What a difference four years have made.

In 2001, soul-pop singer Mariah Carey took on Hollywood, and Hollywood won. Her feature-film starring debut, "Glitter," proved anything but gold. The film was drubbed by critics and ignored by ticket buyers.

What followed in Carey's life could have made a far better film: She suffered a breakdown and, within a year, she was bought out of her $100-million contract with Virgin Records. For a brief time, she didn't even have a record label.

Tuesday night - ironically, at the Virgin Megastore - Carey returned to Hollywood nothing less than triumphant. Her latest CD, "The Emancipation of Mimi," is the year's best seller in North America with 4 million units sold. She's sold another 2 million copies worldwide.

Hundreds of her fans waited for the chance to get their "Mimi" CDs signed in the store.

Talk about a comeback kid.

"They can call me whatever they want," Carey, 35, told AP Television News. "I never went anywhere. And my real fans have always been here for me. And, you know what? It's a wonderful feeling and everything I have is because God has blessed me with this and I'll always be grateful for what I have."

Carey showed that gratitude to the fans who lined Hollywood Boulevard, some of whom had waited days for her arrival.

Before posing for pictures and talking with reporters, Carey - in a low-cut, mid-thigh length silver sequined dress - greeted and chatted with the fans on the street. Once inside the store, she seemed to work hard to make meaningful connections in the brief time she spent with the 400-plus fans who got autographs.

"I love meeting fans face-to-face when I can," Carey said. "There's something about somebody just connecting with you musically, and knowing that I've written a song that has touched them, that's invaluable to me."

This week marks the release of a special-edition version of Carey's latest CD, called, "The Emancipation of Mimi: Ultra Platinum Edition," with four additional tracks not on the original release, including the just-released single "Don't Forget About Us." It's already No. 20 on this week's Billboard magazine Hot 100 chart.

The previous single, "Shake it Off," is still No. 9. After a long run of 32 weeks, the chart-topping "We Belong Together" hangs tough at No. 26.

Being on top of the charts "is an amazing feeling" and a "validating experience," Carey said.

And despite "Glitter," Carey is even talking about getting back into film acting - even if she isn't saying much just yet.

"I'll talk to you about all that soon," she said, laughing.