After more than three decades at the top of the music industry, Mariah Carey could be forgiven for resting on her past glories and enjoying the fruits of her labour. With 220 million records sold worldwide and the most No 1 singles by a solo artist in the US, the singer-songwriter has racked up six Grammys, 10 American Music Awards and 19 World Music Awards, as well as several Las Vegas residencies and numerous headline tours.
She was recently awarded the Video Vanguard Award, in recognition of her successful career, at the MTV VMAs after performing a medley of her hits in front of the cheering audience. Ariana Grande praised her talents as she handed Mariah the honour, saying that Mariah had “left an irrevocable impact on music history with her tone, technique and sound."
© GettyBut now she is back with a long-awaited 16th studio album – her first in seven years – and remains as passionate as ever about her music and the bond she shares with her fans. “I just love it all,” she says of the album entitled Here For It All. “It feels so brand new and exciting. I have been playing tracks from the album live recently and the response has been amazing. I really hope all the fans love it as much as I do.”
Being a mother to her 14-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe – from her relationship with her second ex-husband, Nick Cannon, the US comedian and presenter – is a role that takes centre stage in Mariah’s life too, and she tries to bring her son and daughter on tour with her when she can
Always her babies
“I always want them with me, wherever I am, but it’s not always possible,” she says. “They come with me a lot, which is great, but I do find it really hard being away from home for too long if they can’t be with me. They are teenagers now. They have their own things going on, but they are still my babies. I’m just mom to them, which is how I like it,” she adds. “But they understand what I do, and I think they are proud of me. I’m proud of them.”
© InstagramWhile Mariah’s famous five-octave vocal range can be traced back to her opera singer mother Patricia, her own children aren’t showing any signs of following her into the music industry yet. “They both love music, but I don't know,” she says. “If there is a song they like they will sing it, but that's as far as it goes right now.”
Despite a reputation as a diva with a penchant for figure-hugging dresses and oversized diamonds, Mariah, 56, keeps in real when it comes to spending downtime with her children and often manages to go unrecognised when they are out and about. “We love amusement parks,” she reveals. “We love to go to the parks, like Disney. I just tone it down and go. It's fine. I can go to the store just fine once I tone it down and I have my regular clothes on.”
Family life
© GettyThe youngest of three children born to Patricia and Alfred Carey, an aeronautical engineer with both African and Venezuelan heritage, young Mariah dreamt of stardom and signed her first record deal in 1988. She released her eponymous first album two years later – which went on to sell 15 million copies – along with her hit single Vision of Love. She married record company boss Tommy Mottola in 1993; they later separated in 1997.
She established herself as one of the world’s biggest recording stars, with hits including Hero,Dreamlover and All I Want for Christmas Is You, which remains part of the soundtrack of the festive season.Her first single from the new album is called Type Dangerous; could this be a reference to her romantic life?
© Getty“The song and the video are really me playing a character but there is obviously some of me in there. Am I attracted to the dangerous type? Maybe a little. I like the rollercoaster kind of danger maybe,” she says. Despite her success and experience, she admits that the process of creating new material isn’t straightforward.
© Getty Images“I was writing and recording songs all that time, but we never quite had something right for the album until now,” she explains. “It took a while but I’m excited that the album is done and for everyone to experience it. I’m really proud of it. When I started out, I didn't have the creative freedom I do now so in many ways releasing an album feels even more special now. To have my own creative freedom and to work with a great team of people that I love is just such a joy. I never take that for granted.”
