Mariah Carey addressed inquiries regarding her long-shelved 1995 alternative-rock album during a Reddit Ask Me Anything session on Friday, October 30, teasing fans that the unreleased project might finally emerge from the archives someday. When a fan asked if she would ever release the grunge LP, Carey responded, “I get asked this about once a week… my answer is…#notyet (this is a hint!).”
The Bottom Line
- Carey recorded the secret alternative-rock album, titled Someone’s Ugly Daughter, in 1995 while working on her studio LP Daydream.
- While the original sessions featured Carey on vocals, the material was ultimately released under the pseudonym Chick with her friend Clarissa Dane handling lead vocals.
- Although Carey has expressed frustration over the delay in releasing her original vocal tracks, she confirmed on Reddit that the project remains unreleased for now.
Unearthing the 1995 Alternative Rock Project
The history of Carey’s secret grunge project dates back to 1995, when she and her band used alternative rock as a creative outlet to blow off steam during the recording of her fifth studio album, Daydream. While Daydream went on to spend six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the rock tracks were released under the band name Chick. Clarissa Dane took over lead vocals for that release, while Carey contributed backing vocals under the pseudonym D. Sue.
Fans have long pressed for an official release of the original recordings featuring Carey’s own lead vocals once the project’s existence came to light in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. Carey revealed in 2022 that the original recordings featuring her lead vocals had been located. Since then, public curiosity has only intensified.
Frustration Over the Delay
Carey has made no secret of her mixed feelings about keeping the project locked away. During an appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast in October 2024, Carey discussed the delay, telling hosts Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, “I’m so mad I haven’t done that yet.” She added that the record is a good album and served as both a creative release and a source of humor.
Despite locating the original tapes and discussing potential release formats—including accompanying music videos or releasing a few songs in interviews with the Associated Press—Carey continues to manage expectations. Her recent Reddit interaction confirms that while the alternative recordings exist, the timing for a full commercial rollout remains undecided.
| Project / Album | Original Recording Year | Primary Pseudonym / Details |
|---|---|---|
| Daydream | 1995 | Released under Carey’s name; spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. |
| Someone’s Ugly Daughter | 1995 | Released under the band name Chick with lead vocals by Clarissa Dane; Carey’s original vocal version remains unreleased. |
| Glitter | 2001 | Soundtrack and film project celebrating its 25th anniversary with a new deluxe edition. |
Balancing Anniversary Releases and Future Catalog
The Reddit session was primarily hosted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Glitter, Carey’s 2001 soundtrack album and film project. To mark the milestone, she released a deluxe version featuring multiple bonus tracks on Friday. During the chat, Carey also reminisced about writing tracks like “Lead The Way” and discussed meeting Prince during the Glitter sessions.
When conversation turned toward entirely brand new music, Carey kept her timeline flexible. She told fans on Reddit that she is constantly working on music and coming up with lyrics and ideas, but cannot predict precise release dates.
