Mariah Carey sympathizes with Rihanna

Mariah Carey discussed her past abusive relationship with a former boyfriend in an interview Wednesday night on Larry King Live.

Carey went on the show to discuss her new movie and album but later admitted that a former boyfriend abused her.

"Emotionally, mentally, in other ways ... It's scary," said Carey. "You know, I just think you get into a situation and you feel locked in. If your situation is similar to one of the situations I've been in – which I won't harp on – for me, to really get out, it was difficult because there was a connection that was not only a marriage but a business thing, where the person was in control of my life."

Though Carey did not reveal who she was referring to, some speculate that she is talking about her ex-husband music mogul Tommy Mottola. The couple married in 1993 but they shorty ended five years later.

Carey has noted on several occasions that Mottola was controlling and told her how to speak and dress, according to Entertainment Tonight. Some have credited her evolution into a strong, independent artist to this abusive relationship and following divorce.

When asked how she reacted to the Rihanna news, Carey said, "I was very sequestered, as you know, when I first started out ... I wasn't really allowed out of the house, so I can't imagine what she went through." According to Entertainment Tonight, Carey sympathizes with Rihanna greatly.

Now happily married, Carey also discussed future plans with husband, Nick Cannon. Carey said that being pregnant "would be the happiest thing in my life, but what I'm saying is right now with this movie coming out, with the next few singles from the album and those things that I'm doing, I need to focus on that because I cannot do the having-a-child thing halfway."

You can see the full interview at http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2009/11/03/lkl.mariah.carey.abuse.cn.