Long before he became known worldwide as Mariah Carey’s boyfriend of seven years, Bryan Tanaka was already one of the most in-demand dancers in the music industry, sharing stages with Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez. He went from a teenage Tae Kwon Do black belt in a small Washington town to Mariah Carey’s creative director and choreographer, a result of quiet, steady graft rather than overnight fame. Here’s everything to know about his early life, ethnicity, career, family, and net worth.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Bryan Kekoa Tanaka |
| Date of Birth | April 11, 1983 |
| Birthplace | Olympia, Washington, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed, Japanese and American/Hawaiian descent |
| Height | Reportedly between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet (roughly 180 to 183 cm) |
| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer, actor, creative director |
| Known For | Choreographer and creative director for Mariah Carey |
| Siblings | Danny Storey Tanaka |
| Relationship Status | Single, previously dated Mariah Carey (2016 to 2023) |
| Children | None |
| Net Worth | Estimated between $500,000 and $1.5 million |
Biography
Bryan Kekoa Tanaka was born on April 11, 1983, in Olympia, Washington, and grew up nearby in Lacey. He’s the son of a Japanese father and an American mother, and he’s previously described himself as a “half-Asian, half-Hawaiian white boy,” which gives a clearer picture of his mixed heritage than the simple “Japanese American” label often used in headlines. He has a younger brother named Danny Storey Tanaka. Various sources put his height anywhere between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet, or roughly 180 to 183 cm, though no official figure has ever been confirmed.
His middle name, Kekoa, carries real meaning for him. In a heartfelt Instagram post honoring his parents, Tanaka explained that Kekoa is Hawaiian for someone courageous, brave, and warrior-like, and that growing up with it gave him a quiet sense of strength. He’s said the name has pushed him to chase his goals even when the outcome felt uncertain, framing it as a personal reminder that there’s something to gain in trying, win or lose.
Before dance ever entered the picture, martial arts did. Tanaka trained in Tae Kwon Do as a kid and earned his black belt at just 12 years old, a discipline he’s credited with teaching him body control and focus long before he ever stepped into a dance studio. He didn’t start dancing seriously until his late teens, when he joined the Millennium Dance Complex and began building the technical foundation that would carry him into professional touring within a few years.
Career
Tanaka’s break came in 2004, when he performed alongside Destiny’s Child during a halftime show, which led to a spot on their Destiny Fulfilled world tour. He was the self-described “rookie” on that tour, learning the ropes under choreographer Frank Gatson during grueling day-long rehearsals. Two years later, he appeared as a dancer in Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater” video and joined Mariah Carey’s Adventures of Mimi tour, a partnership that would define much of the next two decades of his career.
Over the years that followed, Tanaka danced for Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez, appearing in a run of major music videos including Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and “Shut Up and Drive,” Beyoncé’s “Upgrade U” and “Video Phone,” and JLo’s “On the Floor.” His choreography on “Video Phone” earned him a nomination for Best Choreography at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, where he also performed alongside Usher. He’s danced at the Grammys, the MTV VMAs, and the MTV EMAs, and modeled for brands like Nike, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Old Navy, and iPod.
In 2010, Tanaka created and starred in his own dance trilogy, Hook vs Bridge, set to music by Kevin Cossom, and he later appeared in The LXD: The Secrets of Ra as the character Umbra. His film work includes a role as an Echo Dancer in La La Land (2016) and a part in Step Up Revolution (2012). In 2014, he released his debut and, so far, only single, “Bounce,” which he also directed the video for.
His deepest professional bond, though, stayed with Mariah Carey. From 2016 onward, he served as her lead choreographer and creative director across the Sweet Sweet Fantasy Tour, the All the Hits Tour, the Butterfly Returns Las Vegas residency, the Caution World Tour, and her annual Christmas shows through 2022. In 2024, Tanaka stepped into a straight acting role as Officer Alex in Tyler Perry’s Netflix drama Beauty in Black, a rare credit that didn’t involve him dancing at all.
