Spending Xmas with Mariah Carey, and what she listened to when giving birth

Fuse, Madison Square Garden's national music television network, will deck the halls with a Mariah-filled Christmas this season kicking off Christmas day at 6 a.m. with fun-filled Mariah Carey programming (for those who get Fuse, which is on channel 339 on DirecTV.

The day will feature the tour documentary "Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi," programming that highlights the pop superstar's music videos, the premiere of a new Fuse-exclusive interview "Mariah Carey: On The Record with Fuse" and more. In the brand new interview airing at 8 pm ET, "Mariah Carey: On The Record with Fuse," Carey sits down with Fuse's Toure for a conversation.

Here are highlights:

On when she first realized her voice was special: The first time for me that I actually felt it, was when I was 6 years old, I was walking down the street with this little girl and we were singing at the same time and she stop singing and she started listening to me and then I realized and I stopped. And I was like, what? And she goes-when you sing-it sounds like there's music with you. I never forgot that. On music she played while she was giving birth: I was playing 'Fantasy' live from Madison Square Garden. I think it was Beyonce who said to me-well, what are you going to play? Cuz' she played DJ For her sister. And I was like, wow that's true-what are we going to play? Nick was there -he hit the 'Fantasy' at the exact right time and it's live from Madison Square Garden so it's like (makes audience noise)…I wanted them to have the applause; I wanted them to come into the world with the feeling of acceptance. On her songwriting process: There are times when a melody and a lyric will come to me and they're attached. It'll happen-it'll be the inception of an idea and then I'll continue it. 'Hero' was-it's something that reoccurs. People will ask me to sing that song at functions. I was at the inauguration with that song. I took a walk to the ladies' room, came back and was like-'Ok, here's how it goes. On her inspirations: Quite naturally I've been obsessed with Minnie Ripperton, I wouldn't be who I was if there was no Minnie Ripperton, I'm just so grateful and in awe of her talent.

And here is Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas is You," the best Christmas song recorded since Band-Aid's feed-the-world single back in the 1980's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY