True Mariah Carey fans are no strangers to the name Walter Afanasieff.
The celebrated songwriter, famous for his work with the likes of Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, and more, is probably most known for helping pen some of Carey’s biggest hits including ‘Hero,’ ‘Anytime You Need a Friend,’ and one of the most well-known holiday songs of all time, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You.’
The latter, which reached its Hot 100 peak this week (24 years after its release), has become a staple during the yuletide season – a bittersweet fact for Afanasieff as he and the diva have not spoken for over 20 years and she (according to him) continues to take sole credit for its creation.
Recently taking to press to not only outline the status of his relationship with the pop icon but also dish on what led to their fall out and how he believes she is trying to erase him from the historic holiday hit. Look inside for some jaw-dropping quotes: