SHE’s the ultimate Queen of Christmas, best known for her soulful pop tunes, but I can reveal Mariah Carey’s next record will surprise fans.
After years of speculation, I’m told the Hero singer will release her long lost GRUNGE album next year.
While the exact date is still being worked out by the label, I hear it will drop in the second half of 2026.
The record, which is called Someone’s Ugly Daughter, was secretly recorded by Mariah back in the Nineties.
A source said: “Ever since she let slip about the existence of the record, fans have been desperate for it to be officially released and put on streaming.
“After years of casual talks about what to do, everyone has now agreed the album will be released in the second half of 2026.
“It’s been a long time coming, but hopefully fans think it’s worth the wait.
“It’s certainly Mariah as you’ve never heard her before.”
The first anyone knew of the record was when Mariah let slip about it in 2020 memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey.
She said: “I think this unearthed version will become, yes, something we should hear. I’m working on a version of something where there’ll be another artist working on this with me as well.”
‘So carefree’
Mariah says the reason she made the album was to push back at being over-controlled by her record label, adding: “I had no freedom during that time. That was my freedom, making that record.”
In the book, she said: “I was playing with the style of the breezy-grunge, punk-light white female singers who were popular at the time. You know, the ones who seemed to be so carefree with their feelings and their image.
“I honestly wanted to put the record out back then under, you know, the same pseudonym, just put it out and be like, you know whatever, let them discover that it’s me.
“But that idea was kind of stomped and squashed.”
I wait with bated breath . . .
Hardworking Rita worth even m-Ora
EVEN if you’re not a fan of her music, it’s impossible to deny that Rita Ora is a hustler.
The I Will Never Let You Down singer is busy landing jobs doing everything from acting and presenting to modelling and working as a charity ambassador.
Which is why it comes as no surprise to us that the latest accounts for Ora Live and Ora Multi Services reveal she’s topped up her fortune with £4.8 million in profits.
It’s a sure sign Rita is going nowhere anytime soon as the figure is more than double the £2.3 million she made the year before.
Her companies manage her various income streams and reflect her broad career beyond singing.
Multi-talented Rita has also served as a judge on The X Factor and The Masked Singer and even had a film role in the Fifty Shades movie series.
Rita’s takings – which work out at £13,000 per day over the year to April – has helped to increase her net worth to £31 million.
It’s not a bad life, eh?
Kath: LA life not for me
CANADIAN comedian Katherine Ryan has ruled out moving to Hollywood after admitting she hates everything about Tinsel Town.
Letting rip, she said: “I would love some opportunities to do some comedy acting but I will never move to Hollywood because people seem quite sick there . . . in the head.
“I like England. I like people who aren’t positive all the time.
“I like the British way of telling the truth. I like a bit of taking the mick out of one another without getting offended.”
Not stopping there, Kath added: “Hollywood to me seems too sanitised. I would not be welcome.
“I’ve already not been welcome. I had a glass of vino in the morning when my daughter was swimming, they were like, ‘Maam, orange juice?’.
“I was like, ‘No, alcohol’. They nearly called the police.”
Ed’s a winner
ED SHEERAN, Myles Smith and Teddy Swims all won big at the inaugural Global Player Awards.
The ceremony celebrates the most listened to artists across their stations and Ed, Myles and Timmy were all honoured for achieving Two Billion Listens over the past year.
Accepting his gong, Ed said: “I don’t even know how to quantify that, two billion is a lot.”
Taylor in her stride
TAYLOR SWIFT has hit back at critics who say she should take time out from the industry to give other artists space to shine.
The superstar seemingly breaks every possible record with each new track, causing some music fans to get Taylor-fatigue.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Taylor said: “There are corners that are like, ‘Give someone else a turn! Can’t you just go away so we can talk about how good you were?’.
“And like . . . ‘I don’t want to’.”
This morning, the first two episodes dropped of The End Of An Era – a six- part Disney+ docuseries that goes behind the scenes of her record-breaking Eras Tour.
You can bet come next week the show will have broken a few more records.
Tate: Why I can be a pop girl
TATE McRAE has opened up about her on-stage alter-ego Tatiana.
