Mariah Carey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mariah Carey
Carey in 2023
Born	(1969-03-27) March 27, 1969 (age 56) Huntington, New York, US
Occupation	Singer songwriter record producer actress
Years active	1988–present
Works	Albums singles songs videography performances
Spouse(s)	Tommy Mottola ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 1998)​ Nick Cannon ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2016)​
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop hip hop soul
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Columbia Crave Virgin MonarC Island Def Jam Epic Gamma
Signature

Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is famous for her incredible five-octave vocal range, which means she can sing from very low notes to extremely high notes. One of her special skills is singing in the "whistle register," which sounds like a whistle. Because of her amazing voice, she is often called the "Songbird Supreme."

Carey became famous in 1990 with her first album, Mariah Carey. She was the first artist ever to have her first five songs all reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. She is also known as the "Queen of Christmas" because of her popular holiday music. Her song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is one of the best-selling songs of all time and is played all over the world every holiday season.

Throughout her career, Carey has sold over 220 million records, making her one of the best-selling music artists in history. She has won many awards, including five Grammy Awards. She also holds the record for the most number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by a solo artist, with 19 hits.

Early Life and Beginnings

Mariah Carey was born in Huntington, New York. Her mother, Patricia, was an opera singer and vocal coach, and her father, Alfred Roy, was an engineer. Mariah is the youngest of three children. Her name comes from the song "They Call the Wind Maria."

Because her parents were a mixed-race couple, her mother's family did not support their marriage, and the Carey family faced challenges in their community. After her parents divorced, Mariah lived with her mother. She started singing when she was only three years old.

In high school, Carey was interested in music and writing. She often missed school to work as a demo singer for local music studios. After graduating, she moved to New York City to follow her dream of becoming a singer. She worked several jobs to pay her rent while also singing as a backup vocalist for the singer Brenda K. Starr.

Career Journey

1988–1992: A Star Is Born

Carey in 1990 after promoting her first single, "Vision of Love".

In 1988, Carey went to a party with Brenda K. Starr and gave her demo tape to Tommy Mottola, the head of Columbia Records. Mottola listened to the tape in his car and was so impressed that he spent two weeks searching for her. He signed her to his record label right away.

Her first album, Mariah Carey, was released in 1990 and was a huge success. It went to number one on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed there for eleven weeks. All four singles from the album—"Vision of Love", "Love Takes Time", "Someday", and "I Don't Wanna Cry"—reached number one.

In 1991, she released her second album, Emotions. The title track also went to number one, making her the first artist to have their first five singles top the charts. Some people wondered if she could sing as well live as she did in the studio. To prove them wrong, she appeared on the show MTV Unplugged in 1992. Her performance was amazing and showed everyone how powerful her voice truly was. Her live cover of "I'll Be There" from the show became her sixth number-one single.

1993–1996: Global Superstar

In 1993, Carey released her third album, Music Box. It became her best-selling album, with over 28 million copies sold worldwide. The songs "Dreamlover" and "Hero" both became number-one hits in the United States.

The next year, in 1994, she released a holiday album called Merry Christmas. This album included the song "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which became a massive global hit and a holiday classic.

Carey performing with Boyz II Men at Madison Square Garden in 1995.

Her 1995 album, Daydream, continued her success. The first single, "Fantasy", was the first song by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Another song from the album, "One Sweet Day", a duet with Boyz II Men, stayed at number one for 16 weeks, a record at the time.

1997–2000: A New Sound

In the late 1990s, Carey began to change her musical style, adding more hip hop and R&B sounds. Her 1997 album, Butterfly, showed this new direction. Critics loved the album and called it her best work yet. The singles "Honey" and "My All" both reached number one. During this time, her marriage to Tommy Mottola ended.

She released a greatest hits album, #1's, in 1998, which included a popular duet with Whitney Houston called "When You Believe". In 1999, she released the album Rainbow, which also had two number-one hits: "Heartbreaker" and "Thank God I Found You".

2001–2004: Facing Challenges

In 2001, Carey signed a huge record deal with Virgin Records. She starred in a movie called Glitter and released a soundtrack album. This was a very busy and stressful time for her. She suffered from extreme exhaustion and had to take a break to focus on her health. The movie and soundtrack were not as successful as her previous work.

After this difficult period, she signed with Island Records and released the album Charmbracelet in 2002. The album was about her experiences and was a step toward her comeback.

2005–2009: A Major Comeback

Carey with L.A. Reid at the release party for The Emancipation of Mimi in 2005.

In 2005, Carey made a huge comeback with her album The Emancipation of Mimi. It became the best-selling album of the year in the United States. The second single, "We Belong Together", was a massive hit. It stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks and was named the "song of the decade" by Billboard.

Her next album, E=MC², was released in 2008. The single "Touch My Body" became her 18th number-one hit, which made her the solo artist with the most number-one singles in U.S. history, passing Elvis Presley.

In 2009, she received praise for her acting role in the movie Precious.

2010–Present: A Living Legend

Carey performing on Good Morning America in May 2013.

In the 2010s, Carey continued to release music, including a second Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You (2010), and the album Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse (2014). She also served as a judge on the TV show American Idol and started a popular Christmas concert series in New York City.

In 2018, she released the album Caution, which was loved by critics. In 2019, 25 years after its release, her song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" finally reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time.

In 2020, she released her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, which became a bestseller. She also released an album of rare songs called The Rarities. In 2025, she released her sixteenth studio album, Here for It All.

Artistry

Amazing Vocal Style

Mariah Carey is known for her powerful five-octave vocal range. This means she can sing a very wide range of notes, from low to extremely high. She is famous for her use of the whistle register, which are the highest notes a human can sing.

She is also known for singing with melisma, which is when a singer sings multiple notes on a single syllable of a word. This technique, which she used in her first hit "Vision of Love," has influenced many other singers.

Talented Songwriter

Besides being a great singer, Carey is also a talented songwriter. She has written or co-written almost all of her hit songs, including 18 of her 19 number-one singles. She often writes about her own life, with themes of love, strength, and overcoming challenges. In 2022, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for her incredible work.

Legacy and Influence

Mariah Carey has had a huge impact on pop and R&B music. Many artists, including Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande, have named her as an influence. Her vocal style and songwriting have inspired a generation of singers.

Her connection to Christmas is so strong that she is often called the "Queen of Christmas." Her music and festive spirit have become a major part of the holiday season for people all over the world.

Personal Life

Mariah Carey was married to record executive Tommy Mottola from 1993 to 1998.

In 2008, she married actor and comedian Nick Cannon. In 2011, they welcomed their twin children, a son named Moroccan and a daughter named Monroe. The couple separated in 2014, and their marriage ended in 2016.

Carey is also known for her charity work. She co-founded Camp Mariah with the Fresh Air Fund, a camp that helps children from low-income communities explore their interests in the arts.

Discography

Filmography

Tours and Residencies

See also

In Spanish: Mariah Carey para niños

• List of best-selling singles
• List of best-selling albums
• List of best-selling music artists in the United States
• List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones
• List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
• List of artists who reached number one on the US dance chart
• Artists with the most number-ones on the US dance chart
• Forbes list of highest-earning musicians
• List of music artists by net worth
• List of largest music deals