Mariah Carey Returns with New Single “Type Dangerous”

Mariah Carey has unveiled her new single and lyric video, “Type Dangerous,” marking her first solo release since 2020 and the lead track for her forthcoming 16th studio album, the title of which remains under wraps. On June 2, Carey teased the dawn of a new chapter, sharing a snippet of the song on social media alongside the caption “MC16”—a nod to her 16th album. Fans initially speculated the track might be called “What’s Your Type,” but it emerged with the bolder title “Type Dangerous.”

At 56, Carey co-wrote the song with 39-year-old Anderson Paak, with whom she’s been romantically linked. The track samples “Eric B. Is President” by the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim and, according to Genius, draws from Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story.” Carey herself has called “Type Dangerous” the start of a fresh era, revealing she spent extensive time in the studio crafting it.

Her last album, Caution, dropped in November 2018, making this upcoming release her first in nearly seven years. Though Caution didn’t dominate sales, it earned widespread praise, landing on year-end best-of lists from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Complex. In 2020, Carey shared The Rarities, a compilation of unreleased tracks, live recordings, demos, and B-sides, released alongside her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

On May 30, Carey celebrated the 20th anniversary of her landmark album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) with an expanded reissue. That record marked a triumphant comeback after the lackluster reception of her 2001 film Glitter and 2002’s Charmbracelet. Anchored by the chart-topping “We Belong Together,” named the defining song of the 2000s by the Billboard Hot 100, The Emancipation of Mimi remains a cornerstone of Carey’s illustrious career.