Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri pleased fans last month when they announced that they were rekindling their magic in the studio. J.D. shared a few more details of their reunion with Rap-Up.

The So So Def CEO, who had a heavy hand in 2005’s best-selling album of the year, The Emancipation of Mimi, said he is in the early stages of recording the pop diva’s next effort. He is hoping to produce the majority of the project and aims to have a single out this year.

“We started last week and we don’t take long when we get in, so hopefully a single before the end of the year,” he told Rap-Up. Bryan-Michael Cox and Johnta Austin are also involved with Mimi’s new music.

In addition, Mariah is reportedly working on a Christmas album, for which she recently shot the packaging with famed photographer David LaChapelle.