Mariah Carey has declared she will not "call myself a legend".
The Butterfly diva explained she simply wanted to continue working hard.
Asked whether she felt she had achieved legendary status, Mariah, 56, was dismissive.
"Everybody has their own little meanings for what things they say," the singer told Billboard Magazine in an interview published on Thursday. "But I don't call myself a legend. I'm just still working, still trying hard."
The One Sweet Day singer explained her work ethic had stemmed from a wish for career longevity.
"I've always worked really hard," Mariah told the outlet, "because I knew that I wanted to be here for a long time."
She added her biggest piece of advice was to hold onto one's authenticity.
"The one lesson I've learned is to just be true to yourself," Mariah said, before acknowledging her path had not always been smooth. "And I was fortunate enough to be able to do that. There were some things along the way that weren't ideal, you know, but here I am."
Elsewhere in the interview, Mariah admitted she was unable to commit to as much philanthropy as she wanted to. In December, she donated a pink jacket to LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD for auction. It sold for $5,000 (£39980).
"All of us should do what we can to give back something," the singer said.
"And it's also important to do more than that. I get caught up with my schedule sometimes, so it's not as much as it should be. But it's still an important part of my life."
