Anderson .Paak Confirms Musical Collaboration with Mariah Carey Amid Romance Rumors

May 3, 2025: Anderson .Paak has officially confirmed that he’s working on new music with none other than pop icon Mariah Carey — and fans are buzzing, both about the collaboration and their increasingly public relationship.

The 39-year-old singer-songwriter and producer appeared on Track Star, a social media series hosted by Jack Coyne, on Friday, May 2. The show challenges guests to identify mystery songs, and during his appearance, .Paak was seen wearing a Mariah Carey T-shirt under a black fleece jacket. When Carey’s hit “Always Be My Baby” played, he smiled knowingly and revealed the shirt, identifying the track with a playful, “This would be Mariah Carey. The Mariah Carey.”

He went on to confirm that he and Carey are collaborating on her upcoming album. “I remember in like fifth grade or something, watching the music videos and having a huge crush. We’re working on some music on her new album,” he said.

This announcement follows months of public sightings of the duo. Most notably, in March 2025, .Paak was seen holding hands with Carey after attending the iHeartRadio Music Awards together, where she received the Icon Award. He escorted her onto the stage to accept the honor, and the two were later spotted leaving Birds Street Café in West Hollywood hand-in-hand.

Their iHeartRadio appearance wasn’t their first. The pair were also seen holding hands after Carey’s Christmas tour wrapped in December 2024, sparking early speculation about their relationship.

Mariah Carey, 56, joked during her iHeartRadio acceptance speech: “As a kid, I used to listen to my favorite artist on the radio and dream of being on the airwaves myself. Now, for those of you who may not know what airwaves are, think of it as the non-WiFi version of streaming, OK?”

While Carey has confirmed she is working on a new album, she hasn’t shared many details about the project yet. With .Paak now in the mix, expectations are sky-high for a genre-blending collaboration between the soul-funk powerhouse and the pop-R&B legend.

Known for his work in the Grammy-winning duo Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars, .Paak has also built a successful solo career with albums like Venice, Malibu, Oxnard, and Ventura. His 2016 Tiny Desk Concert remains one of NPR’s most-watched of all time.

Fans will now be eagerly awaiting what this unexpected — and potentially romantic — duo will bring to the studio.