By now, Mariah Carey‘s annual “It’s Time!” videos — in which she cheekily sings the phrase in her whistling register before the opening notes of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” come in to ring in the Christmas season — are a holiday hallmark as much as snowmen and gingerbread cookies. In an Instagram video shared Monday (Oct. 28), Carey teamed up with Emmy-winning actress and producer Kerry Washington for an election-themed spin on the popular meme.
“No, no, no! It’s not your season yet, Mariah. It’s voting season!” Washington quips as she interrupts Carey’s “All I Want” intro while clad in a white T-shirt and black cap, both emblazoned with “vote.”
After a playfully annoyed “What? OK,” the five-time Grammy winner then affirmatively responds to Washington’s queries about her voting plans for Election Day (Nov. 5). “Have you registered? Have you made a plan?” Washington asks, alluding to the myriad ways voters can make their voices heard at the ballot box next month. Carey, in a characteristically Christmas-y red top, plaid skirt, black tights and boots, replied that she already registered to vote and “executed” her voting plan.
“That’s amazing!” Washington exclaimed. “Because it’s my season before it’s her season. So, now all we need is you!” To drive home the final word of her sentence, Washington and Carey returned to singing as they harmonized the “you” riff from the beginning of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Carey even vocalized a bit of the instrumental before the pair sang the opening note of the first verse in unison. Given Washington’s musical background — she starred in Ryan Murphy’s Golden Globe-nominated film adaptation of the Tony-nominated Prom musical in 2020 — the actress proved to be a formidable duet partner for the singer.
Carey and Washington’s cheeky clip continues the Scandal actress’ involvement in getting out the vote for the 2024 election. She served as emcee for the final night of August’s Democratic National Convention and recently lent her voice to a historic radio ad campaign targeting Black voters. Last year, Carey visited the White House with her twins Moroccan and Monroe to ring in the Christmas season with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
This year, Carey is celebrating 30 years of her Merry Christmas album, which has spent two weeks atop Holiday Albums. The legendary set, which houses her Billboard Hot 100-topping “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” will receive a special anniversary release later this year. On Nov. 6, she will kick off her Christmas Time tour in Highland, Calif. The trek will visit major cities such as Houston and Nashville before concluding in Brooklyn on Dec. 17.
Watch Mariah Carey and Kerry Washington’s video encouraging fans to vote:
