Exclusive

Mariah Carey ''Developed a Close Relationship'' With Dancer Amid Problems With James Packer

"Mariah was in essence an abandoned woman," a source tells E! News

By Bruna Nessif Oct 27, 2016 11:53 PMTags

It seems as though Mariah Carey has found comfort in other arms during a difficult time in her life.

E! News has learned that the world-renowned singer became close with one of her dancers amid problems with James Packer. A source tells E! News exclusively, "James was not in the right mind for months. Mariah was in essence an abandoned woman."
 
The insider adds that it was during this time that Carey began building a bond with her dancer. "While in Vegas, she turned to and developed a close relationship with Brian Tanaka."

Following news that Carey and Packer decided to call off their engagement, E! News learned from another source close to the pair that Packer's behavior played a role in Carey's decision to part ways.

"James is not in a mentally healthy place right now and he has not been present for her," the insider tells E! News exclusively. "Unfortunately, his absence and behavior was not a good situation for her, so she had to leave him."

A rep for Packer tells E! News, "This is simply untrue."

Instagram

Carey and Packer met in 2014 at a movie premiere in Aspen, Colo. "We were talking and laughing, and people were getting mad at us and stuff like that," Carey told Steve Harvey in 2015. "So, we hit it off."

Roughly two years later, the Aussie billionaire popped the question in January 2016, presenting Carey with 35-carat diamond ring. "It's so heavy I can't lift my arm up!" the singer later joked in an exclusive interview with E! News' Melanie Bromley. The "Fantasy" singer described Packer's proposal in her hometown as "very romantic," saying, "He's an exceptional person, and really...it gets more romantic by the day. So, it's very sweet."

At the time, Carey also revealed she wanted the nuptials to happen ASAP. "If everything works out, it will be somewhat soon," she said. Since both of them had been married twice before, she added, "We are not doing a big wedding...We would rather make it beautiful but humble."

However, earlier this year, things seemed to have taken a halt when it came to planning their highly anticipated wedding ceremony.

When E! News asked for a wedding update. "I can't really answer them because we're trying to talk it through," the five-time Grammy Award winner teased. "It's like some things are a surprise, some things are like, 'How do we fit them into the schedule?' So, everybody just has to wait and see, including me. We're figuring it out."