These Mariah Carey Secrets Are All You’ll Want Ahead of the MTV VMAs

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When it comes to Mariah Carey, few can truly say, “I don’t know her.” 

Since her debut self-titled album in 1990, a music industry veteran has garnered two Grammy awards, among which was the accolade for Best New Artist. Known for her expansive five-octave vocal range, this singer is often associated with the holiday season due to her delightful and catchy carol about Yuletide romance, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” released in 1994.

And yet it’s her 1993 album Music Box that’s been the gift that keeps on giving. 

Her third album, titled “Carey,” sold the most copies during her career and was certified diamond, largely due to popular tracks like “Hero” and “Dreamlover.” This achievement earned Carey, a mother of 14-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with her ex-husband Nick Cannon, an additional two Grammy nominations.

On September 7th, the pop icon will receive another award to add to her collection as she accepts the MTV Video Vanguard Award at the Video Music Awards taking place at the UBS Arena in New York’s Long Island, which is just a few miles from her hometown.

The upcoming event serves as something of a return for Carey, who last graced the stage at this event back in 2005 to sing “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off.

Not that she’s keeping track. 

Curious about what seems to be everybody else’s preoccupation with the ticking clock, Carey made it clear that she seldom pays heed to items such as watches or schedules.

During a Capital FM interview on June 16, Mariah simply expressed her disbelief by saying, “Indeed, but I don’t personally subscribe to it. I let such things pass.

Regarding her personal milestones, Carey playfully remarked that she doesn’t have a birthday. She also admitted that she isn’t particularly good at managing her schedule and needs reminders to avoid being late. In essence, she compared herself to a somewhat stubborn yet lovable child. Her loyal fans, however, are aware of this behavior, as she described herself as always remaining 12 years old in spirit.

As an ardent admirer, it would be delightful to imagine revealing unheard-of tidbits to fellow devotees of the amazing Mariah Carey. We envisioned sharing some exclusive insights about her, not everything mind you, but a tantalizing glimpse of the enigma that is Carey. If you’re intrigued, simply call upon us and we’ll be ready to share more.

Mariah Carey is believed to have been born on March 27, 1970. She was the child of Alfred Roy Carey and Patricia Hickey, who faced disapproval from her family due to their interracial marriage (he being of African-American and Afro-Venezuelan descent). Unfortunately, they divorced when Mariah was just three years old.

Her name originates from the song “The Wind That Shakes the Barley,” sung in the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon. Although it’s not spelled identically, it is pronounced in the same manner.

3a. During her youth, she experienced racially motivated assaults due to her parents’ interracial union. This included incidents such as their pets being deliberately poisoned and a vehicle explosion.

Patricia shared with Oprah Winfrey during a 1999 interview that it was the start of a terrifying ordeal. One evening, someone discharged a gunshot through the window, thankfully when no children were in the room at the time.

4. During her time at Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York, she became known as Mirage due to her frequent absences from class. As stated in Marc Shapiro’s 2001 biography (without official authorization), Carey’s regular absence from school raised significant concerns for guidance counselor John Garvey.

Garvey said that no matter how much one talked to her, it made no difference. The reason was that she considered the topic being discussed as not significant in her life, since she aspired to become a rock star. Carey’s response indicated that he understood and appreciated their attempts to motivate him academically, as they had never witnessed his singing abilities.

During the process of creating her third album titled “Music Box”, she began a romantic relationship with Tommy Mottola, who was then the head of Columbia Records. They married in a grand ceremony on June 5, 1993. However, their union ended in 1997 due to issues related to his controlling behavior and escalating creative disagreements. Carey attributed these factors as the main causes for the decline of their relationship.

Carey candidly discussed her relationship on the reality show, “Mariah’s World,” admitting, “At that time, I was with someone who held significant influence over my life. He was significantly older and possessed considerable power. He wanted me to stay isolated, almost like a seclusion. Leaving [the house] required his permission…I never imagined I’d be able to escape from there.

6. The very first song she composed was penned during her high school days. Known as “Here We Go ‘Round Again,” Carey herself characterized this piece, included in her four-track demo tape, as possessing a Motown feel.

7. Following her high school graduation, she relocated to a compact one-bedroom flat in Manhattan, which she cohabited with four other female university students. She divided her time between working as a waitress and coat check attendant, as well as pursuing cosmetology studies, all the while striving for a career in music.

8. When she was just two years old, Carey astonished her mother, who is both a vocal coach and an occasional opera singer, by mimicking her operatic performances. At the tender age of four, she started receiving formal singing lessons, and eventually, she developed a voice that could reach an astounding five octaves-a remarkable ability rarely found in humans.

