Early Life and Family Background
Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 1969, in Huntington, New York, to Patricia (née Hickey), a former opera singer and vocal coach of Irish descent, and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer of Afro-Venezuelan and African-American heritage. Her name was inspired by the song “They Call the Wind Maria” from the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon.
Growing up in a racially mixed family during a time of social tensions, Carey faced significant challenges. Her mother’s family disowned her for marrying Alfred Roy, and the Careys experienced racial discrimination, including neighbors poisoning their dog and setting fire to their car. After her parents’ divorce when Carey was three, she lived primarily with her mother and older brother, Morgan, while her sister, Alison, moved in with their father.
Education and Early Musical Influences
Carey attended Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York, where she graduated in 1987. During her school years, she excelled in music and literature, beginning to write poetry and lyrics. Her mother, a classically trained opera singer, provided vocal training, though she did not pressure Carey to pursue a career in classical opera. Instead, Carey was drawn to pop and R&B genres.
In the late 1980s, Carey worked in the Long Island music scene, collaborating with musicians like Gavin Christopher and Ben Margulies. She recorded a demo tape that eventually led to her meeting Tommy Mottola, then head of Columbia Records. Mottola was instrumental in launching her career, signing her to the label in 1988. They married in 1993 but divorced in 1998.
Breakthrough and Career Rise
Carey’s self-titled debut album, Mariah Carey (1990), showcased her remarkable vocal range and blended pop, R&B, and gospel influences. The album was a commercial success, and Carey won Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1991.
Her follow-up albums, Emotions (1991), Music Box (1993), and Daydream (1995), solidified her status as a pop and R&B icon. Music Box and Daydream each sold over 10 million copies in the United States. The 1994 holiday album Merry Christmas featured the now-classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has become one of the best-selling songs of all time.
Artistic Evolution and Musical Innovation
In 1997, Carey released Butterfly, an album that marked a departure from her earlier style, incorporating hip-hop and R&B influences. The single “Honey” featured a remix with rapper The Notorious B.I.G., and “Heartbreaker” (1999), featuring Jay-Z, exemplified her blending of pop and hip-hop elements. These collaborations helped popularize rap features in mainstream pop music.
In 2001, Carey signed an $80 million contract with Virgin Records, making her the highest-paid recording artist at the time. However, her career faced setbacks following a highly publicized breakdown and hospitalization later that year. She was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, a condition she publicly acknowledged in 2018.
Comeback and Continued Success
Carey made a successful return with the 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi, which became the top-selling album of the year in the United States, selling over six million copies. The album earned three Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album. The single “We Belong Together” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 consecutive weeks, and “Touch My Body” from her 2008 album E=MC² became her 18th number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Elvis Presley for the most number-one singles by a solo artist.
Subsequent albums, including Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009), Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse (2014), and Caution (2018), showcased her versatility and continued relevance in the music industry. She also returned to holiday music with Merry Christmas II You (2010) and starred in Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special (2020) and Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues (2021) on Apple TV+.
Personal Life and Public Image
Carey married actor and television host Nick Cannon in 2008; the couple has twins, Moroccan and Monroe. They divorced in 2016 but have maintained a cooperative co-parenting relationship. In 2016, Carey was briefly engaged to Australian billionaire James Packer, but the engagement ended the same year.
Known for her five-octave vocal range and signature whistle register, Carey has influenced numerous artists across genres. She is recognized as a gay icon, with songs like “Hero” and “Outside” resonating with LGBTQ+ audiences.
Awards and Recognition
Despite her commercial success, Carey has expressed frustration with the Grammy Awards, citing a lack of recognition for her work. She has won five Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1991.