Filmography
Alongside his dance and choreography career, Tanaka has picked up a steady run of film and television credits over the years.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Entourage | Undefeated Kid | TV Series |
| 2007 | Bratz: The Movie | Dancer | Film |
| 2008 | Good Girl Gone Bad: Live | Dancer | Concert Film |
| 2010 | The LXD: The Secrets of Ra | Umbra | Film |
| 2012 | Step Up Revolution | Dancer | Film |
| 2016 | La La Land | Echo Dancer | Film |
| 2020 | Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special | Dancer | TV Special |
| 2021 | Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues | Dancer | TV Special |
| 2024 | Beauty in Black | Officer Alex | TV Series |
Dancing with the Stars is also frequently listed among his television credits, though the exact season and capacity of his appearance isn’t independently confirmed.
Social Media
Tanaka keeps an active presence across platforms, sharing behind-the-scenes looks at rehearsals, choreography clips, and glimpses of his personal life. He’s on Instagram as @bryantanaka with roughly 447,000 followers, on Facebook as BryanTanakaOfficial with around 68,000 followers, on X as @BryanTanaka with about 32,000 followers, and on TikTok as @bryan_tanaka with close to 36,800 followers.
Personal Life
Tanaka and Mariah Carey first crossed paths professionally in 2006, but their relationship didn’t turn romantic until October 2016, shortly after Carey’s engagement to billionaire James Packer ended. The pair briefly split in 2017 before reconciling within months, and from there they stayed together for the better part of seven years, appearing together on Carey’s E! docuseries Mariah’s World and at holiday getaways in Aspen nearly every year.
On December 26, 2023, Tanaka confirmed on Instagram that he and Carey had ended their relationship, calling it a “mutual” and “amicable separation” after “seven extraordinary years together.” Sources close to the couple told Page Six the split came down to a mismatch in what each of them wanted for the future: Tanaka reportedly wanted to start a family of his own, while Carey, who already has 12-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-husband Nick Cannon, wasn’t looking to have more children. Tanaka doesn’t have any children of his own, though he’d grown close to Carey’s twins over the years and referred to them warmly in his farewell statement.
Since the breakup, Tanaka has kept an unusually low profile. The one notable sighting came in mid-2024, when he was photographed out with friends at a club in Saint Tropez, his first real public appearance since the split. Beyond that, there’s been no confirmed report of him entering a new relationship, and he appears to have deliberately avoided the spotlight on that front.
Net Worth
A more grounded net worth estimate, based on his known income streams, likely puts his net worth between $500,000 and $1.5 million. That would come from years of touring fees as a lead dancer and choreographer for major stars, creative director pay from his long run with Mariah Carey, brand modeling deals with companies like Nike and Pepsi, his acting work in film and television, and social media brand partnerships tied to his six-figure following. Given his continued acting credits, including Beauty in Black, and his choreography work, that figure could edge upward in the coming years, though nothing close to the eight-figure claims circulating on low-quality aggregator sites.
FAQ
Why did Mariah Carey and Bryan Tanaka split up? Sources told Page Six the split came down to differing life goals. Tanaka reportedly wanted to start a family, while Carey, already a mother of twins, didn’t want more children. Both described the breakup publicly as mutual and amicable.
Is Bryan Tanaka mixed? Yes. He’s the son of a Japanese father and an American mother, and he’s described himself as “half-Asian, half-Hawaiian white boy.”
How long did Bryan Tanaka date Mariah Carey? They dated for about seven years, from October 2016 until Tanaka confirmed their split on December 26, 2023, with a brief breakup and reconciliation in 2017.
Does Bryan Tanaka have kids? No. Tanaka doesn’t have any children of his own, though he was close with Mariah Carey’s twins, Moroccan and Monroe, during their relationship.
Does Bryan Tanaka have a wife? No. Tanaka has never been married. His highest-profile relationship was with Mariah Carey, which ended in December 2023, and there’s no public record of him being engaged or married.
