Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (/məˈraɪə/;[1] born March 27, 1969)[a] is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. An influential figure in popular music, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, and signature use of the whistle register. Carey is also credited with influencing vocal styles, merging hip-hop with pop through her collaborations, popularizing remixes, and helping break down racial barriers for multiracial Americans in popular culture. Referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by Guinness World Records, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023, and has been dubbed the "Queen of Christmas" for the enduring popularity of her Christmas music, particularly the 1994 song "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which is the best-selling holiday song by a female artist.
For the album, see Mariah Carey (album).
Mariah Carey
Carey rose to fame in 1990 with her self-titled debut album under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993. She is the only artist to date to have their first five singles reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, from "Vision of Love" to "Emotions". Carey gained worldwide success with her albums Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995)―both of which rank among the best-selling albums and spawned singles such as "Dreamlover", "Hero", "Without You", "Fantasy", "Always Be My Baby" and "One Sweet Day". The lattermost of these topped the US Billboard Hot 100 decade-end chart (1990s). After separating from Mottola, Carey adopted a new urban image and began incorporating more hip-hop and R&B elements with the releases of Butterfly (1997) and Rainbow (1999). By the end of the 1990s, Billboard ranked Carey as the most successful artist of the decade in the United States. She left Columbia Records in 2001 after eleven consecutive years of US number-one singles and signed a record deal with Virgin Records.
Following a highly publicized breakdown and the failure of her 2001 film Glitter and its accompanying soundtrack, Virgin bought out Carey's contract, and she signed with Island Records the following year. After a brief, mildly successful period, Carey returned to the top of the charts with The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) which became one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. Its second single, "We Belong Together", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 decade-end chart (2000s). Her subsequent ventures included roles in the films Precious (2009), The Butler (2013), A Christmas Melody (2015), and The Lego Batman Movie (2017), being an American Idol judge, starring in the docu-series Mariah's World, performing multiple concert residencies, and publishing the memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey (2020).
Carey is one of the best-selling music artists, with over 220 million records sold worldwide,[2] and is an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress and the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.[3][4][5] In 2019, Billboard named her the top-charting female solo artist, based on both album and song chart success. She holds the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles by a solo artist (19), a female songwriter (18), and a female producer (15), spending a record 93 weeks atop the chart. Carey is the highest-certified female artist in the United States and 10th overall, with 75 million certified album units. Among her accolades are 6 Grammy Awards (including the Global Impact Award), 10 American Music Awards, 20 Billboard Music Awards and 12 Guinness World Records.
Early life
Carey was born on March 27, 1969,[a] in Huntington, New York.[9][10] Her name is derived from the song "They Call the Wind Maria", originally from the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon.[11][12] She is the youngest of three children born to Patricia (née Hickey), a former opera singer and vocal coach of Irish descent, and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer of both African-American and Afro-Venezuelan lineage. The last name "Carey" was adopted by her Venezuelan grandfather, Francisco Núñez, after he emigrated to New York.[13][10] Patricia's family disowned her for marrying a black man.[13] Racial tensions prevented the Carey family from integrating into their community. While they lived in Huntington, their neighbors poisoned the family dog and set fire to their car.[13] After her parents' divorce, Carey had little contact with her father, and her mother worked several jobs to support the family. Carey spent much of her time at home alone and began singing at age three, often imitating her mother's take on Verdi's opera Rigoletto in Italian. Her older sister Alison moved in with their father while Mariah and her elder brother Morgan lived with their mother.[14][15]
During her years in elementary school, she excelled in the arts, such as music and literature. Carey began writing poetry and lyrics while attending Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York,[16] where she graduated in 1987.[17] Carey began vocal training under the tutelage of her mother. Though she was a classically trained opera singer, Patricia Carey never pressured her daughter to pursue a career in classical opera. Mariah Carey recalled that she had "never been a pushy mom. She never said, 'Give it more of an operatic feel.' I respect opera like crazy, but it didn't influence me."[16][18] In high school, Mariah Carey was often absent because of her work as a demo singer. This led to her classmates giving her the nickname Mirage.[18] Working in the Long Island music scene gave her opportunities to work with musicians such as Gavin Christopher and Ben Margulies, with whom she co-wrote material for her demo tape. After moving to New York City, she worked part-time jobs to pay the rent and completed 500 hours of beauty school.[19] Carey moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan with four female students as roommates.[20] She landed a gig singing backup for freestyle singer Brenda K. Starr.[21][22]
Cultural status
Public image
Carey has been called a pop icon[353][354][355] and has been labeled a "diva" for her stardom and persona.[356] She said, "I have had diva moments, and then people can't handle it. I guess it's a little intense, because I come from a true diva: My mother is an opera singer. And that's a real diva, you know—Juilliard diva. And I mean it as a compliment, or I wouldn't be the person I am without experiencing that."[357] Carey's fanbase is known as the "Lambily", a portmanteau of "lamb" and "family".[358] With over 10 million followers as of April 2013, Carey is one of the most popular musicians on Twitter.[359] Her fans are credited with originating the internet term "skinny legend", used as a form of praise and endearment for their idol.[360] In 2008, Carey was named one of Time's 100 most influential artists and entertainers in the world.[361][362] NOW writer Kevin Hegge agreed that "Carey's influence is indisputable".[363]
