Saturday 23 October 1999

Mariah Carey opens her heart exclusive to Star

Mariah Carey is on top of the world. Her new single, Heartbreaker, has just topped the Beatles for most cumulative weeks atop Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart and she has a handsome new man on her arm - Latin singing sensation Luis Miguel, 29. With a miserable marriage to Sony Records honcho Tommy Mottola - 20 years her senior - behind her, the 29-year-old songbird has never been happier. Here for the first time, she opens her heart to STAR about her life - and her love for Luis.

I've never been happier. And the main reason is my new boyfriend, Luis Miguel. I like to keep my romantic life private, but I will tell you he makes me very happy. He's sensitive and so much fun to be with. I never get tired of spending time with him - when I get the chance, that is, because my life is so busy.

We met in Aspen last Christmas and just clicked. Luis is a romantic. One night while we were in Mexico, we went out to eat at a wonderful restaurant and he had arranged to have a mariachi band and dancers there. He's always a surprise. He's the greatest guy. He's always giving me little gifts. We have a lot in common. We both understand the pressures and the dedication it takes to make it work. I think because Luis has these same pressures, he understands me.

But we have no marriage plans right now. We are both so busy with our careers. We also have similar interests away from the stage and recording studios. For one thing, we both love the sun. I like warm, tropical places with nice beaches. I get a sense of serenity from warm climates and water. For Luis' last birthday we went to St. Bart's to celebrate. Any excuse to get to the sun and the sea. It's fun to explore new places with someone you care about. Things look different when you see them together.

He also makes me laugh. The most important thing is that he has a great sense of humor. That's the most important thing to me. And when it comes to men, I like a man who really cares and understands me. Someone I can talk to about anything. Communication is very important in any relationship.

Luckily Luis also has no problem staying up late since I'm the ultimate night owl. Since I was a little girl, I was a night person. My older brother Morgan would have friends over and I'd climb out of bed and sit by his door to listen to what they were saying. Sometimes I fell asleep there. That's what started my staying up late. I didn't want to miss anything. Now my life is reversed from most people's. I wake up when the sun goes down and go to bed when the sun comes up. I'm full of energy at night.

I'm overjoyed that my mom Patricia likes Luis almost as much as I do. My mother is very important to me. When Luis met her he brought her flowers. She's crazy about him and that makes me happy.

My other love is my pooch Jack. He's a 6½-year-old Jack Russell terrier and I take him with me whenever I can. He's my constant companion and sleeps at the foot of my bed. He's the ultimate good traveler. I always try to get him his own seat so he can fly with me on the plane. He's so used to traveling that when he sees the suitcases, he gets excited.

I'm crazy about animals. When I was on tour in Japan I adopted two spaniels and called them Ping and Pong. One day I was playing outside with them and I heard myself calling them - Ping Pong. I had to laugh. It did sound funny. On another trip I fell in love with a golden retriever. I gave him to my assistant who'd lost her dog.

Jack and I will soon be changing address. I recently bought a penthouse apartment in Manhattan's trendy Tribeca neighborhood. But I've been so busy working on my next album, Rainbow - it's due in the stores Nov. 2 - that I haven't been able to spend any time there yet. It's the home I've always and I want it to be perfect, so I've hired interior decorator Mario Buatta to work his magic.

The penthouse is two stories and it's not ready to move into yet, but it will be perfect for me and Jack. My new house will have a dream kitchen, and when I get some time I do like to cook. It's fun because I'm so busy that I eat a lot of take-out. I can bake a cake from scratch, but I haven't touched a vacuum cleaner since I was 12.

I get my love of music from my mom. And she instilled into me that I should believe in myself and always she encouraged me to follow my dreams. It was good advice and it paid off. Nowadays I can help her fulfill some dreams of her own. We've traveled all over the world together. Last August I was working in Capri and she came over to spend some time with me. I took her to see the Blue Grotto - you have to sail in there in a little boat. Mom, who was a soloist with the New York City Opera when she was younger, started to sing a beautiful aria from an Italian opera. Everyone in the other boats was amazed.

I give the same advice mom gave me to the dozens of youngsters I visit each summer at the same Fresh Air camps I attended as a child. I tell kids if they have a dream, they need to follow it. They can't let anyone discourage them. They need to pray and know it can happen - because that's the truth.

I'm often very touched by my fans. They often send me lambs - I collect them. I call everyone lambchop and my friends started giving me toy lambs. Then it got out and they began pilling up. One time I was on stage and a girl reached out from the audience and handed me a letter. I opened it between numbers and read it. She told me about her friend who wanted to come to the concert but was terminally ill. The friend had sent me a lucky charm.

(Star)



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