Mariah Carey: “I Really Want the Fans to Love This Record”

It seems like Mariah Carey's been working on her new album for years, but she's not quite ready to declare that it's finished just yet.

"I could say, 'Let's stop now.'  But that's not who I am, and that's not what I want this record to be," she tells Billboard.  "I really want the fans to love this record."

Noting that she's still "in a very prolific space" when it comes to creating new music, the singer and American Idol judge says that the as-yet-untitled disc will include "a lot more raw ballads than people might expect," as well as uptempo tracks.

"I've tried to keep the heart and soul in it," she explains.  "It's about making sure I have tons of good music, because at the end of the day, that's the most important thing."  Mariah has also enlisted the help of some of today's hottest producers for the project, as well as longtime collaborators like Jermaine Dupri.  

Mariah's last non-Christmas album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, came out in 2009.  While fans wait for the next one, they can enjoy Mariah's new single "Almost Home," from the upcoming movie Oz the Great and Powerful.