by Jessica Huie

Last night Mariah Carey got me drunk. I'd turned up at a studio by Manhattan's Hudson river for my 11:30pm interview with one of the globe's biggest superstars and three hours later... I was still waiting.

Whilst enjoying New York's breath-taking skyline from the 14th floor of the studio, I mentally quiz the woman who came back from an emotional breakdown seven years ago with the sensational ultra platinum The Emancipation of Mimi, an album that cemented her iconic place in pop history. Exciting stuff, and despite the jet lag creeping in, 24 hours after landing at JFK, I couldn't wait to get a peek inside the wonderful world of MC.

At 3am I get the ok to go through for the interview. Three French journalists are waiting behind me: one dozing on the couch, another downing espressos to ward off exhaustion, the third's discontent is apparent as Mariah's publicist has assigned me his slot to conduct the interview before sleep gets the better of me.

I'm asked to sit behind a large black screen on a director's stool where Mariah is seated on the other side. I feel like I'm about to audition for American Idol. I'm handed a glass of wine which I down quickly in the hope that the alcohol will awaken my dreary senses a little. I'm called in and there she is, a slimmed-down 5ft 9 vision of loveliness, even at such a ridiculous hour. Don't believe the hype or the paparazzi's unflattering tabloid pics, Mariah Carey is gorgeous in the flesh, although after my interview I'm not entirely convinced she knows it. Standing to give me a hug I'm bounced by her ample bosom, but aside from this surgical enhancement, there's absolutely no evidence of the alleged £150,000 liposuction which is supposed to have resulted in Mariah's fabulous new body.

"I know the whole UK is freaking out that I did some crazy like... plastic surgery dirt, but hit this" (she motions for me to hit he thigh which is rock hard from hours of lunges and toning squats) honestly it's working out and diet. Look at what I'm eating right now, olives! It makes me upset that people think I've had surgery, 'cos let's discuss how annoying the dieting process was. My girls will eat really good fried food, we'll be in the islands and I love sweet plantain and rice and peas but I can't eat it! If I eat it, it's this small (signals to a coin size portion). Do you want some wine?" I respond that I do, and so began the speedy decline of my professionalism (and sobriety).

Half an hour later and my carefully planned line of questioning is forgotten. The situation isn't helped by the fact that we are sitting in a room lit only by scores of scented tea lights, which while creating a lovely chilled-out ambience, makes it impossible for me to see my notebook. Mariah's lovely assistant Jim appears and signals that my interview is up... "No, Jim we're not done! It's my fault, I've been distracting her - we need five minutes." A tipsy half an hour later and we're talking men. I ask MC if she has someone, and she responds: "I don't know... do you have someone?" which prompts a conversation into whether you ever really have somebody or if a relationship is merely a transient experience, one where nothing is given. Fascinating stuff, even for the time of night. *(At the time of print Ms Carey married rapper, actor and producer Nick Cannon after a whirlwind romance).

Despite being happily ensconced in a relationship myself, MC's trying to set me up with her newphew "He's like 33 and just graduated from Harvard Law School, he was even voted one of the world's most eligible bachelors, you'd be perfect together!" What I really want to know however, is why ay 37, with beauty, brains and a wicked sense of humour, Mariah hasn't been snapped up*. I ask her if she wants children.

"I do if it's right; I don't if it's wrong. I'm probably so much more insecure than you. I don't know that I've ever been loved or ever felt loved or fulfilled emotionally, and I know that I'm able to give that, but I don't know if I'm able to receive it. Maybe cos I just won't feel like anyone could ever care about me that way. I don't know. I don't mean to say that in a weird way, but I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ in my life. I'm so grateful for the Lord in my life. Because if you're not ashamed to admit that you know God, you feel like, no matter what, I am ok cos there is one who loves me, and maybe he's not of this world, and maybe I'm not supposed to be loved by someone of this world because maybe I'm too difficult. I can accept that I'm the bad girl, maybe I'm not worth it." Though we've just met, it's hard to hear this beautiful human-being speak about herself in this way. This, combined with the Pinot Grigo in my system touches an emotional nerve as I suppress the urge to hug her. Certainly the most bizarre interview of my career, bt also the realist. I remind her that the best things in life don't come easy, as she continues: "I wish I could be with a person who was exactly the same as me racially. Who'd understand and not judge me. I believe that he's still out there. But if there's someone who just cares about me because I'm a famous person, it's freaking ridiculous."

