The most festive time of the year will feel a little different in 2020, but the legendary singer is serving up even more sparkle than usual (if you can imagine!) in the form of a star-studded Christmas special as a holly-jolly antidote to the tough year we've had. "I just feel very fortunate to be able to have this moment," Carey tells EW of the special, which hits Apple TV+ on Dec. 4. "And [I'm] hoping, in my own humble way, that this moment becomes its own healing thing, just bringing a little bit of light to people at the holidays."

In the Hamish Hamilton- and Roman Coppola-directed special, when a crisis of holiday cheer hits the North Pole, Santa calls on the one person who can possibly restore it: the elusive chanteuse herself, naturally. Carey's mission to bring back brightness and merriment incorporates music, dance, and animated sequences, and features appearances from Tiffany Haddish, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Eichner, Snoop Dogg, and Carey's twins, Moroccan and Monroe, among others.

The first trailer for the special, above, dropped Friday and features glimpses of Haddish introducing the magical tale, Misty Copeland appearing in a ballet sequence, and Carey performing alongside Grande and Hudson; the dream trio joined forces for a new version of Carey's 2010 holiday bop "Oh Santa!"

"That was amazing," Carey says. "to reinvent that song with these incredible women was a very special moment."

The single and video for the super-girl-group version of the tune will also come out Dec 4., and the full soundtrack (featuring Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri, and including a brand new version of "Sleigh Ride") will be available on Apple Music the same day and other streaming platforms a week later, on Dec. 11.

So you better not pout! We're mere days away from a huge dose of holiday cheer to brighten up a dark December. "It's not just [for] people who are gung-ho festive like me," Carey says of the seasonal spectacular. "It's for everybody. It really is."

Author:Mary Sollosi - Source: EW