As Budjerah makes his Like A Version with a stunning Mariah Carey cover, it remains to be seen whether it’ll be enough to soften the pop icon’s newly-minted thoughts on artists taking on her songs.

Heading into the Like A Version studios for the first time, Budjerah kicked off his appearance by performing his latest single, Want You Back, before turning his attention to a truly stellar rendition of Carey’s Always Be My Baby.

Originally released as the fourth single from Carey’s fifth album, 1995’s Daydream, it became the third cut from the record to top the US charts, though it only hit No. 17 in Australia.

Decked out in a slick suit and backed by a band and guest vocalists, Budjerah delivered an immaculate cover, though he admitted that it was bound to be a lofty task taking on the Songbird Supreme.

“This is always a fun one. Me and my little sisters always love hearing Always Be My Baby, because it was the upbeat one on that album,” Budjerah explained in a post-performance interview.

“Looking through her songwriting, I feel like you learn so much because she uses hard words as well. You know, ‘inevitably,’ and even if you look at Heartbreaker; ‘Keep on coming back incessantly.’ So many words that you wouldn't hear in everyday language; she's not a lazy writer.

“Her singing as well, it's taught me not to be lazy,” he added. “It doesn't matter if you're perfectly on pitch, if it's not pushed to the highest part of your voice, it's not going to sound quite right.”

However, while Australians are undoubtedly going to be supporting Budjerah and his wonderful take on the original, it’s unclear what Carey’s own opinions will be.

This uncertainty is based upon comments that Carey made to GQ, where she reflected on how both she and Prince shared a common trait – a distaste of other acts covering their songs.

For fans of Carey, this would have become clear back in March when the pop icon was spotted giving a side-eye reaction to Muni Long covering We Belong Together.

Though Carey’s response went viral, Long later explained that the singer responded positively in private. “She told me I did a great job, she appreciated it,” Long said on social media.

Now, while speaking to GQ, Carey reflected on Long’s cover and her reaction, ultimately blaming her confusing response on the acoustics of the venue. “I didn’t even hear the cover,” she explained. “I didn’t know it happened. No one told me.”

“I just didn’t know that she had done We Belong Together [as a cover] ‘cause her song was so similar to We Belong Together. I had no idea that she did We Belong Together.”

“I’m very honored and flattered that she did it,” Carey concluded. “I love Muni Long, she’s a great person, umm, but I just don’t like people doing my songs.”

It remains to be seen whether Budjerah’s new cover (which arrives the same day as Carey’s latest album, Here For It All) will change her mind, but frankly, how could it not?