Mariah Carey: The Untold Story Behind Her Iconic Career, Love Life, Family &Net Worth

Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 1969, in  Huntington, Long Island, New York. Her mother,   Patricia Hickey, was an Irish-American opera  singer and vocal coach, while her father,   Alfred Roy Carey, was an aeronautical engineer  of African-American and Afro-Venezuelan descent.   Carey faced a challenging childhood due to her  parents' divorce when she was just three years   old and the racial discrimination she and her  family experienced. Despite these difficulties,   Mariah showed an early affinity  for music, inspired by her mother’s   singing and by mimicking operatic pieces. Carey's passion for music grew throughout her   school years, and she began writing songs while  attending Harborfields High School in Greenlawn,   New York. After graduating, she moved to  Manhattan to pursue a career in music,   working various odd jobs to make ends  meet while recording demos at night.  Career Breakthrough and Rise to Fame Mariah Carey's breakthrough came in   1988 when she met Brenda K. Starr, a pop singer  who took her under her wing. Starr gave Carey's   demo tape to Tommy Mottola, the then-president of  Columbia Records. Impressed with her vocal talent,   Mottola signed her to the label. In 1990, she  released her debut album, Mariah Carey. The   album was a commercial success, featuring four  number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100,   including "Vision of Love" and "Love Takes Time."  Carey won two Grammy Awards in 1991, for Best New   Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance,  firmly establishing her as a rising star.  Her follow-up albums, Emotions (1991) and Music  Box (1993), cemented her place in the music   industry. Music Box included the hits "Dreamlover"  and "Hero" and became one of the best-selling   albums of all time, selling over 28 million copies  worldwide. In 1994, she released Merry Christmas,   featuring the perennial holiday classic "All I  Want for Christmas Is You," which became one of   the most popular Christmas songs ever recorded. Continued Success and Reinvention  By the mid-1990s, Mariah Carey began to take more  control over her music and image. Her 1995 album,   Daydream, was a critical and commercial success,  featuring hits like "Fantasy," "Always Be My   Baby," and "One Sweet Day" with Boyz II Men.  The latter set a record for the longest-running   number-one single on the Billboard Hot  100, a record that stood for 23 years.  Carey’s personal life also made headlines during  this period. She married Tommy Mottola in 1993,   but the marriage was strained by Mottola's  reportedly controlling nature. They divorced   in 1998, and Carey soon embraced a more  independent and creatively free phase in   her career. Her 1997 album, Butterfly,  showcased a more mature, sensual side,   combining pop with elements of hip-hop and R&B,  which was well-received by both critics and fans.  Challenges and Comeback In the early 2000s, Carey faced   several professional and personal challenges. She  left Columbia Records and signed a $100 million   contract with Virgin Records. However, her first  project under the new label, the film Glitter   (2001) and its soundtrack, was a critical and  commercial failure. Amidst intense media scrutiny,   Carey suffered a physical and emotional breakdown,  resulting in her hospitalization for exhaustion.  Despite this, Carey remained resilient. She signed  a new contract with Island Records in 2002 and   released the album Charmbracelet, which received  mixed reviews but marked her determination to   return to the spotlight. Her true comeback  came in 2005 with The Emancipation of Mimi,   which became the best-selling album of the year  in the United States and earned her three Grammy   Awards. The hit single "We Belong Together" spent  14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100,   reestablishing Carey as one of the  most successful artists of her era.  Recent Years and Ongoing Success Carey continued to release successful albums,   including E=MC² (2008), which featured the hit  single "Touch My Body" — her 18th number-one   single, making her the solo artist with the  most number-one singles on the Billboard Hot   100. In 2015, she launched her Las Vegas  residency, “#1 to Infinity,” which ran   until 2017 and was met with positive reviews. In 2020, she released her memoir, The Meaning   of Mariah Carey, which offered an intimate look  at her life and career, becoming a New York Times   bestseller. Carey has continued to record music,  perform, and expand her influence in television,   film, and other ventures. Personal Life  Mariah Carey's personal life has been widely  publicized throughout her career. After her   divorce from Tommy Mottola in 1998, she had  high-profile relationships with singer Luis Miguel   and baseball player Derek Jeter. In 2008, she  married comedian and television host Nick Cannon,   and they had twins, Monroe and Moroccan, in 2011.  The couple divorced in 2016 but has maintained a   cooperative co-parenting relationship. Carey  was briefly engaged to Australian businessman   James Packer in 2016, but the engagement  was called off later that year. Since then,   she has been in a relationship with  her former backup dancer, Bryan Tanaka.  Philanthropy and Influence Carey is not only known for her   music but also for her philanthropic efforts. She  founded Camp Mariah, part of the Fresh Air Fund,   to provide inner-city children with summer  camp experiences and career development   opportunities. She has also been involved in  numerous charitable organizations and causes,   including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Save  the Music Foundation, and World Hunger Relief.  Net Worth As of 2024, Mariah Carey's estimated net worth   is approximately $340 million. This fortune comes  from her record sales, songwriting royalties,   touring, and various business ventures, including  her Las Vegas residencies, acting roles, and her   successful Christmas brand, which continues to  generate significant revenue each holiday season.   Additionally, her holiday song "All I Want for  Christmas Is You" alone has reportedly earned over   $60 million in royalties since its release. Legacy  Mariah Carey's impact on the music industry is  profound. With over 200 million records sold   worldwide, she is one of the best-selling artists  in history. Her vocal style, characterized by a   remarkable five-octave range and whistle  register, has inspired countless singers   and remains influential in contemporary  music. She has won numerous accolades,   including five Grammy Awards, 19 World  Music Awards, and 15 Billboard Music Awards.  Carey's ability to reinvent herself, maintain  relevance, and break records over three decades   has solidified her place as one of the most  successful and enduring artists of all time.  Thanks for watching till the end, kindly  subscribe if you haven’t and hit on the   notification button if you haven’t so as  to be notified when we upload more videos.