Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1970
[2] or 1969
[3][4]; sources vary) is an
American R&B/
pop singer-songwriter,
record producer and actress. She made her recording debut, in 1990, under the guidance of
Columbia Records executive
Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following her marriage to Mottola, in 1993, a series of hit records established her position as Columbia Records' highest-selling act.
Following her separation from Mottola, in 1997, she introduced elements of
hip hop into her album work, to much initial success, but her popularity was in decline when she left Columbia, in 2001. She signed a record $80 million deal with
Virgin Records, only to be dropped from the label and bought out of her contract in the following year. This radical turn of events was due to the highly publicized physical and emotional breakdown, as well as the poor reception that was given to
Glitter, her film and soundtrack project. In 2002, Carey signed with
Island Records, and, after a relatively unsuccessful period, returned to the top of pop music, in 2005, with her album,
The Emancipation of Mimi.
[5][6
Life and career
1970–87: Childhood and youth
Mariah Carey was born in Huntington, Long Island, New York. She is the third and youngest child of Patricia (née Hickey), a former opera singer and vocal coach, and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer.[20][21] Her mother is Irish American and her father is of Afro-Venezuelan and African American descent;[22] her paternal grandfather, Roberto Nuñez, changed his surname to Carey to better assimilate upon moving to the United States from Venezuela.[23] Carey has two siblings, Morgan and Alison Carey. Carey was named after the song "They Call the Wind Mariah".
1988–92: Early career
In 1988, Carey met Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola at a party, where Starr gave Carey's demo tape to him. Mottola played the tape when he left the party and was impressed. He returned to find Carey but she had left. Nevertheless, Mottola tracked her down and signed her to a recording contract. This Cinderella-like story became part of the standard publicity that surrounded Carey's entrance into the industry.[32]
1993–96: First marriage, and international success
1997–2000: New image, Butterfly and Rainbow
2001–04: Glitter, Charmbracelet and personal struggles
2005–07: Return to prominence with The Emancipation of Mimi
2007–09: E=MC², second marriage, and Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
2010–present: Merry Christmas II You, HSN collection and pregnancy
Artistry
Voice
Mariah Carey possesses a five-octave vocal range, and was ranked first in a 2003 MTV and Blender magazine countdown of the 22 Greatest Voices in Music, as voted by fans and readers in an online poll. Carey said of the poll, "What it really means is voice of the MTV generation. Of course, it's an enormous compliment, but I don't feel that way about myself."
Themes and musical style
Love is the subject of the majority of Carey's lyrics, although she has written about themes such as racism, social alienation, death, world hunger, and spirituality. She has said that much of her work is partly autobiographical, but TIME magazine wrote: "If only Mariah Carey's music had the drama of her life.
Legacy
Carey's vocal style and singing ability has significantly impacted popular and contemporary music. Music critic G. Brown from The Denver Post wrote, "For better or worse, Mariah Carey's five-octave range and melismatic style have influenced a generation of pop singers."
Philanthropy and other activities
Carey is a philanthropist who has donated time and money to organizations such as the Fresh Air Fund. She became associated with the 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. The camp was called Camp Mariah "for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air children",[244] and she received a Congressional Horizon Award for her youth-related charity work.[245] She is well-known nationally for her work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in granting the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses, and in November 2006 she was awarded the Foundation's Wish Idol for her "extraordinary generosity and her many wish granting achievements".[246] Carey has volunteered for the New York City Police Athletic League and contributed to the obstetrics department of New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell Medical Center
Filmography
Discography
See also
Following her separation from Mottola, in 1997, she introduced elements of hip hop into her album work, to much initial success, but her popularity was in decline when she left Columbia, in 2001. She signed a record $80 million deal with Virgin Records, only to be dropped from the label and bought out of her contract in the following year. This radical turn of events was due to the highly publicized physical and emotional breakdown, as well as the poor reception that was given to Glitter, her film and soundtrack project. In 2002, Carey signed with Island Records, and, after a relatively unsuccessful period, returned to the top of pop music, in 2005, with her album, The Emancipation of Mimi.[5][6
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