Songwriter/producer Bryan-Michael Cox has compared the making of Mariah Carey's long-delayed new album as cooking 'a honey-baked ham'.

Cox told Billboard: "Over the past couple of years we've added songs, scratched songs, slow-baking this record like a honey-baked ham. And when you take a bite of that ham-people will be extremely and pleasantly surprised.

"Life happens, and that added to the organic process of making this album."

Cox confirmed that work on the project began before the summer of 2010:

"We started on this before Mariah got pregnant but her difficult pregnancy and the birth of her twins in April 2011 delayed work, as did her season as a judge on "American Idol" last year, and, finally, a shoulder injury while filming the video for her single with Miguel, "#Beautiful," last July."

In an interview with Billboard last year, Carey hinted the album would feature a "lot more raw ballads than people might expect." And in reuniting with producers Jermaine Dupri (who succeeded Randy Jackson and then Red Light as her manager last October) and Cox, as well as collaborating with Hit-Boy, The-Dream, Rodney Jerkins and Mike Will Made It, she said it was about "making sure I have tons of good music."

Yesterday on Valentine's Day (February 14) Mariah Carey lit up The Empire State Building in New York City. Carey's new single, 'You're Mine (Eternal)' was released on February 12. Her new album will be released on May 6. Its title has yet to be revealed

Watch the official video for 'You're Mine (Eternal)' and Carey's recent interview on Power 105.1FM Breakfast Club below: