Mariah Carey Returns to Work After Loss of Her Mother and Sister

Mariah Carey is back in the studio after the deaths of her mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison.

“Back at work. It’s been a couple of rough weeks, but I appreciate everyone’s love and support so much and I can’t wait to see my fans in China & Brazil,” Carey, 55, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, September 8. “Love you! ❤️❤️❤️.”

In the clip, Carey practiced her vocals while singing her track “It’s Like That.” At the end of the clip, she said into the microphone, “We’ll see you soon, China!”

The star is set to perform in China on September 15 and 16 followed by shows in Brazil on September 20 and 22. She uploaded another video of her singing her tune “I Wish You Knew,” captioning the post, “I Wish You Knew, dedicated to my fans in China and Brazil! See you soon.”

Carey’s return comes just weeks after the singer confirmed on August 26 that her mom and sister died on the same day at the ages of 87 and 63, respectively. She did not provide any details about the cause of death for either family member, nor give the exact date of their deaths.

“My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend,” Carey told People. “Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day.”

She continued, “I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed. I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”

After Alison and Patricia’s death, Alison’s friend and advocate David Baker explained to People that she and the hitmaking singer hadn’t seen each other since “either 1994 or 2002.”

Carey has been candid through the years about her ups and downs with her family. In her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, she addressed her dynamic with her mom in the opening dedication.

″And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could,” Carey wrote. “I will love you the best I can, always.”

Elsewhere in the memoir, she also opened up about her complicated relationship with her family.

″I had to stop making myself available to be hurt by [my family]. It has been helpful. I have no doubt it is emotionally and physically safer for me not to have any contact with my [siblings],” she wrote. “The situation with Pat, on the other hand, is more complicated. I have reserved some room in my heart and life to hold her — but with boundaries. Creating boundaries with the woman who gave birth to me is not easy — it is a work in progress.”