Written By: Wanjiru Waweru
The Meaning of Mariah Carey is a memoir book released on September 29, 2020, by American singer-songwriter, and music producer, Mariah Carey. She collaborated with American Writer & Activist Michaela Angela Davis. Andy Cohen Books published this memoir, a contributt & Company. The six contribution-time Grammy-Award winner performed an audiobook which is only available on Audible.
This memoir takes on an emotional rollercoaster the behind-the-scenes of Carey’s personal, and professional life including her childhood, and abusive marriage with music executive, Tommy Matolla. The best-selling artist of the 1990s developed four sections on the memoir: “Waywood Child”, “Sing. Sing.”, “All That Glitters”, and “Emancipation”.
“Waywood Child” is the first section of Carey’s memoir. She explained the early stages of her life. Her childhood hit the rock bottom. She grew up a in biracial family, her parents went through a divorce when she was only four years old. She was raised in a dysfunctional family. She wrote “All I Want For Christmas Is You” because she did not have a chance to spend time with them during the holidays, which became devastating for her to deal with. Her father, Alfred did not show up to see her as frequently, her brother, Morgan developed violent behavior, and her sister, Allison engaged in drugs, prostitution, and promiscuous sex. She mentioned how she became close with her mother, whom she admired, and became the woman that she is today. Carey learned singing at the age of three. Her mother, Patricia taught how to harmonize, and became an opera singer. During Carey’s teenage years, her mother introduced her to Jazz Music. She played the piano and taught Carey how to improvise and scatter. Her mother introduced her to her friends who were Jazz Musicians. She also enjoyed her mother’s car where she listened and studied mainstream music where she grew up listening to Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” in which she heard the background vocals from Michael Jackson. Carey mentioned how much she adores two iconic figures: Olivia Newton-John, and Marilyn Monroe. Her older sister, Allison gave Carey a third-degree burn. Allison went to Carey to the whorehouse to visit her friends and her pimp boyfriend. She did not blossom her, and therefore, she did not help her grow, or nourish. She pimped her and left her out in the cold. Carey wanted to remain prudish, she never wanted to be a promiscuous person. Carey turned the other way. She used music for comfort and as a therapeutic. She explained that music makes her feel special as she does not feel special. Growing up, she felt like an outcast, she did not fit in or find someone whom she could identify with. Over the years, Morgan, and Allison reported about Carey sending her lies to seek publicity during the height of Carey’s success. She felt portrayed as their older siblings and felt a sense of jealousy. Carey also helped Allison through financial struggles, and however, she became ungrateful to her.
Carey mentions her toxic marriage with her husband, Mottalla in the prelude of “Sing. Sing.” She was humiliated by his control. She was not allowed to keep in touch with her friends, and family. She was not able to have the freedom to go out as she wanted to. She felt trapped as she lived in prison. She explained her early years in the beginning of the music industry. During her teenage years, she first worked in a local business to work on her first demo. She worked with artists who were into alternative rock, while she listened to urban contemporary radio that involved Hip-Hop, R&B, and Dance music. They did not take her seriously, they did not have a chance to expand themselves to listen to mainstream music. It was terrifying for Carey to enter the music business, but it did not stop her from reaching her potential. Carey always wanted to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter. When she performed in “Vision of Love” in Arsenio Hall Show, it changed her life forever. Not only, did it make a major impact on Carey’s music career, but it skyrocketed to the top of the Pop and R&B charts.
When Carey was 17 years old, she moved out of her mother’s to live with a roommate in New York City. It was a hard road. She wore shoes where she wore the same shoes daily, as she was trying to make ends meet. Carey stayed grounded. She did not engage in any risky behavior such as drinking, smoking, and casual sex. She was continuing to follow her dreams and find connections to help her reach her goals. She worked odd jobs and became a back-up singer for local artists including Maggie’s Dream where she met Tony who was the drummer of the band. Tony knew a young singer called Brenda K. Starr who was known for her only pop hit, “I Still Believe”. Brenda K. Starr and Carey became very close. Brenda K. Starr took Carey under her wings.
Carey had a chance to work with Ben Margulies who previously worked on her first self-titled album, “Mariah Carey (1990)”. He wanted her to become an R&B duo version of Eurythmics, however, she decided to take another route to work on her demo to find a record deal. Ben Maguries provided Carey with a book called “All You Need to Know About the Music Business” by Ronald S. Passman who was later her music lawyer. She was young and naive, and that book helped her to learn about the experience of the music industry. She found her sound as a singer-songwriter. She was able to improve her vocals in a very soulful way, where then the 18-year-old went to Warner Records, and her music did not sit right with the record company. Her music was not considered “radio-friendly,” for them, and therefore, they found two teen pop artists who were popular in the 1980s: Tiffany, and Deborah Gibson. Carey wanted to be more of a trendsetter. She never envisioned herself as a teen pop icon. Carey had her sound, she knew what she took.
