May 30 [14:30 EDT] -- One day after denying rumors that Mariah Carey and husband Tommy Mottola were separating, publicists for the singer announced on Friday that the couple agreed to a trial separation.

In a brief statement released Friday, Carey's publicist said the two, "have mutually and amicably agreed to a trial separation.

The statement went on to note that Mottola (who heads Carey's record label, Sony, and who helped the singer establish her own Crave record label) and Carey, "will maintain a very close friendship. They look forward to continued success in their professional relationship.

The statement then closed the matter for discussion saying, "For Ms. Carey and Mr. Mottola, this is a very private matter which neither party will discuss further.

On Thursday, publicists for the singer Mariah Carey had denied a published report that surfaced in the tabloid newspaper "The Star" that said that Carey and Mottola had separated.

Rumors of

the split had drifted around the music industry recently, and "The Star" reported that Carey, now 27, left the 48-year-old Mottola weeks ago.

In the midst of the separation, Carey is still charging forward on the career path. The singer is currently hard at work on her next album with the help of Sean "Puffy" Combs among others.