Mariah Carey calls out to Lenny Kravitz for collaboration at Reddit AMA
Synopsis
Mariah Carey used a Reddit AMA to shoot her shot at a Lenny Kravitz duet — and dropped a tantalising hint about her long-buried 1995 grunge album 'Someone's Ugly Daughter', writing '#notyet' in response to fan questions. After years of teasing, the hint feels more deliberate than ever.
Key Takeaways
Mariah Carey publicly called out Lenny Kravitz during a Reddit AMA on 1 November 2026 , writing 'Lenny if you're seeing this, call me.' She confirmed fans will 'wait a little longer' for her unreleased 1995 grunge album 'Someone's Ugly Daughter' , hinting with '#notyet' .
Carey revealed in 2020 that music executives blocked the album's release and also stopped her from releasing it under an alias.
The album was partially released under the band name Chick , with Clarissa Dane taking over lead vocals.
The '#notyet' hint has reignited fan speculation about a full official release of the album with Carey's vocals.
Mariah Carey has made a very public plea for a musical partnership with Lenny Kravitz, urging the rock icon to reach out during a Reddit AMA session on 1 November 2026. The 57-year-old pop legend, best known for holiday anthem 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', told fans she is a devoted admirer of Kravitz's work and wants to connect.
The Public Appeal
When a fan floated the idea of a Carey–Kravitz duet during the AMA, the singer did not hold back. Carey wrote, 'I love Lenny too… Lenny if you're seeing this, call me.' The comment immediately sparked excitement among fans of both artists, who have long imagined what a crossover between Carey's five-octave range and Kravitz's genre-blending guitar-driven sound might produce. Notably, Kravitz has previously collaborated with artists across pop, soul, and rock, making the prospect credible rather than fanciful.
The Unreleased Grunge Album 'Someone's Ugly Daughter'
The AMA session also brought renewed attention to one of pop music's most intriguing buried projects — Carey's unreleased grunge album, 'Someone's Ugly Daughter', recorded back in 1995. Asked about its status, she was deliberately cryptic, writing: 'I get asked this about once a week. My answer is…#notyet (this is a hint!)' — suggesting a release may eventually come.
Carey first publicly acknowledged the album's existence in 2020 during an interview, revealing that music executives had effectively suppressed it at the time. She explained, 'I got kind of in trouble for making this album — the alternative album — because back then, everything was super-controlled by the powers that be. I never really was like, 'Oh, we're going to release it'.' She had also considered a workaround: 'I should do it under an alias. Let people discover it and whatever, but that got squashed,' she added.
How the Album Partially Surfaced
Despite the suppression, the album did partially see the light of day. It was released under the band name Chick, with Carey's friend Clarissa Dane stepping in as lead vocalist. The arrangement allowed the music to exist publicly, albeit without Carey's name attached — a compromise that has only deepened fan curiosity about what the original recordings sound like with her voice.
What Fans Are Watching
The #notyet hint has re-energised speculation about a potential full release of 'Someone's Ugly Daughter', with the artist herself appearing more open to the idea than at any point since 2020. Meanwhile, the Lenny Kravitz collaboration call-out adds another layer of anticipation to what is already shaping up to be a period of renewed creative energy for Carey. Whether Kravitz responds publicly or privately remains to be seen.
Point of View
Neither fully resolved. The Kravitz call-out is charming but low-stakes; the real intrigue is 'Someone's Ugly Daughter'. Thirty years on, the buried grunge album has become something of a legend, and '#notyet' is precisely calibrated to keep that legend alive without committing to a timeline. The music industry that suppressed it in 1995 no longer exists — streaming economics and Carey's unchallenged legacy mean there is no commercial reason not to release it. The longer she waits, the more it looks like a strategic drip rather than genuine ambivalence.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mariah Carey say about collaborating with Lenny Kravitz?
During a Reddit AMA on 1 November 2026, Mariah Carey wrote 'I love Lenny too… Lenny if you're seeing this, call me,' making a public appeal for a musical collaboration with the rock star. She described herself as a big fan of his work.
What is Mariah Carey's unreleased grunge album 'Someone's Ugly Daughter'?
'Someone's Ugly Daughter' is a grunge album Mariah Carey recorded in 1995 that music executives reportedly blocked from release. It was eventually put out under the band name Chick, with Carey's friend Clarissa Dane handling lead vocals, without Carey's name attached.
Will Mariah Carey release 'Someone's Ugly Daughter'?
Carey has hinted the release may be coming, writing '#notyet (this is a hint!)' during her Reddit AMA. She has been teasing the possibility since at least 2020, when she first publicly confirmed the album's existence.
Why was 'Someone's Ugly Daughter' suppressed in 1995?
Carey has said that 'the powers that be' — referring to music industry executives — controlled her output tightly at the time and effectively banned the album. She also attempted to release it anonymously under an alias, but that plan was similarly shut down.
Who is Lenny Kravitz and why would a Carey collaboration be significant?
Lenny Kravitz is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for hits such as 'American Woman' and 'Again', celebrated for blending rock, soul, and funk. A duet with Carey would merge his guitar-driven sound with her renowned vocal range, representing a cross-genre pairing with wide commercial and artistic appeal.
