Mariah Carey is such a dominant force in Pop that it's
nearly impossible to remember what music sounded like
before she burst on the scene. She is one of the biggest
selling artists of all time (female or otherwise). Mariah,
whose current CD, Butterfly is her seventh
multi-platinum smash, has become a major talent as a
singer, writer and, with the advent of her Crave Records,
a mogul. The staggering sales, undeniable appeal,
fierce vocal range and the adulation of millions got its
start back in Long Island, NY -- in a home filled with
music.
Mariah's mother was an opera and jazz singer and
frequently had musicians in the household, singing and
playing. From those childhood jam sessions, Mariah fell
in love with making music. "It's how I first got to know
about music and appreciate (it), and have it be a real
part of my life," Mariah told VH1.
Not surprisingly, Mariah says her earliest childhood
memories revolve around music. She began writing
melodies in her head as a kid. "(I) used to go and steal
the radio out of the kitchen when I was three or four, and
listen to it under the covers and sing. There's never been
a time in my life that I haven't been on a quest for music,"
Mariah laughs.
That quest, combined with a five-octave range
(nourished by her mother's training) has led to a
superlative career. From her chart-topping debut in
1990, to record-breaking singles like "One Sweet Day,"
to the edgy rhythms that flavor Butterfly, Mariah Carey
has brought her life-long affinity and quest for music to
audiences around the world.
by Amy Linden, Vh1's The Score, April 6/98
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