MARIAH CAREY

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, 47, wrote and sings the title song for the animated movie The Star, in theaters Nov. 17. It’s about a brave donkey and his animal friends who become heroes in a critters’-eye view of the Christmas story.

What came first, the song or the movie?

The movie. I loved the whole premise of the first Christmas told through the eyes of the animals that took Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Most people don’t know I’m a songwriter. They look at me as a singer.

What other holiday projects are in the works?

All I Want for Christmas [available on Blu-ray, DVD and on-demand on Nov. 14] is a little animated film based on my children’s book from 2015. It is an adorable story about a little girl who wants a puppy at Christmas. My “All I Want for Christmas” concert tour starts on Nov. 17, and we will be touring through Dec. 22. It is a Christmas extravaganza, but in an intimate way.

Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition?

I love to be with people that I love, but I also like to have a white Christmas. We go to Aspen. We do really nice things there, like the sleigh rides, we see Santa Claus, and there are live reindeer. The kids love it.

Your performance as Ms. Weiss, the social worker in the movie Precious, was wellreceived. Do you want to do more acting?

I would. We did Precious, and then I was pregnant with the twins [Moroccan and Monroe, 6]. I had some other offers right away, but I couldn’t do anything. It would be great to do more things that really matter like Precious, an important film.