Mariah Carey’s Dating History: From Derek Jeter and Eminem to Nick Cannon and Bryan Tanaka

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Mariah Carey’s Dating History: From Derek Jeter and Eminem to Nick Cannon and Bryan Tanaka

Hopeless romantic? Mariah Carey has had many ups and downs in the romance department, but she’s learned from each of her past relationships. The “We Belong Together” singer has been married two times and engaged a third time. Her first marriage to music executive Tommy Mottola, who is 21 years her senior, is something she looks back on with somewhat negative feelings. “You might want to picture a child bride,” Carey told Cosmopolitan in July 2019, about the relationship, which began at the same time her career really started in the early ‘90s. “There was a conscious effort to keep me as this all-American, whatever that means, girl. It was very controlled. There was no freedom for me as a human being. It was almost like being a prisoner.” The Precious actress shut down reports of rumored romances with Derek Jeter and Eminem in that same interview, when she claimed to have only been in a handful of serious sexual relationships in her life. “I haven’t had that many, but there has been a variety pack,” Carey told Cosmopolitan. “I’ve only been with five people in my life, so I’m kind of a prude, honestly, compared to most others in the field.” [jwplayer GhtF1kg5-l3ahXupL] Her six-year marriage to Nick Cannon, with whom she shares twins Moroccan and Monroe, and short-lived engagement to Australian businessman James Packer, are included in that number. As was her time with singer Luis Miguel and her on-again, off-again romance with Bryan Tanaka. While she’d previously denied a romance with Jeter, in August 2020 the Grammy winner talked about the time she spent with the MLB star. “I can never forget that moment,” she recalled of her 1997 introduction to the former New York Yankees player, confirming to Vulture that the duo drank Moët champagne, which is featured as a lyric in her 1997 song “The Roof.” She added: “I mean, it’s not like it was some intensely deep, intellectually stimulating — again, it was a great moment.” Scroll down to see which famous faces the singer has been linked to over the years. [podcast_block]

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Tommy Mottola

The “Always Be My Baby” singer and Sony Music executive started a romantic relationship shortly after Carey got her music into Mottola’s hands in the early ‘90s. Despite their 21-year age difference, the two tied in knot in 1993, when Carey was 23, and split five years later.

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Derek Jeter

The former baseball player was publicly linked to Carey for nearly a year from 1997 to 1998, after she split from Mottola. The musician confirmed her romance with the athlete to Vulture in August 2020 and revealed that her songs “My All” and “The Roof” were written about their fling.

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Marcus Schenkenberg

The Dutch model reportedly romanced the musician for four months in 1998.

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Luis Miguel

The New York native dated the Mexican singer from 1998 to 2001.

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Eminem

The “Lose Yourself” rapper and Carey have a tumultuous history, which is rooted in the pair’s alleged romance, which reportedly took place in 2001. “There’s truth to that,” Eminem told Rolling Stone in 2002 when asked about the rumored relationship. “But on the whole personal level, I’m not really feeling it. I just don’t like her as a person.” The same year, Carey denied having a sexual relationship with Eminem during an interview with Maxim.

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Eric Benet

The Glitter actress was rumored to be dating her movie costar Benet from 2000 to 2003.

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Christian Monzon

After meeting on the “Don’t Forget About Us” music video set, the model had a brief relationship with Carey from 2005 to 2006.

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Nick Cannon

Carey’s 2008 marriage to Cannon marked her second walk down the aisle. The couple welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe in 2011 and separated in December 2014. They finalized their divorce in 2016, agreeing to joint custody of their children.

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James Packer

The former American Idol judge was engaged to the Australian billionaire from January to October 2016, after starting their relationship in 2015. A source told Us in May 2018 that Carey sold her 35-carat diamond engagement ring for more than $2.1 million.

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Bryan Tanaka

Carey was first linked to her backup dancer in December 2017. Us confirmed April 2017 that the pair split after five months together. They later rekindled their romance and have been in an on-again, off-again relationship ever since. In May 2020, Tanaka gushed about his love via social media and one month prior, Carey gave her beau a similar Instagram shout-out.