Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She rose to fame in the early 1990s with her self-titled debut album.
Since then, she has released 15 studio albums, five of which have been certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Who is Mariah Carey?
Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 196 in Huntington, New York.
She is the youngest of three children born to Patricia, a former opera singer and vocal coach of Irish descent, and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer of African-American and black Venezuelan-American ancestry.
She takes her name from “They Call the Wind Maria,” which originally appeared in the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon.
Her Venezuelan grandpa, Francisco Nez, took on the last name Carey after immigrating to New York. Because Patricia wed a black man, her parents disowned her. Racial tensions made it difficult for the Carey family to fit in with their neighborhood.
Their neighbors poisoned the family dog while they were still residing in Huntington and set fire to their automobile.
Carey’s mother worked multiple jobs to support the family when her parents got divorced, and she had minimal contact with her father.
At age three, Carey, who spent a lot of time alone at home, started singing. She frequently imitated her mother while she sang Verdi’s opera Rigoletto in Italian.
While Mariah and her older brother Morgan stayed with their mother, their older sister Alison moved in with their father.
She did exceptionally well in the arts in primary school, particularly in music and writing.
While a student at Greenlawn, New York’s Harborfields High School, where she graduated in 1987, Carey started penning poems and songs.
Carey started vocal lessons under her mother’s guidance. Patricia Carey never put any pressure on her daughter to pursue a career in classical opera, even though she was a formally trained opera singer.
Mariah Carey reflected that her mother had “never been pushy. She never said, ‘Give it more of an operatic flavor.’ I appreciate opera like crazy, but it didn’t impact me.”
In high school, Mariah Carey frequently missed classes due to her work as a demo singer. Her peers began calling her Mirage as a result.
She had the chance to collaborate with musicians like Gavin Christopher and Ben Margulies while working in the Long Island music scene, with whom she co-wrote songs for her demo tape.
She finished 500 hours of beauty school after moving to New York City, where she took part-time jobs to pay the rent.
Carey moved in with four female classmates in a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. She was hired to perform as Brenda K.
Career Debut and Breakthrough
In 1988, Carey met Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola at a party in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Mottola was so impressed with Carey’s demo tape that he played it for the president of the company the next day.
They eventually offered her a five-album record deal. She began working on her self-titled debut album in 1989.
Carey moved out of her apartment and into a house in the Hamptons that Mottola had rented for her.
She collaborated with Walter Afanasieff, Ric Wake, and Narada Michael Walden, among others. The album’s singles “Vision of Love” and “Love Takes Time” became hits.
Carey’s self-titled debut album was released in June 1990. It topped the Billboard 200 album chart and has been certified nine-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The album spawned four number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, making Carey the first artist in history to achieve this feat.
So how did Mariah Carey make all of her money? The majority of Carey’s income comes from record sales, concert ticket sales, merchandise sales, and endorsement deals.
Record Sales
Mariah Carey has released 14 studio albums, two compilations, one live album, and one remix album.
Her debut album, “Mariah Carey,” was released in 1990 and has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Her second album, “Emotions,” was released in 1991 and has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Her self-titled debut album has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, and her follow-up album, Emotions, has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
Her other albums have sold several million copies each as well.
In total, Carey’s album sales have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Concert Ticket Sales
Throughout her career, Mariah Carey has embarked on several concert tours to support her albums.
Her most successful tour to date was her 2001 “Rainbow World Tour” which grossed $250 million.
In total, Carey’s concert ticket sales have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Movie Roles
Mariah Carey has appeared in several movies throughout her career. Her first role was in the 2001 film “Glitter.”
The movie was widely panned by critics but was a commercial success, grossing $54 million at the box office on a budget of $22 million.
She has also appeared in “The Wedding Ringer,” “Tennessee,” and “Precious.” While none of these films were huge box office successes, they have all helped increase Carey’s net worth.
Merchandise Sales
In addition to album and concert ticket sales, Mariah Carey also generates revenue from merchandise sales.
She sells a variety of items including t-shirts, hats, mugs, and even Christmas decorations.
Her merchandise has generated tens of millions of dollars in revenue over the years.
Endorsement Deals and Sponsorships
Carey has also partnered with several brands for endorsement deals throughout her career.
Some of the brands she has worked with include Pepsi, Samsung, Hanes, and Elizabeth Arden.
These deals have typically been worth millions of dollars per year. In total, Mariah Carey’s endorsement deals have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue throughout her career.
In addition to record sales, Mariah Carey has also made millions through endorsements and sponsorships.
She has worked with brands like Chase, MasterCard, Kodak, Samsung, and Toyota. In 2008, she signed a $24 million deal with Coty to launch her line of perfume.
Mariah has also a brand of perfume, jewelry, and shoes. In total, her endorsement deals have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Mariah Carey’s Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Mariah Carey is worth approximately $340 million.
Mariah Carey and money seem like they were made for each other!
The legendary singer has built up an amazing net worth during her three decades in the spotlight, and she hasn’t only developed a reputation as a diva for nothing!
Conclusion
Mariah Carey is one of the best-selling music artists of all time with more than 200 million records sold worldwide.
The majority of her income comes from record sales, concert ticket sales, merchandise sales, and endorsement deals.
In total, Mariah Carey’s career has generated billions of dollars in revenue.