Other activities
Business ventures
Declining offers to appear in commercials in the United States during her early career, Carey was not involved in brand marketing initiatives until 2006, when she participated in endorsements for Intel Centrino personal computers and launched a jewelry and accessories line for teenagers, Glamorized, in American Claire's and Icing stores.[501] During this period, as part of a partnership with Pepsi and Motorola, Carey recorded and promoted a series of exclusive ringtones, including "Time of Your Life".[502] She signed a licensing deal with the cosmetics company Elizabeth Arden, and in 2007, she released her own fragrance, "M".[503] The Elizabeth Arden deal has netted her $150 million.[504] For the fragrance, Carey won a Basenotes Fragrance Award for Best Celebrity Women's Fragrance as well as being nominated in three other categories.[505] She has released a series of fragrances with Elizabeth Arden, including Luscious Pink (2008) and Forever (2009).[506][507] On November 29, 2010, she debuted a collection on HSN, which included jewelry, shoes and fragrances.[508] In November 2011, Carey was announced as "brand ambassador" for Jenny Craig which included "participation in a new company initiative... public service announcements and community and education programs."[509] In 2018, Carey featured in an advertisement for Hostelworld with the tagline "Even Divas are Believers".[510]
On August 25, 2019, Carey signed a $12 million contract with the Walkers crisps brand as part of their Christmas campaign[511] and starred in a commercial for the company.[512] In conjunction with the 25th-anniversary release of Merry Christmas in 2019, she organized a gift guide with Amazon,[513] and partnered for an exclusive Christmas ornament with Swarovski.[514] In December 2020, Carey launched a partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts and restaurateur, Robert Earl, for a biscuit line titled Mariah's Cookies.[515] In 2021, Carey announced the launch of a new line of alcohol called Black Irish, an homage to her Black, Venezuelan, and Irish heritage.[516] That same year, Carey also partnered with McDonald's, promoting an entirely new limited time menu.[517] In 2022, Carey recorded nine video lessons for MasterClass titled "Mariah Carey Teaches the Voice as an Instrument", as well as re-recording "The Roof (Back in Time)" alongside Brandy.[518]
Philanthropy and activism
Carey is a philanthropist who has been involved with several charitable organizations.[519] She became associated with the Fresh Air Fund in the early 1990s, and is the co-founder of a camp located in Fishkill, New York, that enables inner-city youth to embrace the arts and introduces them to career opportunities.[519] The camp was called Camp Mariah "for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air children," and she received a Congressional Horizon Award for her youth-related charity work.[520] Carey has continued her direct involvement with Camp Mariah, and by 2019 the executive director of The Fresh Air Fund reported that "...the kids who have gone to Camp Mariah have higher graduation rates out of high school and college.[521] In 1999, Carey was presented with a Congressional Award for contributing "to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and [setting] exceptional examples for young people through their own successes in life.[522][523] In 2019, she was honoured by Variety's Power of Women for her work with The Fresh Air Fund's Camp Mariah.[524]
Carey also donated royalties from her hits "Hero" and "One Sweet Day" to charities.[525] She has worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and in November 2006 she was awarded the Foundation's Wish Idol for her "extraordinary generosity and her many wish granting achievements."[526][527] Carey has volunteered for the Police Athletic League of New York City and contributed to the obstetrics department of New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell Medical Center.[528] A percentage of the sales of MTV Unplugged was donated to various other charities.[528] In 2008, Carey was named Hunger Ambassador of the World Hunger Relief Movement.[529] In February 2010, the song, "100%", which was originally written and recorded for the film, Precious,[530] was used as one of the theme songs for the 2010 Winter Olympics, with all money proceeds going to Team USA.[531] In 2017, Carey was awarded with PETA's Angel for Animals Award for promoting animal adoption through her animated movie All I Want for Christmas Is You.[532]
One of Carey's most high-profile benefit concert appearances was on VH1's 1998 Divas Live special, during which she performed alongside other female singers in support of the Save the Music Foundation.[86] The concert was a ratings success, and Carey participated in the Divas 2000 special and a 2016 holiday edition.[86] She appeared at the America: A Tribute to Heroes nationally televised fundraiser in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and performed before peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.[533] Carey hosted the CBS television special At Home for the Holidays, which documented real-life stories of adopted children and foster families.[534] In 2005, Carey performed for Live 8 in London[535] and at the Hurricane Katrina relief telethon "Shelter from the Storm".[536] In August 2008, Carey and other singers recorded the charity single, "Just Stand Up" produced by Babyface and L. A. Reid, to support Stand Up to Cancer.[537] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Carey participated in the iHeart Living Room Concert for America and Rise Up New York! telethons to raise money for those affected by COVID-19.[538][539] In response to the murder of George Floyd, Carey took to social media and sang a snippet of her 1990 song "There's Got to Be a Way" while encouraging fans to demand justice.[540]
In 2008, Carey performed in a New Year's Eve concert for the family of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. She later said she felt "horrible and embarrassed" to have taken part in the concert.[541] To make amends, in March 2011, Carey's representative Cindi Berger stated that royalties for the song "Save the Day", written for her fourteenth studio album, would be donated to charities that create awareness for human rights. Berger also said that Carey "has and continues to donate her time, money and countless hours of personal service to many organizations both here and abroad."[525] "Save the Day" remained unreleased until 2020.[244] In 2013, human rights activists criticized Carey for performing in a concert for Angola's "father-daughter kleptocracy" and accused her of accepting "dictator cash".[542]
