In 2017 Mariah Carey was called upon to write and sing the theme song for the animated movie The Star. The Queen of Christmas re-united with Marc Shaiman for this task and the two came up with an epic ballad bearing the same title as the movie.
Much has been said about the mythical star that shone bright on Christmas Eve and guided men to worship Jesus (the animals characters in the movie, in this instance), but rarely it is mentioned in Christmas songs. Like a prophet Mariah tells of the Star as a guiding light to redemption, an inner voice to listen to when no one will believe in you, turning it into an inspirational moment like only she can.
Mariah’s twins Roc & Roe and (her longtime background singer, and friend) MaryAnn Tatum’s son Jaden provide the backing vocals for the refrain and have accompanied Mariah on stage during live performances at her Christmas shows.
The song, just like the movie, is clearly aimed at its core audience, children. However, there’s always something magical about the pairing of Mariah and Christmas that captures listeners of all ages.
“The Star” was nominated for Best Original Song at the 75th Golden Globes.