Mariah Carey Says Prince Was ‘One of the Best People I’ve Met’

Following Prince’s death in April, Mariah Carey paid tribute to her longtime friend by performing an emotional rendition of “One Sweet Day” during a show in Paris. Now, the 46-year-old singer is sharing what the late Purple One meant to her, explaining that he was her inspiration for resisting becoming a cog in the major record label machine.

“Prince was one of the best people I’ve met,” she told Complex during a recent interview for the magazine’s August/September cover story. “He didn’t care about the big system. I was always like, at any time Prince could write a No. 1 song, because he’s that talented, but he chooses to do what he wants. I respect that. He actually helped me through a lot of situations with his knowledge. He always had a plan.”

Carey went on to say that Prince’s passing came as a total shock to her. “I just can’t believe he’s gone,” she said. “I was hoping that it was a trick that he was pulling — that it didn’t really happen.”

Read more at Complex.com.