9. Following an encounter with up-and-coming pop artist Brenda K. Starr, Carey joined as her new companion at a Christmas gathering hosted by CBS Records. Impressed by Starr, she suggested Carey bring along her demo tape, which eventually landed in the possession of Mottola, head of Columbia Records. Just two songs were needed to convince Mottola to offer her a contract.

10. On June 12, 1990, Carey launched her self-titled debut album. This release brought her two Grammy awards, among which was the Best New Artist accolade. Notably, she became the first artist since the Jackson 5 to have their initial four singles all reach number one.

Carey has always held a deep fondness for Marilyn Monroe, and in 1999, she spent more than half a million dollars to acquire the icon’s white grand piano at an auction held by Christie’s.

12. Following their encounter on the set of her “Bye Bye” music video in 2008, she started dating the comedian Nick Cannon. In just two months’ time, they exchanged vows in a clandestine ceremony in the Bahamas on April 30. However, their relationship ended in 2014.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events shortly after our blissful union with Cannon, we endured a devastating miscarriage. But fate had other plans for us, as destiny gifted us not one but two bundles of joy in 2011 – the twin miracles named Moroccan and Monroe. Naming our little princess Monroe was a tribute to my cherished idol, Marilyn Monroe, while the name Moroccan echoes the enchanting décor of the very room where Cannon proposed to me, making it a befitting homage to that magical moment.

In 2008, Carey found herself in a controversial situation when she performed at a New Year’s Eve concert organized by the family of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Later, she expressed feelings of regret and embarrassment for taking part in the event. Her representative, Cindi Berger, announced in March 2011 that the royalties from Carey’s upcoming song “Save The Day” would be given to charities focusing on human rights awareness. The song was eventually released in 2020.

In the year 2001, following an unexpected and peculiar incident on TRL, where she unexpectedly appeared, peddled an ice cream cart, and removed her clothes, she underwent a two-week recuperation in a mental hospital located in Connecticut. She attributed this breakdown to extreme fatigue.

In 2018, she openly shared that she had been diagnosed with bipolar II disorder earlier but chose to keep it confidential. “Now, I find myself in a very positive state where I feel at ease discussing my battles with bipolar II disorder,” she said to People. “I aspire for us to reach a point where the shame associated with mental health issues is removed. It can be extremely lonely. It need not dictate one’s identity, and I refuse to let it shape or rule me.

16. Shortly following her time at the institution, Carey debuted the film and album titled Glitter. Unfortunately, these releases failed spectacularly, leading Virgin Records to terminate their deal with her for a massive $50 million. In early 2002, she would sign with Island Records and establish the record label MonarC simultaneously.

Carey hasn’t just shimmered on screen over the years; she also received notable praise for her role as a social worker in Lee Daniels’ 2009 award-winning movie, “Precious.” In 2013, she was part of another Daniels’ production, “The Butler,” where she portrayed Hattie Pearl, the mother of Cecil Gaines (played by Forest Whitaker).

From 1995 to 1996, “One Sweet Day,” sung by Carey together with Boyz II Men, held the record for the longest-running number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, at 16 weeks. This record was later tied by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, but then in the summer of 2019, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” surpassed both.

19. As reported by Page Six, Carey’s two Jack Russell terriers always travel in the premium cabin, each accompanied by a dedicated attendant. The reason behind this? It seems they dislike each other intensely.

After experiencing a professional comeback with the 2005 launch of “The Emancipation of Mimi,” Mariah Carey started endorsing products for the first time in her career, starting with advertisements for Intel Centrino personal computers. In the year 2006, following an agreement with Gillette’s “Legs of a Goddess” campaign, it was reported that Carey insured her legs for $1 billion.

21. Carey got engaged to Australian entrepreneur James Packer in January 2016, following their introduction by director Brett Ratner at a movie premiere held in Aspen, Colorado.

The wealthy entrepreneur, in partnership with Ratner, established RatPac Entertainment. He suggested a 35-carat diamond ring for a marriage proposal. However, by October, the engagement was cancelled due to disagreements on both sides about each other’s personal issues.

1994 saw the release of Carey’s famous Christmas album titled “Merry Christmas”, which has sold more than 18 million copies globally, earning it the title of the best-selling Christmas album ever.

Twenty-five years later, in December 2019, her popular holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time, shattering various records in the process. This achievement not only extended Carey’s record as the solo artist with the most No. 1 singles on the Hot 100, but also made her the unique artist to have a No. 1 song in four consecutive decades.

23. Her godmother is Patti LaBelle, and this renowned R&B artist has confessed to giving her goddaughter a few harsh slaps in the past.

24. Following Packer, Carey soon recovered with backup dancer Bryan Tanaka. Their initial stages of romance were recorded by cameras on Mariah’s World.

25. She does not know Jennifer Lopez. So stop asking her.

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2025-09-07 19:19