It’s official: The world is ending — Mariah’s World, that is! The Sunday, January 29, season finale of Mariah Carey’s eight-part docuseries on E! left Us with our jaws all the way to the floor. This final episode was all about major bombshells, along with Mariah writing her own narrative about her notorious split with her ex-fiancé, billionaire James Packer. Watch the highlights above, and read on for our recap!
Before Kissing Him, Mariah Gives Bryan Tanaka a Promotion
Spoiler alert: Mariah and boy toy Bryan Tanaka ended the episode with their much-photographed makeout session on a beach in Hawaii. But before that scene took place, Mariah was seen giving her soon-to-be makeout partner a huge promotion within her tour: He became the co–creative director. Mariah said her executive decision made her feel “very blessed.” Tanaka said his new job title was “a huge freakin’ deal.” Lesson learned: You really can flirt your way to the top!
Mariah Wants to Record With DJ Khaled
After ending her tour and making a rare appearance outdoors during daylight hours (she took her kids on a safari in South Africa), Mariah was off to the recording studio. She told the camera who she wanted to record with, specifically dropping DJ Khaled’s name into the mix. Let’s hope he Snapchats the two of them together when it happens!
Nick Cannon Makes a Cameo, Mariah Calls Their Relationship “Special”
After ending her tour, Mariah met up with ex-husband Nick Cannon to celebrate the fifth birthday of their twins, Monroe and Morrocan, at a recreational trampoline gym. Mariah said, regarding her post-marriage relationship with the Wild ‘N Out star: “We have a very cool and special relationship. We just have each other’s backs regardless, and that’s amazing. And I love it.” On an unrelated note, Mariah also complained about the trampoline gym experience, saying, “It’s making me sweat, and it’s disgusting, but the kids like it.” There you have it: Mariah loves her co-parenting relationship with Nick and hates trampoline gyms.
Stella Hints That “the Universe” Is Saying Mariah Shouldn’t Get Married
Back at her fabulous mansion, Mariah had a serious sit-down with manager Stella Bulochnikov about her upcoming wedding-date options. Stella complained about James’ proposed dates not lining up with Mariah’s schedule: “These f–king idiots don’t realize you have a life.” When Mariah asked, “Who is ‘they’?” Stella responded, “His people.” You know a relationship is doomed when your scheduling “people” can’t get along! Stella even hinted at her distaste for the upcoming wedding plans by asking during a confessional, “Is the universe trying to tell us something?” Mariah then stared thoughtfully at her manager for an uncomfortable amount of time and asked, “So what am I supposed to do?”
Mariah Sprawls Out on a Counter Seductively During a Meeting With Tanaka
Later, Mariah was joined by Tanaka at her Los Angeles residence, and the soon-to-be couple drank red wine as she lounged around in a revealing leotard and tights. After discussing the logistics of telling current creative director Anthony Burrell about Tanaka moving in on his territory, Mariah wrapped up the meeting by lying down on the counter seductively. She explained, “It’s perfectly normal to lie down on a counter.” She’s right! It’s normal! #StarsTheyreJustLikeUs #TheyLieOnCounters (Mariah parted ways with Anthony earlier this month following her disastrous New Year’s Eve performance.)
Mariah Tells the Camera That the Angle Was “Unflattering”
After celebrating Stella’s daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, Mariah got a chance to meet Tanaka’s starstruck mother. The meeting was interrupted, however, when the camera was filming from an unapproved angle. Mariah broke the fourth wall, looking right into the camera to say their shot was “unflattering.” The camera instantly moved.
Mariah and Tanaka Get Caught in Sprinklers While Dancing Solo
Then, in a scene that seemed ripped from the pages of any Disney-princess script, Mariah and Tanaka shared a private, intimate, incredibly well-lit moment in her gazebo. After practicing various romantic dance moves, Tanaka asked Mariah, “Are you really gonna marry this guy?” She responded with a wistful non-answer, saying, “I don’t even know what I think anymore.” Mariah then mused, “Sometimes maybe people aren’t supposed to be happy.” To that, Tanaka robotically replied, “I think everybody should be happy.” The scene concluded with Tanaka kissing her hand and saying, “You make me smile.”
Stella Says James Put Mariah Through “Hell”
Later, in the recording studio, we saw a shot of Mariah singing the lyrics to a new song, seemingly about her breakup with James Packer. The song included the line, “I know you still love me, but I don’t.” Shady! The singer then left her engagement ring on the music stand in a dramatic camera shot.
Mariah said to Stella, “I know that you’ve been trying to help me figure it out, and I think we both need to just cut the s–t and recognize the fact that the two of us know why I can’t go through with this. I can’t do it. How can I do this?” Stella replied, “You can’t.”
It was official — Mariah decided she and James would be done. When Stella dished, “He really put you through hell, unapologetically,” Mariah replied, “I don’t think it’s fair or right to talk about those issues.” For the sake of good TV, we wish they would! What was this “hell”? We’re dying to know!
Shortly, Mariah was jetting off to Hawaii for a quick tour stop and the long anticipated makeout sesh we all knew was coming. While in Hawaii, Tanaka gushed, “I haven’t been this happy in a long time.” Mariah commented on her breakup with James by saying, “It definitely feels like a weight has been lifted, but I need to spend time taking care of myself, loving myself.” Does loving herself also mean loving a certain backup dancer?
Before planting a huge kiss on his boss, Tanaka told her, “I’ve always wanted to do this.” We then saw many, many shots of the two of them locking lips in front of crashing waves on a private beach in Maui. Sharing your first kiss in front of cameras while at the beach? Now that’s true love! Tanaka even dropped the L-word to the camera, saying, “I admire this woman. And I feel like that’s the key to love.” Mariah also commented to the camera: “Tanaka, he’s a real person that I can relate to and be myself when I’m with him. He makes me happy.”
Bryan Calls Mariah the “Girl of My Dreams”
The episode ended with Tanaka revealing, “There’s no doubt that I’m gonna go after her with my whole heart because she’s the girl of my dreams. It just feels right. It’s just the beginning.” Mariah wrapped things up with, “At the end of the day … I’m really happy. I’m not sure if anybody else can really understand that, but it is what it is.” It is what it is, indeed!
Tell Us: Do you think Mariah and Tanaka’s romance will last?
