When Mariah Carey gave fans the inside scoop of why her romance with former NY Yankees star Derek Jeter didn't go the distance
Pop icon Mariah Carey opened up about the reasons behind her unsuccessful romantic relationship with former New York Yankees player Derek Jeter. The revealing information came from her memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey" published on Sept. 29th, 2020.
Mariah and Derek crossed paths for the first time in 1997 during a party, and they quickly formed a strong connection. Soon, they started seeing each other. It's worth noting that Carey was still married to her ex-husband and music executive, Tommy Mottola.
Despite Jeter and Carey's feelings for each other, the couple decided not to pursue a relationship beyond friendship. The decision was made out of respect for the pop sensation's marriage.
Apparently, Mariah and Tommy were stuck in a toxic marriage, and Derek's appearance in her life was like a breath of fresh air. In 1998, the married couple eventually got divorced, igniting a full-fledged romance between Jeter and Carey.
"Neither of us had wanted to cheapen our romance by cheating on my marriage," Carey wrote in her memoir. “Everything was so new and sweet, down to the smooth texture of his honey-dropped skin … It was so heady, so intoxicating, and I was so vulnerable. I was in touch with a fire I didn’t know I had inside.”
However, Derek and Mariah soon called it quits, ending their highly-publicized romance.
"The Roof" singer described her relationship with former Yankees captain as a lovely but brief experience. She said that it became evident early on that they were not destined for a long-term future together.
"Very soon it became clear we weren't meant for the long run. He was in the right place at the right time, and he was there for the right purpose. He was a love in my life, not of my life."
After breaking up with Derek Jeter, Carey got involved in a relationship with singer Luis Miguel but separated in 2001. Seven years later, she married actor and comedian Nick Cannon on April 30th, 2008. Mariah's second marriage also didn't last. She officially got divorced from Nick in 2016, the same year Derek Jeter got hitched to Hannah Davis.
Derek Jeter once broke silence on the challenges of dating Mariah Carey
In 1999, former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter spoke to Sports Illustrated about the difficulties that come with being romantically involved with a famous singer like Mariah Carey, who has a worldwide following.
"I have to be with someone very understanding, someone who's willing to deal with all the attention. But going out with Mariah that's taking it to a whole other level."
Jeter added:
"She's someone who's known worldwide. I don't see how two very famous people—and I'm nowhere close to her level—would be able to deal with that over the long haul. It's too much."
Cut to present day, Derek is happily settled with his wife and is father of three daughters and one son.
The former MLB star's newborn son arrived on May 5th, 2023.