Anderson .Paak cherished every moment of his collaboration with Mariah Carey. "It was incredible," .Paak, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly at the Time100 Gala on Thursday, April 23. "Just working with the legend and learning how to write in different ways, seeing how that she's so hands-on, with the production, with the writing, with everything."
.Paak (real name Brandon Paak Anderson) duetted with Carey, 57, on "Play This Song", featured on the latter's September 2025 album Here For It All. The musician said he enjoyed "just having fun" with Carey and "listening to her stories", as well as "eating caviar and drinking champagne".
When asked if he would collaborate with Carey again, .Paak said, "You never know. You know, she's always working. So as long as she's working and she'll have me, I'm there for sure."
Ahead of their song's release, .Paak and Carey sparked dating rumors in December 2024 when they were spotted holding hands in Aspen together. A source later told Us exclusively that the pair had begun dating. "They met working last summer and he has always been a huge fan and looked up to her," the insider said. "Their dates have been very far apart because of schedules, but it's been going on a few months."
Carey played coy when asked about the romance during a CBS Mornings interview in September 2025, recalling their hand-holding moment in Aspen. "He just likes to hold my hand. He just grabs my hand. I don't know what he's doing," Carey quipped. "He's in a hand-holding club. That's what it is."
Carey also called .Paak "brilliant" and a "really great artist".
The black-and-white visual for "Play This Song" was released later that week, showing the pair getting cozy in a mansion as they sang, "And I know you miss me, babe. Don't pretend like you don't feel the same." Carey and .Paak split amicably in late 2025, according to multiple reports.
Carey shares twins Moroccan and Monroe, 14, with ex-husband Nick Cannon, whom she wed in 2008. The former couple called it quits in 2014 after six years of marriage. The "All I Want for Christmas Is You" singer later dated choreographer Bryan Tanaka from 2016 to 2023. Meanwhile, .Paak shares Soul Rasheed, 15, and Shine Tariq, 8, with estranged wife Jaylyn Chang. He filed for divorce from Chang in January 2024.
.Paak was honored at Thursday's event as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2026. "I need a drink. This is epic," the rapper told Us of being included on the list, which also includes comedian Nikki Glaser, actor Alan Cumming, singer Hilary Duff and more. "Like, I feel inspired just being in the room. It's insane, man. This is a big honor, like bucket list stuff."
(Us Weekly)
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