The American pop diva, Mariah Carey, was born in Huntington, in New York's Long Island, on March 27, 1970. Her mother, Patricia Carey, was an opera singer and teacher. Thus, Mariah and her two elder siblings were exposed to musical influence and interest quite early in their lives.
Childhood was relatively stable and fun until 1973, when her parents divorced. Patricia Carey was then forced to take-up additional jobs in order to effectively support her three children. With the father now living away from the kids, and the mother spending longer working hours, an increasingly lonely Mariah learnt to occupy herself with singing and choreographic chorals. Under her mother's tutelage and encouragement, the little girl improved her vocal skills as time went on.
Progress was remarkably quick and steady; and by the time she was in High School, Mariah had already secured partnership with a New York recording studio. Her role as the studio's prime demo-singer further exposed her to high-profile songwriters and producers like Ben Margulies. She also came in contact with popular artists like Gavin Christopher and Brenda Starr (whom she later served as a backup singer). An impressed and grateful Starr introduced the young Mariah to Columbia Records, which wasted no time in signing her.
The year 1990 saw a twenty year-old Mariah making her recording debut, and Columbia Records was not at all disappointed. Her unbelievable talent ensured that her first five singles came out tops on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The girl instantly became a national star. Marie consistently followed-up with hit after hit that she quickly became a global sensation. Every mover and shaker in the recording business wanted her signature. But, the grateful lass stood with the very first finger that fed her: Columbia Records.
In fact, Mariah went on to date the groovy Columbia Records' exec, Tommy Mottola. Marriage quickly followed in 1993. This partnership helped produce a number of chart toppers under Columbia's label. It would also help Mariah become Columbia Record's most successful artist. With such a consolidated reputation, her position was later assured in Billboard magazine: where she ranked alongside icons like Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Whitney Houston as one of the best U.S. female artists of the 1990s. But in terms of sales and bank balance, she outstandingly became the most successful during that period.
Meanwhile, success did not follow Marie wherever she went. For example, the late 1990s was more than a trial period for her. She would quit Columbia Records in 2001: following irreconcilable fallouts, which pertained to her 1997 divorce from Tommy Mottola. All sorts of rumors and uncertainty tend to shroud her future career. And, this was compounded by emotional problems, which eventually forced her new partner, Virgin Records, to abruptly end their contract in 2002. That same year, Island Records offered her a hand of friendship. But both Marie and her new benefactors would wait for three years before the big bucks started rolling in.
Mariah Carey is often praised for her serene perseverance and successful self-help during her most trying period, (i.e. 1997 to 2002). And till date, she remains one of the most sought-after female performers in the entertainment industry. She has won every prominent award and accolade that the music industry has to offer. This was even capped by the "Best-Selling Female Pop Artist of the Millennium" crown, which was conferred on her at the 2000 World Music Awards ceremony.
What many people,(except her most ardent fans),are not aware of is that this five-time Grammy Awards winner owns the most number-one singles (for a solo artist) in the U.S.A. Yes, her current total of eighteen chart-toppers ranks only behind Beatles, (which by the way is a group), in all-time list. (She has even more than Michael Jackson [3rd with thirteen], and Elvis Prestley). Her overall worldwide album sales of more than two hundred million copies, (of which fifty million copies sold in U.S.A. alone), makes her the overall third-bestseller in the history of U.S. album sales.
Although her achievements as a musician grossly dwarf her successes as an actress, it should be noted that she, nevertheless, made her mark as a good actress. Whatever the case, Mariah succeeded in proving her mettle. She was, and remains a consummate entertainer, who earned every praise and accolade that came her way.
VALENTINE ODUENYI.
Is one of Mariah Carey's nicknames Marie? The only one I know is Mimi! :)