Mariah Carey 'Pushing Herself to Extremes' for Christmas (Excl)
Mariah Carey is known to throw her heart and soul into Christmas every year, but this time out she’s going way overboard and worrying pals with her over-the-top intensity.
“Mariah’s always been turbo charged when it comes to Christmas, but this year she’s pushing herself to extremes,” an insider exclusively tells Life & Style. “She’s rehearsing non-stop and not getting enough sleep. It’s become a real obsession. She’s always been a night owl, but lately there are many nights where she’s up until well past dawn, pacing in the studio, going over every tiny detail of her performances.”
The insider also shares that the “All I Want For Christmas” singer’s “anxiety about someone else stealing her Christmas crown is driving her to go way overboard.” That said, there’s no question that there is “a lot at stake” because “Christmas is where she makes the lion’s share of her income.”
“It’s not just about the title, there’s serious money involved, so she lives in constant fear of one of her rivals swooping in and cutting into her massive income,” the source continues. “Every year, it’s getting harder for Mariah. The competition is fierce, and she feels it. With J. Lo, and Christina Aguilera nipping at her heels it’s not totally paranoid to be worried.”
Although the entertainment industry is filled with rivalry and competition, the level of pressure Mariah, 55, puts on herself “isn’t healthy” and it’s “taking a huge toll” in multiple areas of her life.
“It’s not just the work schedule and the constant fretting, her diet has become just as extreme. She’s on this crazy, liquid-only regimen right now—juices, broths, nothing solid. She’s convinced it will keep her energy up and help her look even more youthful during her Christmas appearances,” the source reveals. “The problem is, it’s leaving her exhausted. She’s already been skipping meals to rehearse more, and now she’s barely eating anything solid at all. She’s coming apart at the seams but anyone that tells her to slow down gets their head bitten off.”
A separate source echoed the same news about Mariah’s annual Christmas nightmare in August, claiming that the holiday season is a “crucial time of [the] year for her financially.”
“With ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ topping the charts every December, along with holiday-themed performances and merch, it’s a key part of her income. Mariah doesn’t just look forward to Christmas — she counts on it!” insider No. 2 told Life & Style at the time. “The holiday magic has become more about dollars than cheer.”
Mariah is preparing to start her Christmas Time tour, with the first show kicking off in Highland, California, on November 6. The tour will conclude on December 17 in Brooklyn.
Leading up to the tour, the Glitter star shut down the American Music Awards when she performed her Grammy-winning ballad “We Belong Together.” Fans raved over the performance, from Mariah’s look to her whistling vocals.
“She sounds so amazing and looks amazing as well,” one person wrote via X in response to a clip of the “Hero” singer’s performance.
Another person wrote, “This is what we call a timeless icon legend and music.”