Mariah Carey
American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress renowned for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, and status as one of the best-selling music artists in history.
Mariah Carey emerged as a global superstar in 1990 with her self-titled debut album. She holds the record for most Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles by a solo artist (19), has sold over 200 million records worldwide, won five Grammy Awards, and is celebrated for timeless hits like 'Hero,' 'Fantasy,' and the perennial holiday classic 'All I Want for Christmas Is You.'
- Carey faced intense industry control during her marriage to Sony Music CEO Tommy Mottola (1993–1998), later describing their home as a 'luxurious prison' and citing emotional abuse.
- In July 2001, she suffered a highly publicized physical and emotional breakdown, including an erratic MTV appearance and hospitalization for exhaustion, amid the release of her film/soundtrack 'Glitter'.
- She endured childhood racial prejudice due to her multiracial heritage (African-American, Venezuelan, and Irish roots), family poverty, and her parents' divorce when she was three.
- Her 2005 album 'The Emancipation of Mimi' marked a career resurgence after commercial setbacks, winning three Grammys and becoming the best-selling album of that year.
- Carey popularized the 'diva' persona in 1990s pop culture but has humorously satirized it, notably hosting VH1's 'Divas' events and starring in self-deprecating film roles.
