Mariah Carey: From Demo Tape to Global Diva
As the daughter of an opera singer and vocal coach, Mariah Carey had the perfect start in life to become one of the most technically gifted singers of all time.
Known for her extreme vocal range and mastery of the whistle register, she began her career working as a backing and session vocalist around studios in her native New York.
While putting together her first demo tape, she sang backing vocals for Brenda K. Starr. It was through Brenda that Mariah attended an industry party where she met her future husband, Tommy Mottola—the head of Columbia Records.
Listening to her demo tape in the car on the way home, Tommy was so impressed that he turned around to find what he immediately recognised as the next superstar.
But Mariah had already left. Tommy then spent two weeks searching for the mysterious singer, Cinderella-style. When he finally found her, he wasted no time signing her to Columbia, fending off the competition.
At the time (late ’80s), Tommy was twice Mariah’s age, but that didn’t stop them from marrying just a few years later.
Under Tommy’s guidance, Mariah rose to fame during the ’90s, beginning with her self-titled debut album released in 1990.
The first four singles—Vision of Love, Love Takes Time, Someday, and I Don’t Wanna Cry—all hit #1. The album sold 15 million copies, making Mariah Carey a global sensation in under a year.
The follow-up, Emotions (1991), wasn’t quite as big, but 8 million copies is hardly a flop. The title track hit #1, and Can’t Let Go reached #2.
By now, a strange rumour had started to spread: since Mariah avoided touring, some speculated she couldn’t really sing—it was all studio trickery!
To silence the critics, she recorded an MTV Unplugged album, which included a cover of I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5. When the single hit #1, her reputation was firmly restored.
In 1993, she released Music Box, with three massive singles that cemented her superstar status. Dreamlover and Hero both reached #1, written and produced by Mariah herself.
The third single, a cover of Harry Nilsson’s Without You, wasn’t as big in the U.S. but topped the charts around the world. Music Box went on to sell 28 million copies.
Before her next album, she teamed up with Luther Vandross in 1994 to re-record Lionel Richie and Diana Ross’s classic duet Endless Love, which featured on Luther’s album Songs.
Later that year, Mariah released what would become one of her defining moments—a Christmas album!
Mariah Carey: She Came, She Sang, She Sleighed Christmas
In 1994, Mariah Carey released Merry Christmas, featuring the now-iconic All I Want for Christmas Is You. The song became an annual holiday staple, reentering the charts each December, and cemented her status as a global Christmas icon. The album itself sold 15 million copies, but it was the single that truly broke records. All I Want for Christmas Is You alone has sold over 16 million copies in the U.S., generating more than $100 million in royalties.
Her follow-up studio album, Daydream (1995), sold a massive 20 million copies, powered by hits like Fantasy, One Sweet Day, and Always Be My Baby, all of which topped the charts. By 1997, with Butterfly, Mariah was still performing well, though album sales dipped slightly to 10 million. Singles like Honey and My All kept her name at the top.
In 1999, Mariah released Rainbow, which saw her embrace a more mature R&B style following the divorce from her record label boss. Though the album sold 8 million copies, its single Thank God I Found You reached #1, proving she could still dominate the charts. The following year, Mariah released Glitter (2001), which came with a soundtrack for the film of the same name. While the movie flopped, the lead single, Loverboy, a collaboration with Cameo, was still a chart-topper.
By 2002, it seemed that Mariah’s earlier success might be a thing of the past, as her 8th studio album Charmbracelet sold only 3 million copies worldwide—a modest number, even by her standards. But she bounced back in 2005 with The Emancipation of Mimi, a game-changing album that sold 10 million copies. Collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Nelly, and Pharrell Williams produced hits like It’s Like That and We Belong Together, marking a major return to form.
Her 2008 album, E=MC², debuted at #1, driven by the success of Touch My Body, which made her the solo artist with the most #1 hits, tied with Elvis Presley. Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009) continued her success, with singles like Obsessed keeping her relevant in the charts.
However, as time passed, Mariah’s release schedule slowed. Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse (2014) had a three-year production cycle, and while sales were modest, her place in music history was already firmly secured. Her last studio album, Caution (2018), marked a further dip in performance.
From ruling the ’90s to her ongoing holiday dominance, Mariah Carey has sold an astonishing 220 million albums and 66 million singles, making her the 17th best-selling artist of all time—seven places ahead of rival Whitney Houston.
Mariah Carey Tunes | Related Pages
All I Want For Christmas Is You | Chords + TAB
Learn All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G | G | G/B | G/B |
I don’t want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
I’ll Be There | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5 using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back…
Start learning with the full lesson series: I’ll Be There – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Without You | Chords + TAB
Learn how to play Without You by Mariah Carey using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recordings.
| Esus2 E | G#sus4 G#m |
No, I can’t forget this evening or your face as you were leaving…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Without You (Harry Nilsson + Mariah Carey) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Mariah Carey on the web
