Nick Cannon returned to his musical roots on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) with the release of his newest single, “Alone.”
Fans couldn’t help but to assume the obvious—this song is dedicated to ex-wife Mariah Carey because of lyrics like, “As much as I want you back/It’s probably better where you at/Cause I’m still running the streets/I’m still all in the sheets.” Not to mention, the descriptor for the song on YouTube reads, “Yes I know! I had my dream girl, I messed it up and now I’m singing for EVERYBODY who feels #Alone.”
The first release from his forthcoming mixtape, Raw N B: The Explicit Tape, samples Carey’s 1990 ballad, “Love Takes Time” from her debut self-titled album, which Cannon claims is his favorite song of hers. This tidbit raised even more questions, prompting the host to provide context on his eponymous talk show on Wednesday (Feb. 16).
The 41-year-old explained, “They tried to say that this was my song to try to get Mariah back. That’s impossible. I know […] Music is therapeutic for me, so sometimes I get to writing and reflecting. The song is really about reflection.”
“I had probably the greatest situation with my dream girl and I messed it up,” he later added. “To be honest and vulnerable… the song was not really about trying to get her back. It was taking ownership of what I did as a man and owning my flaws and expressing it through song.” He joked that he was on his “Kanye West energy.”
The “Gigalo” rapper and Carey wed in April 2008 after only a few weeks of dating and remained married until 2014. Their divorce was finalized in 2016 and they share 10-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe. Meanwhile, Cannon recently announced that he is expecting his eighth child, a baby boy with model Bre Tiesi.
Listen to “Alone” above.