13 February 2014
Newsdesk
Mariah Carey fires any nanny who tries to be more important to her children than she is.
The 43-year-old singer has two-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with her husband Nick Cannon. She has help with caring for them due to her hectic schedule, but has strict rules any of her workers must stick to.
"Unfortunately I have to have nannies but I'm very hands-on. I fire nannies like this (snapping her fingers)," she said on New York's Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club show.
"And I hate doing it, but I have to because if they try to make themselves more important in the babies' mind than me..."
The star added that her kids are already showing signs they are musical, as they both love singing. While Nick has previously said he wouldn't want the twins to be famous when they are older, Mariah is more philosophical and insisted she won't stop them doing anything if they are talented.
Mariah was also quizzed on what she has planned for Valentine's Day, which is tomorrow. She joked she doesn't even know if her famously workaholic husband will be at home for the romantic holiday. However even if he isn't, it won't matter as he shows how he feels in other ways.
"I have to say Nick is very festive as well. I give him credit where credit's due; flowers, we celebrate our anniversary every month of the year," she explained.
The singer famously appeared as a judge on American Idol, something she has mixed feelings about. She didn't get on well with her fellow panellist Nicki Minaj and has previously lamented the way their difficult relationship was turned into a reality TV show for the programme.
How, she refuses to even discuss her fellow singer.
"I don't even remember what that was. That was a moment in my life that I'm just going to press delete," she said.
Asked whether she regrets being on the talent contest, Mariah admitted she has mixed feelings about it. She was teased that it couldn't have been all bad as she was paid $12million for taking part, which she contested.
"No, I'm sorry, but I wouldn't have done it for 12," she replied.
Much has been made of Mariah's early career. She was previously married to Tommy Mottola but their relationship was a struggle and they didn't agree on the musical choices she made. It's been claimed she had a breakdown when she was young, but Mariah insists that was overblown.
"I never had a mental breakdown, I had a diva fit and it was [because] no one wanted to let me have a say. When you start so young in the industry people are used to controlling you and then they realise, 'Oh this person has an opinion... OK it's different now,'" she explained.
"Suicidal, no. I would never do that, it's against my faith. Exhausted, yes. I'm exhausted now; I want to be at home in the bed."
