Between their idiosyncratic songwriting styles, generational hits, Grammys, and Billboard chart domination, Mariah Carey and SZA made a natural pair at Wednesday night’s Apple Music-hosted Flowers conversation at New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Serving as the official pilot of Flowers, a new Apple Music live show created by gamma. co-founder Larry Jackson, Carey and SZA’s conversation was a heartfelt lovefest that doubled as a Lambily reunion. With Here for It All, Carey’s forthcoming 16th studio album, arriving on Friday (Sept. 26), the Flowers conversation featured exclusive snippets of the title track, as well as behind-the-scenes stories of the album’s creation.
Carey appeared very excited, if not a little nervous, about her first album in seven years — but once she started gushing about working with iconic gospel group The Clark Sisters, she could barely contain herself. SZA, an empathetic interviewer in her own right, nimbly guided the conversation, subtly interjecting her own questions and helping Carey navigate particularly emotional moments, such as when she discussed her mother and sister passing away on the same day in August 2024.
From the moment Carey walked out in a leathery, all-black fit and SZA followed behind her — in a butterfly-print dress, no less — Lincoln Center’s Appel Room, which featured notable guests like Gayle King, house DJ D-Nice and host Ebro Darden, waited with bated breath for the conversation to begin. Nonetheless, adorable audience quips abounded, and by the time Carey played a bit of the gospel breakdown in the Here for it All title track, the entire room leapt to its feet. SZA also convinced Carey to play two songs (“Hermit” and “Love Is A Scam”) from her secret grunge album, Someone’s Ugly Daughter, which she recorded under the moniker Chick around the time of 1995’s Daydream album.
Here are 10 things we learned from Mariah Carey and SZA’s Flowers conversation for Apple Music.
