It’s only April, but Mariah Carey is already getting in the holiday spirit. The pop diva recently shot the packaging for her new Christmas album with famed photographer David LaChapelle.

U.K. newspaper The Times interviewed LaChapelle while he was prepping for his festive shoot with the singer at his Los Angeles studio. He photographed Carey for her 1999 album Rainbow and directed her “Loverboy” music video.

The seasonal visuals called for a graffitied city backdrop, fake snow, a “hideous” silver tree, and wooden cutout reindeers. “Mariah wanted real ones,” said LaChapelle. “Flown from Nebraska. Can you imagine, real reindeer?”

Despite her request for real reindeer, he insisted the songbird “isn’t a diva,” adding, “She never pisses on the little people.”

Carey hinted that she was working on a new project after scrapping plans for her Angels Advocate remix album. She has been in the studio recording with Jermaine Dupri, but it is unknown where that material will end up.

Her first Christmas album, 1994’s Merry Christmas, has sold 12 million copies worldwide and spawned the classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”