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Mariah Carey is opening up about navigating the complicated grief of losing both her mother and sister while working on her new album.
During an appearance on CBS Mornings on Wednesday (September 24), Carey spoke to host Gayle King about the impact her mother's death had on her upcoming 16th studio album, Here for It All. The record is her first album since 2018 and also the first since her mother, Patricia, and estranged sister, Alison, died on the same day in August 2024.
"Going through all that other stuff while making the album, that was difficult," she said, adding, "I don't know how I processed it, I just know that it was extremely difficult for me to navigate and it was tough because I have always had an interesting relationship with my mother."
The "Fantasy" singer has been open about the difficult relationship she had with her mother over the years but said that she had "made peace" with her before she passed and was with her near the end of her life, People reports.
"I was with her the whole time. And so I feel better about that. But it was tough," Carey said. She added, "She said a lot of things that were very healing for what I needed. And I felt like that was the right thing to do."
When it comes to her sister, however, she still has some regrets about how distant they had become.
"And my sister, I hadn't seen in years, and I feel really badly about that as well," she said. "But that's because I tend to have a guilt complex about everything. But it's tough, my sister had an extremely hard life."
Carey confirmed last August that her mom and sister had tragically both passed away on the same day, sharing in a statement that he was heartbroken over the loss.
"My heart is broken that I've lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day," Carey said, asking for privacy to face the "impossible" time in her life.