Mariah Carey confirms new album is finished: expect emotional ballads and summer hits

Mariah Carey is officially making her return to music with a brand-new album!

Appearing on an Apple Music special alongside Ebro Darden and Zane Lowe, Carey was quizzed on the status of the project, which is the follow-up to 2018’s critically-acclaimed “Caution”. 

Trying to keep coy, she shared that the album will feature “11 to 12 songs.” She also confirmed that the yet-to-be-titled album is “finished”. 

As for what’s up next, the hitmaker added that there will be “Mariah ballads” and that: “The second single is coming soon. I’m very excited about it. It’s very summery.”

Last month, Carey dropped the project’s first single, “Type Dangerous”, which was met with praise from fans. 

The song samples the hip hop classic "Eric B. Is President" by Eric B. & Rakim.

Carey said in a statement, "I'm so excited to finally be releasing 'Type Dangerous' into the world! I've been locked up in the studio for quite some time working my behind off on new music, and I’m thrilled for the unveiling of it to my fans, starting with 'Type Dangerous!'"

The song begins with Carey saying, "To show my appreciation for your support, thank you, DJs," which echoes what a female voice says at the beginning of the Eric B. & Rakim song.

As she says that, the sampled words "Make 'em clap to this" from "Eric B. Is President" play in the background. 

Elsewhere on the sassy track, Carey refers to various aspects of her life.

"Taking off my coat, clearing my throat / Certified diamonds like the songs I wrote," she says in one line. 

In another, she sings softly, "Fresh outta Sing Sing, nah, I'm just playin' / That was just a castle and an evil king," an apparent reference to her former husband Tommy Mottola and the 51-acre estate they shared in Bedford, New York, which she jokingly called Sing Sing after the infamous maximum-security prison in Ossining, New York. 

Carey performed the song alongside Rakim at the 2025 BET Awards last month, when she received her first BET Award ever: the Ultimate Icon Award. 

In April this year, she commemorated the 20th anniversary of her seminal album “The Emancipation of Mimi”. 

Originally released in 2005, this milestone not only highlighted a significant work in her discography but also served as a testament to her creative renaissance during a crucial time in her life. 

To celebrate, on May 30, Carey released a new version of the album, “The Emancipation of Mimi (20th Anniversary Edition)", which features a staggering 45 tracks across five LPs. 

In the album, fans are treated to a new remix of “Don’t Forget About Us”, produced by the celebrated Kaytranada.

Exciting times!