The Canadian star explained: “I started to black out onstage and become this person that I couldn’t explain, nor could my family or my friends, and I needed a reason for it.
“And I think it helps me grasp the strange theory of why I’m not nervous in front of 15,000 people, and why I can be nervous at a dinner party with four people.”
She added to Rolling Stone magazine: “Tate is this very introspective, very sensitive, very introverted, awkward Canadian.
“Maybe more on the shy side. I’m observant, and I feel very internal, all the time.
“And then, this persona that I’ve created is my way of being this confident pop girl.”
Sam: Stay with me, Ed
SAM SMITH made sure the final of their To Be Free: New York City residency went off with a bang.
The Stay With Me singer was joined on stage at Warsaw in Brooklyn by Ed Sheeran and Brandi Carlile.
Brandi and Sam duetted on her song Party Of One, while Sam and Ed gave a rendition of Who We Love – a track on Sam’s 2023 album Gloria.
The show was watched by American Vogue’s ice-queen former editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
In February, Sam’s residency will move to San Francisco and will play at the historic Castro Theatre for eight nights.
While nothing has even been hinted at, I wouldn’t be surprised if a run of shows in London is announced in the New Year.
Liam’s trackie record
HIS dress sense is similar to my own, so I was shocked to see Liam Gallagher named in Vogue’s inaugural 50 best dressed list.
The Oasis rocker was mentioned in the Dedicated Dressers category alongside Iris Law, Miquita Oliver and Amal Clooney.
Meanwhile, my favourite pop star Dua Lipa was in the Music Makers category alongside a line-up of stellar talent including Skepta, Central Cee, Lily Allen and Charli XCX.
Even those with a slightly eclectic taste were catered for, with The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman, and actors Cynthia Erivo, Richard E Grant and Emma Corrin all getting a nod.
I never knew my Adidas tracksuit and tatty old Parka were so cool.
Lily to perform bintanoshine gig
FANS of Lily Allen will get another chance to see her live in 2026 – and in a bit of bintanoshine.
The singer will perform her new album West End Girl at the Bilbao BBK Live festival, in Spain, which runs from July 9 to 11.
Other confirmed performers include Robbie Williams, Idles, CMAT, Interpol and David Byrne.
Tickets for the festival, which is held on Mount Kobetamendi, are on sale now.
Xmas hit battle
THE official race for Christmas No1 kicks off today – with a new single from Kylie Minogue and WHAM!’s Last Christmas tipped as the front-runners.
Kylie’s song Xmas, which is on track to become her highest entry in the UK charts since 2010’s All The Lovers, leads the pack, while Denise Welch’s Slayyy Bells and Tom Fletcher’s One Of Us, from Paddington The Musical, are also in the running.
Classics including Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone, The Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York, and Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree are also expected to climb the chart.
There are a load of non-festive tunes vying for a shot too, with Raye’s Where Is My Husband, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s For Good and Labrinth’s Where Love Lives.
Once again Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You is tipped to finish in the top five.
The winner of the Christmas No1 will be revealed live on Radio 1 next Friday.
RUNNERS AND RIDERS
KYLIE MINOGUE – Xmas RAYE – Where Is My Husband!
OLIVIA DEAN – So Easy (To Fall In Love)
TAYLOR SWIFT – The Fate Of Ophelia/Opalite
DENISE WELCH – Slayyy Bells
HUNTR/X – Golden/How It’s Done/What It Sounds Like
TOM FLETCHER – One Of Us
IAN GILLAN & UROCK – In Line
TOGETHER FOR PALESTINE – Lullaby
SPUDBROS & VICKY McCLURE’s OUR DEMENTIA CHOIR – Brighter Than The Night
HOME CARE’s GOT TALENT CHOIR – Angels
THE POGUES ft KIRSTH MacCOLL – Fairytale Of New York
KELLY CLARKSON – Underneath The Tree
CHRIS REA – Driving Home For Christmas
SHAKIN’ STEVENS – Merry Christmas Everyone
WHAM! – Last Christmas
MARIAH CAREY – All I Want For Christmas Is You
SLADE – Merry Xmas Everybody
