Mariah Meets Rylan is coming to the BBC

Global superstar has been discussing her career.

Filmed in Los Angeles, the Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum artist Mariah Carey sits down with Rylan for an exclusive interview. Meeting for the first time, Rylan quizzes Mariah on her life, music, and love for the holiday season as her timeless hit All I Want For Christmas Is You marks its 30th anniversary.

In their in-depth conversation, Mariah reveals how she created the melody for her iconic song Hero, shares memories of her early jobs before fame, and reflects on her appearances on Top of the Pops and her affection for the show. She opens up about her inspirations, including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and George Michael, and recounts working alongside Jackie Chan and Westlife. With this year marking three decades of her holiday classic and the Merry Christmas album, Mariah reflects on her remarkable journey. Rylan also playfully tests her English accent and stages a mock audition for her to join the BBC’s beloved drama EastEnders.

The celebration continues on BBC Two with an evening dedicated to Mariah, including a newly extended edition of Mariah Carey at the BBC.

Rylan, who hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, shared his excitement:
“All my Christmases came at once this year when I got to sit down and interview none other than the Queen of Christmas! They say don’t meet your heroes, but Mariah was everything and more. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”

Jonathan Rothery, BBC’s Head of Popular Music TV, adds:
“After the success of Cher Meets Rylan in December 2023, it’s a delight to bring viewers another captivating hour of Rylan in conversation with a music icon. Mariah Carey’s celebration of 30 years of her Christmas classic is a fitting tribute to a global superstar.”

Mariah Carey, the American singer, songwriter, producer, and actress, rose to stardom with her self-titled debut album in 1990 and has since released 14 more studio albums. One of the best-selling artists of all time, Mariah boasts five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022. Among her timeless hits are Vision of Love, Hero, We Belong Together, and the record-breaking All I Want For Christmas Is You. The latter remains the UK’s top-selling single by a solo female artist and its most-streamed Christmas song, topping the UK Singles Chart in 2020—26 years after its initial release.

Catch the programme on BBC iPlayer following its broadcast.