She's the 27-year-old pop diva who's sold more than 80- million records worldwide. We fire the questions at songbird Mariah Carey…

You've only recently split from your husband, Tommy Mottola, so was your album Butterfly easy to make?
"Throughout my entire life, music has always been a source of peace and stability. This was especially true with this album. I went through so much in my personal life, everything I've been through has made me a stronger person. It's been a learning process."

There's been rumours that you were snogging one of the album's producers Puff Daddy. Is that true?
"There were a lot of really bizarre rumours that were an item, but that is just completely ludicrous. I think there was one time where we happened to be at a party together and a group of us left to get something to eat. There were eight people in the car, but it was reported that it was just me and him. It was made into a really big thing which wasn't at all.

But is he somebody you hang out with socially?
"We are both young people who are successful in the music industry and can relate to one another. If we see each other at functions then we hang out together. Working with him is cool. He's a very successful individual who has brought the music of the street to the attention of the masses in a big way."

So is there any romance in your life at the moment?
"No, I am just too busy for that kind of thing. I would hope at some point there will be somebody there for me, but there isn't right now.

Being a huge rich star, is it important that a future husband would be able to match your income?
"Oh, it would be totally impossible for me to be with somebody who couldn't. No, just kidding! I don't think you can focus on that aspect of things. To get into a relationship for that solely would be really sick and materialistic. That's not what I am all about."

Since you split with Tommy have you had the chance to go out partying more?
"I'm not doing the wild partying which some people said I have been. I can't do that anyway. For one thing, if I go to a smokey room, my voice would get ruined. I guess I do go out a more than I used to. It's natural that things change when you come out of a relationship."

Where did the idea of the Honey video come from?
"Actually the idea for the video came when I was in Puerto Rico on a catamaran. I was sailing back to a little island where I was staying. I was writing the song at the time and I thought that the atmosphere and the environment would be really great for the video. I fell in love with the whole aura of the place."

You have a different image in the vid, almost a cross between a Bond girl and a Spice girl!
"Well, I don't know about the second half of that, but the director came up with the idea of having a kind of James Bond chase theme in the video. I guess the image is kind of different."

Is it true you're getting into acting?
"Yeah I have been studying acting this past year and I have found it to be very therapeutic. I studied when I was a little girl and it's something that I want to try again. Acting really helps me to get in touch with my feelings."

Is it true you discovered your singing talents while watching TV commercials as a kid?
"I don't know if I discovered my talents that way, but I do know I annoyed the hell out of my mother by singing every single commercial that was on TV. But I always knew I wanted to be a singer. My earliest memory is one where I was singing. My mother was an opera singer and she also sang jazz. I don't think there was a time when there wasn't music either being played or songs being sung in our house when I was growing up. I used to love all that old R&B stuff."

You're heavily involved with charity work. Can you explain the idea behind your favourite project to us?
"The Fresh Air Fund is an organization which takes poor kids from the inner cities into the country. They either stay with families or in camps. My camp is called Camp Mariah. I was up there the other day and some of the things the kids are doing are so amazing. It's a chance for them to express their incredible talents."

Does that mean you give money to beggars on the street?
"It's very rare that I am on the street hanging out, but when I do see people I usually look through my bag for some money. When I first came to New York I wasn't really used to seeing homeless people. If I had a couple of dollars on me I'd give a dollar away when I saw somebody on the street."

Where do you see yourself on the next ten years?
"I haven't got a clue! At the moment I'm concentrating on the album I've just put out. I worked really hard on it. I've also been working on an acting project which I can't really say anything about right now so I'm looking forward to get into that. Hopefully the next ten years would be just successful as the last ten.

Mariah Carey's album Butterfly is out now


Many thanks to Kerry from MariahCareyCollection for the scans.