Mariah Carey has been recording with Rodney Jerkins.

The "Touch My Body: singer is recording her first material for three years and posted a picture of herself posing with the producer. "In the studio with RJ-yeaah, having a nice time!" she wrote on her Twitter. Beneath the photo she added, "Tonight was a stone winner with the massively talented @RodneyJerkins."

Rodney - also known as Darkchild - has previously worked on tracks for the likes of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Beyonce.

Mariah, 42, recently implied her 14th studio album - the follow up to 2009's Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel - will be released this summer. "So.. Summer 2012.. Been in the lab, mixing up some concoctions for you, hope you like it!! #MCSummer2012 (sic)" she Tweeted.

The singer had put her music career on hold to start a family with husband Nick Cannon, and had twins Moroccan and Monroe in May last year. TV presenter Nick has said their expanded family is a source of inspiration for his wife: "Our new family has definitely given her a great new source of inspiration and creativity."

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