"He was a catalyst that helped me get out of that relationship" - Global pop icon Mariah Carey credits Derek Jeter as the driving force behind her separation from ex-husband Tommy Mottola

Pop icon Mariah Carey briefly dated New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter in the late 1990s. She credits him as the catalyst for her divorce from Tommy Mottola.

In an exclusive interview with Oprah on an episode of “The Oprah Conversation,” Carey got candid and spoke about her relationships with Jeter and with her ex-husband.

When Oprah asked Carey how Jeter served a very high purpose in her life, Carey said he gave her the incentive to split up with Mottola.

“He was a catalyst that helped me get out of that relationship because I believed that there was somebody else." – Mariah Carey

Watch the interview here:

“I couldn't have asked for a better way to introduce my memoir than having a conversation with my friend, therapist and icon Ms. @oprah, on her series @theoprahconversation. Watch tomorrow on @appletv!” – Mariah Carey

Mottola and Carey were married for five years in 1990s, and their marriage was a tumultuous ride. Carey disclosed in her autobiography that Mottola had a "controlling" nature. She also added that she wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone “that wasn’t under Tommy’s control.”

"He rolled over me like a fog… In the beginning of our time together I was walking on eggshells. Then it became a bed of nails, and then a minefield. I never knew when or what would make him blow, and the anxiety was relentless.” - Mariah Carey

After their split, she later wed Nick Cannon in 2008; they divorced in 2016. Mottola and Carey share twins.

Carey's parents, who are Irish and African-American, divorced when she was a little child. She has previously mentioned that while growing up, she experienced persecution due to her multiracial identity.

"His family was a healthy family and they changed by viewpoint that, 'Oh, it's because of the biracial situation that my family is so screwed up.' As opposed to, 'It's them.’ It was healthy for me to see a functional family that basically kind of looked like mine, but didn't feel like mine."

The "We Belong Together" singer acknowledged that Derek's family had a significant impact on her ability to envision a healthy family for herself and her children.

Mariah Carey and Derek Jeter’s brief romance

The romance between Carey and Jeter lasted from 1997 to 1998 and was extremely significant for Carey.

Carey calls her time with Jeter “a short and sweet dream,” reports “Page Six.”

“It was so sensual. Everything was so new and sweet, down to the smooth texture of his honey-dropped skin … It was so heady, so intoxicating, and I was so vulnerable. I was in touch with a fire I didn’t know I had inside.”

Carey dedicated songs to Derek, including “The Roof” and “My All.”

Derek Jeter, who is now married to model Hannah Davis, was previously linked to other celebrities like Jessica Biel and Minka Kelly.

Jeter, a five-time World Series champion, is recognized for his hitting, base running, fielding, and leadership. These attributes were key factors in the Yankees' success in late 1990s and early 2000s. Derek Jeter spent the entirety of his 20-year MLB career with the New York Yankees.

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Throughout his career, Derek Jeter received 14 All-Star selections and won five Gold Glove Awards and five Silver Slugger Awards, among others honors.