Brenda K. Starr was very excited to take young Carey to an enormous party to meet her record executives. They have their record label “WTG Records which stands for Walter, Tommy, and Gerald. Carey got a chance to meet Tommy Mattola for the first time. He looked at her not only professionally, but romantically, which creeped Carey out. Carey walked out quickly. Brenda K. Starr gave Tommy Mottola Carey’s demo tape where he got a chance to listen in his limo. Brenda K. Starr mentioned a song called “Cherchez La Femme” by Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band who Tommy Mattola became a record executive, and worked with. It became a minor hit for the band. Carey remembered that song during her childhood years. Brenda K.
Tommy Mottola, who was the President of Sony Music called the 19-year-old Carey to provide her first big break after listening to her demo tape. He left her a message. Carey got a record deal from Columbia Records, her life turned into a fairy tale. Carey was able to live in a short-lived million-dollar apartment. She felt free after all and left her old life behind. She got a chance to maintain contact with her friends, and family, but unfortunately, she did not live happily ever after. Tommy Mottola was not only the love of her life, but he became very controlling in her personal life.
Carey and Mottola lived in the Bedford Mansion which Carey preferred as the “Sing. Sing.” prison. Their house was filled with an inside swimming pool, a lot of security, and a surveillance camera. Carey was supervised 24/7 at that house. Carey and Mottola’s relationship was with a father who is dealing with a teenage daughter. Carey had a little freedom when she worked in the studio. Mottola saw Carey’s potential. Mottola told her that she had become bigger than Michael Jackson, however, in the Mansion where she used to live, she felt as if it was Prince’s “Paisley Park”. One of her biggest Dreams is to buy her mother a house. She wanted to create her mother’s style. She is an old Woodstock like Carey, she wants an old-fashioned version of Hollywood.
Mottala created a Thanksgiving Special to promote Carey’s third album, “Music Box (1993)”, which was released on the last of August of 1993. Motorola was at the top of the food chain. It was all Tommy Mottola production. It began in July 1993 to work on this special television program. She performed three songs: “Dreamlover”, “Hero”, and “Anytime You Need a Friend.” As well as her previous hit songs such as “Vision of Love”, “Emotions”, and “Make It Happen.” 24-year-old Carey became famous very quickly, it happened rapidly. Her self-titled album debut, “Mariah Carey” (1990) at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart, and it stood there for eleven consecutive weeks. She earned a Grammy Award for “Best New Artist”, and “Best Pop Female Vocal Performance”. She performed “Vision of Love” in television appearances including “Good Morning America”, “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, and “The Tonight Show.” She gained and found support from her fans. Music has always been a top priority, but something is missing, which is Movies, and Television shows. Carey was told to appear in acting roles and received calls, however, Mottola told her it became strictly forbidden.
The Wedding Day was a disaster for Carey. Mottola wanted her more European looking than “Urban”. He expected more curly, and Italian, than black, and straightened. The honeymoon was not very fancy either. It is at somebody’s house, not in a very Hawaii kind of way.
When Mottola got controlling, it made it worse for Carey. Mottola’s idea, Mottola’s production. Carey was looking to appear in the “All About Eve” movie, which blew the root. He yelled and frustrated at her. He still did not want her to do acting. Although, they were 21 years apart. They have different tastes in music. Carey mentioned the commercial success of New Jack Swing during the late 1980s, and early-mid 1990s. Carey wanted to look forward to working with fresh Hip-Hop producers who were green, and new to uprise the Hip-Hop culture, which did not sit right with Mottola considered a “Passing Fad”.
Carey did not get a chance to work with Hip-Hop producers until the making of “Daydream” (1995). She had a chance to work with Dave Joz to develop a fun upbeat tempo song called “Fantasy” where she sampled Tom Tom Club’s 1982 hit, “Genius of Love”. She also got a chance to work with Puff Daddy to work with the Fantasy Remix with the Collaboration of Ol’ Dirty Bastard from Wu-Tang Clan. Fantasy was the first song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 23 years, and the ninth number-one hit for Carey. She created more balled songs such as “One Sweet Day” with the collaboration of Boys II Men to pay tribute to the devastating loss of David Cole who previously produced her previous song, “Make It Happen”. It became another number-one debut, and it stood there for 16 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
Daydream was successful, on the other hand, Mottola wanted her to be the balled queen, with more Adult Contemporary sound than Hip-Hop and R&B style. Daydream was the last seen to record at the dungeon. It was not until she took control of her destiny that she left Tommy Mottola after a year of relationship for being controlling, and manipulative towards Carey. She filed for Divorce. She wanted to move forward and gain more independence to take control of her professional, and personal life. It was 1997, that she learned to spread her wings to fly like a Butterfly.
