Bryan Tanaka is like 'second father' to Mariah Carey's children but can NEVER replace Nick Cannon
ASPEN, COLORADO: Mariah Carey and her boyfriend Bryan Tanaka celebrated Christmas together with the former's 11-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan, whom she shares with her ex Nick Cannon. The fact that the children's father, Cannon, missed the holiday, raised doubts about Tanaka's status as a father figure in the family.
However, a source close to the couple disclosed to Hollywood Life that while Tanaka shares a great bond with Carey's twins, Cannon's place in the children's life cannot be replaced. "Bryan is a great role model to her kids and is so close to them," the source began. "They look at him like a second father, but they do not call him dad. That word is reserved for Nick who is very active in his children’s lives. Nick and Bryan get along great, and Bryan has been a part of Mariah's life since 2006, so Nick trusts him with everything," they added.
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The insider went on to say that Tanaka has acted noticeably as a father figure, but Cannon will always have the last say regarding his twin girls. "Mariah‘s kids are very bonded with Bryan but he’ll never replace Nick and would never try," the source said. "There have been times in the past that Nick has popped up in Aspen to see them on Christmas but this year he spent it in LA and Mariah was totally fine with it because her kids were. They’re going to have a late Christmas celebration with Nick, he never lets them down," they added.
According to a second source, Carey and Tanaka are "the happiest that they have ever been together" but they are not going to be tying the knot anytime soon. "She’s done it twice already and it is not something that she is interested in doing again," the source added. "She knows how much he loves her, and he knows how she feels the same," the insider further added.
The duo began working together in 2006 when Tanaka accompanied her on the 'Adventures of Mimi' tour and started dating almost a decade later in 2016 after Carey reportedly broke off her engagement with billionaire James Packer, as reported by People. The couple has been going strong ever since. "Mariah is really happy. He's always doting on her and they have a great time together," the source told Hollywood Life. "He's also great with her kids," the insider added.