Mariah Carey surprise us with punk rock for Christmas, but no Santa?

Mariah Carey, our undisputed Queen of Christmas, decided to switch things up proper this year for her annual "It's Time" video. Instead of her usual grand entrance in a Santa outfit, the clip, dropped just after midnight on November 1, starts with her in a sweaty, crowded punk club. Na so we know say this year's Christmas countdown go different. She hit social media with the iconic "IT'S TIME!!!!" caption, continuing her legendary tradition of telling us say holiday season don start immediately Halloween ends. But this time, she brought a whole new vibe we didn't expect.

Imagine New York City, October 31, just before midnight. The video throws us straight into a bar with a full-on punk show. Mariah herself is there, rocking colourful eye makeup, dark glittery lips, and a studded jacket – looking like she came to scatter everywhere. She's on stage, belting out "Hermit," a track from the band Chick's Someone's Ugly Daughter. This definitely wasn't the Mariah we know, and honestly, we are here for the shock value! It’s giving unexpected, it’s giving rockstar, and it’s a whole mood.

Then, after she does a proper stage dive into the crowd, the screen goes dark. The clock hits midnight, and bam! Mariah delivers her classic, familiar "It's time" announcement. Just like that, the video switches to a snowy Christmas setting, transforming our punk rocker into the festive diva we adore. She swaps her studded jacket for a red and sequined holiday outfit with white trim, looking like a dream. She’s perched atop an enormous Christmas tree, covered in all the decorations, as "All I Want for Christmas Is You" starts playing. Talk about a glow-up! The switch from moshing to merry in seconds? Na pure magic.

The Secret Rock Album No One Knew About

This punk rock detour isn’t just random, abeg. The surprise song choice actually connects to an alternative-rock album, Someone's Ugly Daughter, that came out in 1995. This record was like a secret side project Mariah worked on while she was busy recording all the pop and R&B hits that made her a global superstar and shaped her public image. For decades, her involvement in this rock album was largely unknown, kept under wraps like a family secret. The distorted guitars and rougher vocals on this project offered her an entirely different outlet, far removed from the mainstream sound everybody expected from her.

She actually co-wrote the original songs on Someone's Ugly Daughter, helped produce the record, and even recorded the lead vocals herself. But here's the twist: the version that was officially released under the band name Chick featured her friend, Clarissa Dane, singing lead. Mariah's voice was relegated to the background. Can you imagine? Our Mimi, hiding her rockstar vocals! It’s like she had this alter ego she was exploring, away from the spotlight. That kind of creative freedom, eh, it must have been a whole different vibe for her.

The full story of this hidden project finally came to light in 2020, when Mariah spilled the tea in her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. She also shared some details on social media, letting her Lambily in on the secret. Collaborators later described those recording sessions in interviews with Pitchfork. Even with all this revelation, the version of the album that features Mariah's original lead vocals remains unreleased. And for now, this new Halloween-to-Christmas video no even give us any hint about when those iconic recordings might finally see the light of day. We are just here, waiting.

Queen of Christmas Reigns On

Of course, you can’t talk Mariah and Christmas without mentioning "All I Want for Christmas Is You." She dropped that evergreen hit on her 1994 album, Merry Christmas. And twenty-five years after its release, in 2019, the song finally topped the Hot 100 chart. Na so! It has gone on to become the undisputed anthem of the festive season. This year, the song enters the holiday season having spent twenty-two nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That is a massive achievement, although Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" recently surpassed that record, reaching its twenty-fifth week at No. 1 on the chart dated October 31, 2026. Still, Mariah’s reign is eternal.

This punk rock intro isn't even the first time Mariah has pulled a stunt for her "It's Time" videos. In previous years, she has given us pure drama and humour. We’ve seen her emerging from ice like a Christmas goddess, channeling her inner Morticia Addams, and even dealing with comedian Billy Eichner playing a disgruntled elf. She definitely knows how to get us hyped for the holidays. Every year, it’s a new spectacle, and this year's punk rock reveal just shows she's still got tricks up her sleeve.

So, what are we saying? Mariah Carey, after years of being the ultimate Christmas diva, decided to show us she can still throw a little punk rock into the mix before telling us "It's Time." It's giving versatility, it's giving legendary. Which version of Mariah are you vibing with more – the rockstar or the Christmas Queen?