Little Known Facts About Singer Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 1970, in Huntington, New York to parents Patricia and Alfred. A little known fact about singer Mariah Carey is that she got her first name from the song, "They Call the Wind Mariah". Her mother was a opera singer who loved that number from the 1951 Broadway musical, "Paint Your Wagon". The Careys divorced in 1973. That left Patricia and Mariah constantly scraping to get by. Her mother sang plus worked other jobs to support her and her daughter. Until one day, when she heard Mariah trying to sing. That's when Patricia realized her daughter had talent. So, at the tender age of four, Mariah began learning how to sing. Read this informative article and learn some more little known facts about singer Mariah Carey you're sure to find intriguing!

Her Early Years
By the time Mariah Carey entered middle school, she was writing and singing her own songs. She dreamed of being a famous singer, and getting an education didn't fit into her plans. So she skipped school as much as possible. This habit earned her the nickname "Mirage."

After high school graduation in 1987, Carey moved to New York City to get on with her singing career. A little known fact about singer Mariah Cary is that she started out as a backup singer for Brenda K. Starr. Her big break came when one of her demo tapes got into the hands of Sony Music executive Tommy Mottola. She got a contract with Columbia Records, and released her self-titled debut album in 1990. It sold six million copies and earned her two Grammy Awards.

Carey's singing voice is two octaves above a regular soprano. Her wide range of octaves got her compared to Whitney Houston. In response, she's quoted as saying, "I don't mind being compared to Whitney, there are people miles worse to be compared to."

"Emotions" followed in 1991, and "Unplugged" was released in 1992. Both albums were successful.

Romance
The following year, Carey took time out from her hectic career to marry Tommy Mottola. She was twenty-three; he was forty-three years old. The couple divorced in 1998.