Mariah Carey gives surprising reaction to being called a 'legend' as she offers update on Michael Jackson duet

Mariah Carey played coy about being called a ‘legend' in a new interview, even as her career hits another high note decades into her iconic run.

She’s set to headline the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics alongside Andrea Bocelli - her first major appearance on such a global stage.

Carey’s decades-long dedication to music and charitable work will also be recognized on Jan. 30, when the five-time Grammy winner is honored as the 2026 MusiCares Person of the Year.

She recently wrapped her Las Vegas holiday residency at the Park MGM, where 10 shows generated $8 million.

This follows the September release of her 16th studio album Here for It All, which debuted in the top five on multiple charts.

Despite all of these achievements that cement her status as one of music’s greats, Carey downplayed the title herself, telling Billboard, ‘I don’t call myself a legend. I’m just still working, still trying hard.’

Carey also reflected on the longevity of her career during the interview, crediting hard work and staying true to herself.

‘I’ve always worked really hard, because I knew [from the start] that I wanted to be here for a long time,’ she said. ‘The one lesson I’ve learned is to just be true to yourself. And I was fortunate enough to be able to do that.’

Acknowledging that her journey hasn’t always been easy, Carey added: ‘There were some things along the way that weren’t ideal, you know, but here I am.’

With her upcoming MusiCares honor approaching, the singer also spoke about the importance of philanthropy and giving back.

Over the years, Carey has supported a wide range of causes, including disaster relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic, while also advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness, education, human rights and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Most recently, she partnered with LGBTQ+ advocacy organization GLAAD, auctioning off her hot pink, rhinestone-studded ‘Protect the Dolls’ jacket  to benefit the trans community.

‘I didn’t grow up with money. And if you grew up like me, it means even more to be able to give back,’ Carey said.

She continued: ‘All of us should do what we can to give back something. And it’s also important to do more than that. 

'I get caught up with my schedule sometimes, so it’s not as much as it should be. But it’s still an important part of my life.’ 

The interview comes as Carey has once again piqued fans’ curiosity after opening up about a long-rumored collaboration with the late Michael Jackson that has yet to see the light of day.

‘I did a record that Michael had already done,’ she clarified on Tuesday’s The Big Tigger Morning Show. ‘It’s one of his old classics and it’s so good, and I just added — we made it into a duet — and they’ve got a lot of things coming out on Michael, so they didn’t want me to use it on the album.’

When asked whether the track could still be released, Carey added: ‘I really hope so because I love it.'

In October 2025, Carey expressed on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that she is 'so upset' the collaboration has not been released, as she loves the track and holds it in high regard. 

'There's an issue with his estate because they're doing something really huge for him [in the future], and this [song] we didn't know would kind of usurp that situation.' 

Carey said that she 'loves' the song and was disappointed that she could not include it onto her new album, which she dropped on September 26. 

'I'm so upset it's not coming out on this album. It should be on there. Every time I would play it for somebody, they would [say], "Wow."'  

Elsewhere in the conversation with Cohen, Carey also touched on the enduring legacy of her viral ‘I don’t know her’ remark - and the long-rumored tension with Jennifer Lopez.

The now-iconic line dates back to 2003, when Carey was asked for her thoughts on Lopez, now 56, and responded with a brief but unforgettable answer.

Smiling at the time, she simply said, ‘I don’t know her.’

More than two decades later, the moment was revisited when Cohen asked, ‘Can you believe how much “I don’t know her” has become part of the lexicon?’

Carey maintained that there was no hidden meaning behind the comment, explaining, ‘The thing is, I was being honest when I said it, so I don’t know how it became so big. Honest isn’t really something that becomes big most of the time.’

Cohen then pressed further, joking, ‘To clarify, you still do not know her right?’

Carey responded with a grin, quipping, ‘How can I suddenly know… like, you know?’ as Cohen burst out laughing.