During her trip to Chicago for “American Idol” auditions, Mariah Carey connected in the studio with Chi-town’s own R. Kelly. The pop diva and the Pied Piper recorded a new duet, which Mariah calls a “total classic.”

“Me and Kells in the lab in Chi town working on a new song! OMG-his voice sounds A++&#trappedintgecloset #totalclassic,” tweeted MC, whose new album is due early next year.

The two previously collaborated on a version of “Betcha Gon’ Know,” which was scheduled to appear on Angels Advocate, the scrapped re-release of Mariah’s 2009 album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.