Trust is a huge issue for Mariah so when an interview with our very own Jasmine Dotiwala, who heads up MTV Base resulted in a meeting of minds between the two inspirational women of colour, a very special friendship was born. When I mention that I know Jasmine, Mariah instantly relaxes, and touchingly explains: "She's just such a good person, it's so rare for me to find people that I feel close to. We met during an interview and we just had so much in common. She didn't expect to like me, but we are so similar and I really care about and love her. We spend Christmas together now, we are family" (breaks into song) 'I got all my sisters with me!' she is my heart and nobody can take her place. Do you want some more wine?"

Another close friend of MC is Rachel, who sits in on our chat for the duration, and her nine-year-old daughter Sade. "Rachel's daughter is like the coolest girl ever, and she's one of my best friends. She's a beautiful girl, she laughs at me cos she knows that I'm eternally 12. She's like 'What are you talking about? MC's not my auntie she's my friend!' We are like dumb and dumber, in fact no, I'm dumber and dumber!" I question whether it's being well into her thirties that has allowed MC the confidence to revel in her sexuality on the new album. "Are you freaking kidding me? I'm 12!" is all she'll say, explaining that she no longer celebrates birthdays, preferring to view them as 'anniversaries.' So how will she celebrate her imminent anniversary?

"Honestly, I'd like to be 29 forever. I'm gonna be with Jasmine and friends somewhere fabulous. I'm so excited about that."

Despite the insecurities that MC admits still haunt her, the album itself is a bona fide winner, an anthem for sexually empowered and confident women in control. The first single, "Touch My Body" is a catchy send-up that sees a nerdy geek entranced by her svelte form as she invites him to "wrestle her to the floor." As diva-ish as they come (after all she thinks nothing of keeping press waiting until the early hours for 20 minutes conversation) she's a fabulous diva. Famous for having no clue as to the number of bathrooms in her home, I wonder if the fact that she's rarely spotted in the front row of the Milan fashion shows, or even alongside Beyonce and Jay-Z at the BET Awards, is a deliberate attempt to maintain the removed mystique of her stardom.

"I do award shows if they are all about me!" she laughs heartily. "I do them if I'm gonna have a promotional moment, but it's a pain in the ass. When you're on TV they've got a camera in your face, I don't want to deal with that, it's annoying. I don't want to deal with that. THey're up in your face, they're not even showing your waist, they're right in your face with the worst lighting ever! It's like... why? But it is what it is. Again, God has brought me a long, long way. I have never felt pretty about myself, I always felt weird. I know it's a lot to do with being in suburban America growing up where you don't feel that normal love."

One thing is for sure she's adored by millions, has a yacht in Capri, a new home in the Bahamas, wealth beyond her wildest dreams and a set of genuinely good friends. Then there's the new album which is full of club-banging summer anthems with sprinklings of T-Pain and Damian Marley to bring the MC sound bang into 2008. It's sure to meet, if not surpass the dizzy success of the last record. Her biggest blessing however, is her relationship with God. I ask her if she ever reflects on the strength of character it must have taken to overcome the breakdown she suffered years ago in such spectacular fashion.

"I just look back and say 'Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord for getting me through my life and delivering me, for giving me strength when I almost lost it all. I can't take credit for myself you know why, in the words of my song "My Saving Grace" on the Charmbracelet album, whatever anybody else ever says I say 'I still exist because You catch my every fall'."

Ninety minutes after out 'interview' began we say goodbye and I'm face to face with the red face of the French journalist. Avoiding eye contact I stumble back out into the brisk New York night air and smile. I'm not certain whether it was actually me who just conducted the interview or Mariah, regardless I feel I've had an insight into one of music's greatest icons. It won't be an interview I forget - I shall always remember the night Mariah Carey got me drunk.



Thanks to Kerry from Mariah Carey Collection for the scans!