Mariah Carey Speaks Out After Her Mother and Sister's Deaths: 'It's Been a Couple of Rough Weeks'
The singer previously confirmed to PEOPLE that her mother Patricia and sister Alison died on the same day in August
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Mariah Carey in May 2024Mariah Carey is speaking out following the recent deaths of her mom Patricia and sister Alison.
On Sunday, Sept. 8, the singer, 55, shared a post on Instagram which features a video of her rehearsing ahead of her upcoming shows in China and Brazil. In the clip, Carey sings a slow, stripped-down version of her 2005 track "It's Like That," before telling her viewers: "We'll see you soon, China."
In the caption, she wrote that she was "back at work," while expressing her gratitude for her fans' support.
"It’s been a couple of rough weeks, but I appreciate everyone’s love and support so much and I can’t wait to see my fans in China & Brazil," Carey captioned the post. "Love you! ??????."
PEOPLE previously confirmed on Aug. 27 that both Patricia and Alison died on the same day the previous weekend.
"My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day," the Grammy-winning singer said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time.
"I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed," Carey added. "I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time."
David Baker, a patient advocate who knew Alison personally, previously told PEOPLE that the 63-year-old “had a tough life” before she died in her New York home.
“We saw it coming, but it’s still a shock,” Baker said. “She got ill fairly quickly and a month later, she’s gone.”
Carey was estranged from her sister and her mother for many years before their deaths. She wrote in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, that her relationship with her mother “has caused me so much pain and confusion.”
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"For my sanity and peace of mind, my therapist encouraged me to literally rename and reframe my family,” she wrote. “My mother became Pat to me, Morgan my ex-brother and Alison my ex-sister ... I had to stop expecting them to one day miraculously become the mommy, big brother and big sister I fantasized about.”
Carey's brother Morgan also told PEOPLE in a statement after his mother and sister's deaths: "I'm praying for them and hope they are finally at peace. We were five, and now we are two."
Carey recently ended a three-week run of concerts in Las Vegas, where she had a residency at the Park MGM. She is next set to perform a series of international dates — including two shows at the Workers' Stadium Beijing from Sept. 15-16 — and will also embark on a Christmas tour later this year. The tour, titled Mariah Carey's Christmas Time, kicks off in Highland, Calif., on Nov. 6 and will end on Dec. 17 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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