That aroma was added because it evoked happy memories of her childhood around the campfire. But she adds: "It's blended in there — it's not like you're gonna walk around smelling like marshmallows."

Carey worked on "M" while on tour and working on her latest album, and said she spent as much time on launching the fragrance as she did working on her music career: "I'm obsessed with it!"

But now she's back to putting most of her focus on the new record, due out early next year. The as-yet-untitled album is the follow-up to her multiplatinum comeback disc, "The Emancipation of Mimi," which earned her three Grammys.

"It's hard for me to sit here and talk about it without sounding like I'm bragging if I'm in love with it, but I'm in love with this album," she says. "I think that having the success with the last record allowed me to have more freedom. ... and just make records that I like. It's kind of a really fun record."