Carey started an urban process to work on an album called “Butterfly” (1997), a healing process from the traumatic experience of Mottola. At that time, she was more Hip-Hop and R&B than her previous projects. She began working on that album before she started her romantic moments with Baseball star, Derek Jeter. She worked on her lead single, “Honey” with Stevie J, Q-Tip, and Puff Daddy. “Honey” sampled “Body Rock” by the Treacherous Three. She felt relaxed while on vacation in Puerto Rico, she needed that moment for a very long time. When Carey went on a date with Derek Jeter, they went to a pizza place near his apartment. She felt scared. Her anxiety took another level. She said, “Tommy was going insane.” She listened to the radio where she listened to a song called “Shook Ones” by Mobb Deep, to calm down. She liked it. During the process of developing the Butterfly album, she sampled that song, as she co-wrote, and co-produced it with Poke & Tone to create a song called The Roof (Back in Time). “Honey”, “The Roof (Back in Time)”, and “My All” were three songs in a songwriting process about her romantic life with Derek Jeter. “Butterfly” is considered as a healing process from separating Mottola. Carey’s relationship with Derek Jeter became the best romantic moment of her life, however, their relationship was a shortstop. It did not last very long. She dated him in the feeling of sadness to understand the importance of true love.
The following year on the divorce with Mottala, Carey traveled to Japan to meet the president of Sony Music, Mr. Ohga to find more independence to prevent Mottala from controlling her music career. She later went back to her record label, Columbia Records to finish and promote her upcoming album, “Rainbow” (1999), just like her previous album “Butterfly” (1997), she became comfortable with her Hip-Hop and R&B, and it featured guest appearance including Da Brat, Mysitkal, Usher, Master P., Jay-Z, Missy Elliot, and Snoop Dogg. It featured two number-one hit singles: “Thank God I Found You” with the collaboration of Joe, and 98 Degrees, and “Heartbreaker” featuring Jay-Z. She worked with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who produced US Billboard Hot 100 40 top ten hit singles. She was a huge fan of their work, and alongside Diane Warren where she wrote her, “Can’t Take That Away”. “Rainbow” was the album to heal from the toxic people that she dealt with during the early stages of her life.
Carey also promoted a compilation album called “#1’s” (1998) which featured her previous number-one US Billboard Hot 100 hit singles, especially new songs such as Brenda K. Starr’s “I Still Believe” cover, “Will You Believe” with the duet of Whitney Houston from the Prince of Egypt. Consequently, she left Columbia Records to sign a new deal with Virgin Records.
Carey’s experience with Virgin Records was a disaster, it was different with Lenny Kravitz, and Janet Jackson. The Charmbracelet album (2002) and the “Glitter” soundtrack (2001) were not the same as her previous work at Columbia Records. Also, when Carey created “Loverboy” (2001), she did the original sample from Yellow Magic Orchestra’s “Firecracker”, but unfortunately, it was turned down, and gave it to Jennifer Lopez with her smash hit “I’m Real”. However, she remade it as she sampled with Cameo’s “Candy”. Tommy Mottala worked with Jennifer Lopez to continue to destroy Carey’s reputation. She spend a three-year romantic relationship with Mexican Singer Luis Miguel. Carey had an emotional meltdown, as she came to Total Request Live with an Ice Cream Truck to surprise, the TRL host, Carson Daly. She was ill for a while and took a break from the Public Eye. She parted ways with Virgin Records and moved on with Island Records. She reintroduced herself to develop “The Emancipation of Mimi” (2005), and she found this album to be a “spiritual evolution”. “We Belong Together” was the longest number one since “One Sweet Day” which spent 14 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. “We Belong Together” ranked #9 on Billboard’s Best Song of the 2000s. It was nominated for numerous awards including BET Awards, Grammy Awards, and BMI. “Shake It Off” debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. She reached the breakthrough movie called “Precious” (2009) and later appeared in “The Butler” (2013). She improved herself as an actress in the “Glitter” (2001) movie. She spent her father before he took his last breath after years of battling with cancer.
Carey admired and had good memories with Incredible Divas such as Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. Carey first met Aretha Franklin when she was nominated for five Grammy Awards. She later collaborated at the VH1 Divas’98 alongside Celine Dión, Gloria Estefan, Carole King, and Shania Twain. Carey and Whitney Houston had a funny moment at the 1998 MTV Music Video Awards where they wore a chocolate Vera Wang dress as they presented for Best Male Video.
Carey mentioned a few things in “A Few Good Men”. She explained how she met the late South African President, Nelson Mandela the Oprah Winfrey event where several celebrities sent a fundraiser, and created an “Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.” She admired and worshiped two incredible musicians: Prince and Stevie Wonder with their soulful, and spiritual songwriting, and production skills. She had a great time with the legendary boxer, Muhammed Ali, where she professionally, and appropriately sang “Happy Birthday”.
Carey met her former husband, Nick Cannon at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards. Nick Cannon started his show “Wild ‘N Out” during the era of The Emancipation of Mimi. Nick Cannon provided him with ideas from the “Touch My Body” music video where a nerd developed a love interest in her. He appeared in the “Bye, Bye” music video, and then, they created a romantic chemistry. Later, they were married, and had children, Roc & Roe. Their marriage had short-lived, filed for divorce. Carey made a huge milestone where it took nearly three decades for “All I Want For Christmas” to reach the top on the Billboard Hot 100. Carey defines herself as a true legend.
‘I work on my emotional recovery daily’: Mariah Carey reveals true vulnerability in new memoir
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