Mariah Carey is one of the most impressive artists and vocalists of all time. One of Carey's signatures is her extensive vocal range, being able to hit whistle notes, which is a rare talent to have, let alone control. Carey also has 19 #1 hits and 28 top 10 hits. Plus, she will forever be immortalized in holiday history with her inescapable track "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Carey is an undeniable powerhouse.
When a person is as successful as Carey, one can only wonder how they got there. Carey sang background vocals during her adolescent years and sang backup for Brenda K. Starr, an R&B singer most known for her hit "I Still Believe." Then, at 19, Tommy Mottola discovered her. But, what about her family? Who are the people responsible for conceiving such a talented icon? Here is some insight into Mariah Carey's family dynamics and how close she is to her parents.
10 Mariah Carey Imitated Her Mother, Patricia Carey
Patricia Carey was an opera singer and vocal coach who attended The Julliard School, explaining where Mariah Carey's love of music emerged. Children are comparable to sponges because they soak up everything they see and hear. So at three, Mariah Carey began singing and imitated her mother's take on Verdi's opera Rigoletto in Italian.
9 She Calls Her Mother "Patricia," Instead Of "Mom"
Mariah Carey's family life has always had a strain. She expressed that she felt resentment from her older siblings for her having lighter skin and fairer hair. She also described her brother as violent and called her sister "troubled" and "traumatized." Regarding her mother, Mariah Carey expressed that she felt neglected by her in her formative years and that the roles reversed within their dynamics. Mariah Carey felt like the matriarch because she was always taking care of her mother.
8 Patricia Carey, According to Mariah Carey, Was Jealous Of Her Career
According to ET, Mariah Carey revealed in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, that although her mother introduced her to music, she displayed jealousy when it came to her daughter's career. Mariah Carey recalled her mother saying that she only hoped that her daughter would be half the singer that she was.
7 Mariah Carey Didn't Have A Lot Of Contact With Her Father After The Divorce.
It unclear if Mariah Carey's mom was a single mom after she and her husband split. She had little contact with her father, Alfred Carey after her parents divorced, but it could be possible that they reconnected at some point. Her mother, Patricia Carey, worked several jobs to support her family. After the divorce, Mariah Carey's older sister went with her father while her brother stayed with her and her mom.
6 Unfortunately, Alfred Carey Passed Away From Cancer
In 2002, Alfred Carey, a retired aeronautical engineer, passed away from cancer. Much information about Mariah Carey's father is non-existent and why he wasn't in his daughter's life. The relationship between him and his ex-wife Patricia Carey wasn't the smoothest. Patricia Carey and Alfred Carey met in 1960 when interracial marriage was illegal in 31 of the 50 United States. Patricia Carey's parents even disowned her for dating the Afro-Venezuelan man. Patricia is Italian. Racial tensions also made it impossible for the Carey to integrate into their New York community. Neighbors poisoned their dog and set fire to their car.
5 Her Parents Didn't Equip Her For Living Life As A Biracial Person.
For decades, people have questioned Mariah Carey's racial identity, and it has annoyed her. Mariah Carey considers herself Black. Although people thought she was a White woman with powerful vocal abilities when emerging into the music industry. Her father also identified as Black, and no one questioned it but made strange faces when they saw him walking around with a little girl with blonde hair. Thus, because of all these challenges and complexities, Mariah Carey has expressed that she felt alone.
4 Mariah Carey Appears To Hold No Bitter Feelings About Her Father
Mariah Carey hadn't shared many thoughts on how she feels about her late father until publishing her memoir. She said that she and her father had a good relationship and described her father as a disciplined man who craved culture and freedom, which is why he joined the military. Mariah Carey also shared that her father didn't allow her to snack except for eating one cracker. Alfred's perfectionism and demand for a tidy home still have an impact on her. She warmly acknowledged him on father's day in June 2020 on IG. Her message to him was, "Rest in Power, Love, and Sunflowers for Alfred Roy." which hints at the song "Sunflowers for Alfred Roy" that she wrote for her father.
3 Patricia Carey Called The Police On Her Daughter
As legendary as Mariah Carey's career is, she's human and has had her ups and downs. One of her "downs" was Glitter. The movie Glitter didn't fare well at the box office, and critics critically panned the movie. Before its release, Mariah Carey was exhausted physically and emotionally. So she decided to take some time to recuperate at her mother's home in Long Island, New York, one that she bought. Mariah Carey had an emotional breakdown while washing dishes, but her mother didn't offer her support. Instead, she called the police on her, who took her to a facility.
2 Her Mother Disapproved Of Her Marriage
Intergenerational trauma is a cycle that is difficult, if not impossible, to break. Mariah Carey's mother did not want her to marry Nick Cannon because of his skin color, or at least she cautioned her against it. However, the experiences of Mariah Carey's kids differ from hers. No one threatens them, nor do they not feel safe.
1 Mariah Carey Still Allows Her Mother Around Her, But With Boundaries
The "We Belong Together" singer decided to sever ties with her siblings. In Style even reported that her siblings are suing her over her memoir. However, she still has room in her heart and her life for her mother because their relationship is more complex. She is now trying to create boundaries with her mother, which she says is the hardest thing to do, considering it a work in progress.