Mariah Carey BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Mariah Carey has returned to dominate headlines as the holiday season kicks off, with her annual "It’s Time" social media video announcing the Christmas period — this year delivered in partnership with Sephora and featuring comedian Billy Eichner as a rebellious elf. Rolling out at midnight November 1, the campaign's debut was amplified on both Carey’s and Sephora’s Instagram accounts and on Times Square billboards, triggering a viral response with over 200 million views in its first days according to ABC News and Cosmetics Business. Carey, ever the Queen of Christmas, transforms the elf into a snowman and declares, “You can’t cancel Christmas,” before soaring away in a sleigh of Sephora gifts. Her brand tie-in is extensive this year, anchoring Sephora’s “Give Something Beautiful” holiday push, much to the delight of fans and Sephora’s Chief Marketing Officer who described Carey as the embodiment of seasonal joy.

However, a wave of criticism followed, with outlets like AZ Central reporting calls for a boycott of Sephora after social media users lambasted the ad’s tone as insensitive given current economic and political realities — including a federal government shutdown affecting many families. The message’s perceived trivialization of labor strikes and healthcare needs spurred viral response videos and fiery debate on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok. To date, neither Carey nor Sephora have publicly addressed the backlash, but it’s hard to imagine a controversy that could dethrone Carey’s annual holiday reign.

While the Sephora partnership made waves, the chart action for "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is also breaking records, as MCArchives reports the song is expected to re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 earlier than ever this season, with its viral appeal seemingly starting before Halloween had ended. Carey herself has leaned into her festive persona on TikTok, posting playful “defrosting” clips that rack up millions of views and cement her status as a perennial holiday icon.

On the business front, Carey’s latest studio album “Here For It All” notched its most-streamed launch ever in China, according to PR Newswire and Nasdaq. Distributed by independent platform gamma and promoted through NetEase Cloud Music, the project quadrupled the launch streams of Carey's previous album and marked a strategic pivot toward regionally tailored marketing and direct platform engagement.

Mariah Carey’s tour schedule remains packed, with performances in Japan — notably a major show in Yokohama on November 2 as part of "The Celebration of Mimi" tour, celebrating her landmark album “The Emancipation of Mimi” — and upcoming dates in Las Vegas at Dolby Live on November 28, as confirmed by Japan Concert Tickets and Jambase.

Her social presence is unmistakable, with TikTok and Instagram flooded with holiday memes, playful family photos from Halloween, and enthusiastic reactions to her “Queen of Christmas” tradition. Headlines this week range from “Mariah Carey ushers in the holiday season with new ‘It’s Time’ video featuring Billy Eichner” (ABC News) to “Sephora under fire after Mariah Carey ad sparks outrage” (AZ Central) and “Mariah Carey's 'Here For It All' becomes her most-streamed launch in China” (PR Newswire).

Speculation swirls about whether she’ll address the ad backlash or alter future campaigns, but for now, Mariah Carey remains not just the soundtrack of Christmas but a business and cultural force — with every move watched, debated, and undeniably influential.

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