Anderson. Paak got to live every fanboy’s and fangirl’s dream: getting to work with your childhood crush and wearing her face on your shirt while doing it. On a recent, lighthearted appearance on the Track Star Instagram show, Paak let slip a juicy little secret during a game of music trivia. After nailing Mariah Carey’s 1995 hit “Always Be My Baby,” he unzipped his jacket to reveal his tee when, you know, it was the right thing to do.
“This would be Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey,” he’d say with a smirk that only fifth-grade crushes can revive. “I remember in like fifth grade or something, seeing the music videos and I just had, like, the biggest crush.”
The crush of your youth never really went away, and now it’s making something more than butterflies. When asked if he had ever worked with them before, Paak didn’t blink. “We’re doing some music on her new album,” he added.
Although their musical collaboration is the one fans are most thirsty to unpack, it’s J. Rose and his off-stage chemistry that’s had us talking since late last year. The rumor mill overdosed in December when the duo were spotted hand-in-hand in snowy Aspen. They’ve since made more joint appearances, from the iHeartRadio Music Awards to a cozy dinner date in West Hollywood.
The existence of both is no secret. However, neither Paak nor Carey has publicly confirmed what is or isn’t happening behind the smiles and understated PDA. And, let’s be real, that’s probably part of the appeal. They’re now speaking through the music and the paparazzi flash.
The collaboration comes at a formative time for each artist personally. Anderson Paak, 39, recently filed for divorce from his second wife, Jaylyn Chang, who was married for 13 years earlier this year. They two share two children. Mariah Carey, 56, is another negotiating a chapter of her reinvention after her 2023 split with long-term partner Bryan Tanaka. She shares 14-year-old twins with her ex-husband, Nick Cannon.
So perhaps this unlikely pair is fitting after all. Two veteran artists with classic résumés, a shared appreciation for the highs and heartbreaks of love, and, possibly, a creative spark that’s evolving into something else.
Regardless of their relationship status, Anderson is releasing new Mariah Carey music with Paak’s signature flavor in the mix. For fans of either and of musical chemistry, that’s enough to start getting excited about. Love is in the air, but perhaps more important is the presence of new music.
0 Comments