Strange Things About Mariah Carey And Bryan Tanaka's Relationship

A global pop star and her back-up dancer don't make for a typical Hollywood love story, but for a while, Mariah Carey and Bryan Tanaka made it work just fine. The pair first started dating in 2016, with their love seemingly waxing stronger in the years that followed. "Mariah is really happy," a source told People in 2021. "He's always doting on her, and they have a great time together. He's also great with her kids." (Carey shares twins Monroe and Morrocan with ex Nick Cannon.)

During their time together, Tanaka proved himself a great support system for Carey, often taking to social media to celebrate her milestones. "Congratulations is an understatement. You made #history again! You really are the Queen of Christmas, the Queen of Accolades, and the Queen of Music History! I'm so happy for you!" Tanaka wrote on Instagram in celebration of Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" charting in 2020. 

In December 2019, Tanaka also paid tribute to Carey, with a loved-up photo of the couple accompanied by a heartfelt tribute. "Words can't fully describe everything that's been happening so I'll keep it short and sweet... I'm so happy for you! You deserve this and so much more! I love you!" he gushed. But while Tanaka and Carey clearly had a beautiful love story, the pair also had a few strange things between them.

Though they went on to have a beautiful love story, once upon a time Bryan Tanaka was Mariah Carey's employee. Speaking at the premiere party for the reality show "Mariah's World," Tanaka recounted meeting Carey for the first time in 2005 when he was hired as a backup dancer. "It was about 2005-2006 is when I first met Mariah Carey," he shared (via ABC News). "I was a young buck, I was this green rookie when I first worked with her." 

Despite his amateur dance skills at the time, Carey reportedly saw Tanaka's potential and had no trouble giving him a chance. "Something connected with us back in the day and there was just a mutual admiration. She saw something in me that I actually didn't recognize at first, from that it was over," Tanaka told E! News. "It was set in history that we were gonna be connected some way, somehow."

In the years that followed their first meeting, Tanaka rose through the ranks of Carey's team, eventually becoming the singer's creative director. Tanaka's career wasn't the only thing that evolved through the years, as his relationship with Carey soon began to rouse suspicion to the point that the singer's then-fiancé, James Packer, reportedly asked him to stay away, per People. But while Carey's relationship with Tanaka remained platonic for many years, things eventually took a turn for the pair.

In October 2016, news broke that Mariah Carey and James Packer had called off their nine-month engagement. The following month, Carey sparked relationship rumors with Tanaka after some PDA during a Thanksgiving vacation in Hawaii, per People. In the months that followed, rumors of a romance between Carey and Tanaka continued to ramp up as they were constantly spotted together in public. However, it wasn't until February 2017 that Carey confirmed her relationship with Tanaka had left the professional territory. 

"I'm just going to be like, 'I really don't talk about my personal life.' Because that's what I used to do and it really worked for a minute, back, a while ago. I just don't feel comfortable talking about my personal life ... Me and my boyfriend don't want to do that," the singer said, referring to Tanaka in an interview with the Associated Press (via People).

But while things seemed great between the singer and her new beau, it all turned sour when in April 2017, TMZ reported the pair's split. Confirming the split, a source close to the couple explained to People that Carey broke things off and was focusing her time on her career and kids. "Bryan was a good distraction after she split from James. This is a good time for her to be single and focus on herself," another source shared. But the split was apparently short-lived — Carey and Tanka reunited and stayed together until the end of 2023.

Hollywood is no stranger to celebrity couples with wide age gaps. Still, that doesn't make it any less surprising when two celebrities in different age groups get together, as is the case of Mariah Carey and Bryan Tanaka, who are 14 years apart. While that might not seem too big a deal, it is important to note that Tanaka was only just in his early 20s when he started working for the pop singer.

Despite the wide age gap, however, Tanaka and Carey were able to make their relationship work until ending it in 2023. In December, Tanaka confirmed his split from the "All I Want for Christmas is You" singer, writing in a statement shared on Instagram: "Dear friends and fans. With mixed emotions, I share this personal update regarding my amicable separation from Mariah Carey after seven extraordinary years together. Our decision to embark on different paths is mutual, and as we navigate these separate journeys, we do so with profound respect and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the invaluable time we've shared."

Though neither Tanaka nor Carey have openly discussed the reason behind their split, a source confirmed to Page Six that the wide age gap contributed to them wanting different things. "He wants to have a family. That's not where she is at," an insider told the outlet. Another source added, "He wants to start having his own life."