BIOGRAPHY
1 °) Her childhood and her beginning :
Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 1970 near Long Island, NY, as the youngest of three children (Mariah has a brother, Morgan, and a sister, Alison).
Her parents, Alfred (Venezuelan/African-American) and Patricia Carey (Irish), divorced when she was three years old. She was influenced by her mother, a voice coach and opera singer, and was forced to move often because of difficult finances.
It was also around the time she was three that she began to sing, often singing to her brother's radio. Mariah attended Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, NY, where she claims she was not much of a student. She was 17.
During this time, she sang for her brother's band and recorded her first demo
in a studio her friend worked for. Because they were borrowing the studio, they were forced to record into the early hours of the morning. As a result Mariah often missed school, bringing her the nickname "Mirage".
Just days after graduating from high school, Mariah moved to New York City with a friend, where they shared a mattress on the floor of a dingy apartment.
During her time in the city, Mariah worked a variety of odd jobs to support herself, including hat/coat-checking,hostessing, and sweeping hair salons.
Before long, she won a job singing backup for pop star Brenda K. Starr, which eventually became her road to success. At a party with Starr in the late eighties, Mariah handed her demo tape to Tommy Mottola.
He listened to it in the limo. He was so struck by Carey's talent that he came back to the party to track her down . Shortly after she signed a contract with Columbia Records .
2°) Her career:
After signing to Columbia, Carey entered the studio to begin work. Singles --
"Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday" and "I Don't Wanna Cry" where a success.
She won Grammy awards as Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist. In 1991 she made Emotions.
The album did not disappoint, as the title track where number one :"Can't Let Go" and "Make It Happen" landed in the Top Five.
Carey's next release was in 1992 MTV Unplugged , which generated a number one cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".
In June, 1993, at twenty - four , Carey married forty -four-years old Mottola in a big ceremony. Mariah Carey released Music Box, which has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide and generated the #1 singles "Dream lover" and "Hero" as well as the Top 10 hit "Without You."
Mariah Carey's holiday album, Merry Christmas, more than eight million copies sold worldwide shortly after its release in November 1994.
Over the course of her career, Mariah Carey has been the recipient of numerous music industry awards and honors.
At the end of 1995, "Daydream" is released. It has sold more than 24 million copies worldwide! It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart ( during 6 weeks ) and generated three consecutives #1 singles: "Fantasy" (8 weeks), "One Sweet Day" (16 weeks) and "Always Be My Baby" (2 weeks). Mariah is really an international star.
