05:33 Okay.

05:34 Yeah.

05:35 I mean, I'm getting older, you know.

05:36 Well, everything is somehow technology driven.

05:41 So it's not necessarily cheap.

05:44 Not that I want it to be cheap, but like, you know, I like them to have a lot of presents

05:47 to open and everything else.

05:49 But then they sort of don't care about the other ones.

05:51 They live for the ones that are, you know, a little more on the expensive side.

05:57 I love it.

05:58 Okay.

05:59 I want to know what bride carry is like during the holidays off stage.

06:01 So like, for example, be honest.

06:03 How long does your tree stay up?

06:05 Because like, it'll be two weeks into the new year, I'm still staring at that thing

06:07 in my living room.

06:08 Oh, my trees, plural, stay up for a long, long time.

06:13 They do?

06:14 Yes.

06:15 Okay.

06:16 I mean, when do they go away?

06:17 When I leave for whatever, what the next adventure is going to be, then they go away.

06:20 I see.

06:21 Okay.

06:22 It's all about that for me.

06:23 Of course.

06:24 It's all about, yeah.

06:25 Yeah.

06:26 Now, I know you have a direct line to Santa, but what does someone like your loved ones

06:28 get Mariah Carey for Christmas?

06:30 Like what's on your wishlist?

06:31 I don't know.

06:32 What's the ideal holiday gift?

06:34 I started telling people, "Get me a gift."

06:36 That just don't think that I could use anything, but it's the thought that counts.

06:41 It's like, get your friend or your relative or whatever, get them something.

06:46 You know?

06:47 It doesn't have to be amazing.

06:49 That's sentimental maybe, but also thoughtful to the person you're purchasing it for.

06:53 Yes.

06:54 Okay, I love it.

06:55 So you wouldn't mind a handmade gift then?

06:56 Like something that was made at home?

06:58 No, I wouldn't mind that at all.

06:59 Okay, as long as there's like a little thought behind it.

07:01 I mean, I'm waiting for the diamonds.

07:03 Of course.

07:04 Me too, honey.

07:05 Okay?

07:06 Me too.

07:07 Okay, so let's keep that in mind, people, friends.

07:11 Okay.

07:12 There's a range, but we know what she wants.

07:13 Yeah, you know, even the smallest of diamonds can make a lovely little accent on any gift.

07:20 Plenty of gifts.

07:21 Do you indulge during the holidays like the rest of us?

07:23 Like my thing's tamales.

07:24 Like what's yours?

07:25 You like tamales?

07:26 I do.

07:27 I don't have much of a sweet tooth.

07:29 I have this song that goes, "Feeling so hot tamale."

07:33 Yes, I love it.

07:36 Yeah, what do you indulge in over the holidays?

07:38 Or do you not?

07:40 My new thing is going to be butterscotch pudding.

07:43 I haven't started with it yet, but I had it at a restaurant the other night.

07:46 Sure.

07:47 It was so good.

07:48 Oh, so now you're ready.

07:49 I was like, "Yeah, I have to get the recipe for that."

07:50 I love it.

07:51 Yeah.

07:52 Now, aside from the tour, what are your holiday plans and who are you spending it with?

07:56 I'm spending it with my kids and some friends.

08:01 We'll be in Aspen and we'll be on our two-horse open sleigh ride.

08:06 Okay.

08:07 Santa's coming over as well.

08:09 You think I'm lying, but it is true.

08:10 No, I believe you.

08:11 I don't think you're lying at all.

08:13 I'm telling you, that's your homie right there.

08:15 That is my homie.

08:18 He's going to be coming over and then we're going to ... Well, before that, we're going

08:22 to go on a two-horse open sleigh, which happens on the 23rd.

08:26 Oh, awesome.

08:27 Yeah, it's the best.

08:28 So, Santa, sleighs, hot cocoa, everything.

08:32 Yes.

08:33 Well, we know, of course, you love the Lambs and us Lambs love you.

08:36 I'm asking this for the fans.

08:37 Will you be gifting the fans any new music in Horizon?

08:41 I've been working on some new music.

08:44 Okay.

08:45 I have about 10 songs because we just kept ... Me and my writing partner just kept writing

08:51 and writing.

08:52 Yeah, it's been fun because I've been like, "Oh, I guess we're making a new album."

09:00 So you don't really plan it.

09:01 It just kind of is more organic.

09:02 It just happens.

09:03 Yeah.

09:04 Oh, I love it.

09:05 Are you liking what you're putting down?

09:06 I really am.

09:07 Okay.

09:08 We worked yesterday in the studio with some singers and choir and doing one of those kind

09:12 of songs.

09:13 That's some of the best parts of the Christmas album is the choir stuff.

09:17 Yeah.

09:18 I mean, the gospel singers on that is just incredible.

09:21 We're working on some stuff for that as well.

09:24 What's one word you would use to describe this Christmas tour?

09:27 Festive.

09:28 Of course.

09:29 Of course it is.

09:30 Of course it's festive.

09:31 What else could I do?

09:32 What else could I say?

09:34 [music]

09:39 (upbeat music)

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