Born: 27 march 1970
Birthplace: Long Island, New York
Occupation: singer, songwriter, actress

Mariah Carey was born in Long Island, New York on March 27, 1970. Her parents are Patricia Hickey (Irish-American) and Alfred Roy Carey (African American/Venezuelan). For high school Mariah attended Greenlawn's Harborfields High school. In June of 1990 Mariah made her debut with Vision of Love which peaked at #73, but on August 4,1990 it reached #1. Mariah Carey is the only artist since the Beatles and Michael Jackson to have so many #1 singles and albums. She's the only female artist to have straight #1 singles and albums. Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter known for her seven-octave range and her popular gospel-influenced, dance-pop songs. Her recordings include Mariah Carey (1990), Emotions (1991), the eight-million selling Music Box (1993), Daydream (1995), Butterfly (1997), Charmbracelet (2002) and her Greatest Hits (2001).

Facts about Mariah Carey:

Bought Marilyn Monroe's white lacquered baby grand piano at auction in October, 1999 for $600,000 plus commission.

Dated New York Yankee 'Derek Jeter'.

Her highest octave is two octaves higher than normal soprano.

Got her name from the song "They Call The Wind Mariah". The popular Lerner & Lowe musical, "Paint Your Wagon" starring Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, which was enjoying a great deal of success, after its release in '69, and the song containing Mariah's name, although spelt without the 'H', was apparently a favourite of mother Patricia.

Used to work in a hair salon sweeping up hair.

She also states she held waitressing jobs and got fired from them all.

Dated Latin singer Luis Miguel.

Attended Oldfield Middle School and Harborfield High School.

Father is half Venezuelan, mother is Irish.

In 1999 Mariah won the Horizon Award at the Congressional Foundation Awards for her work with and for children.

The only female artist to have 15 #1 songs on the U.S. Hot 100 chart. As of 2000, her albums had sold more than 125 million copies worldwide.

(1990) Made her singing debut, age 20.

Had the nickname "Mirage" in high school, because she never showed up for class.

(25 July 2001) According to her spokesperson, Mariah suffered a physical and emotional breakdown, and spent the next couple weeks recovering in a Connecticut mental hospital.

(September 2001) Appeared on the benefit concert "A Tribute To Heroes" and sang the song "Hero" in dedication to the families, friends, victims, and heroes of the World Trade Center tragedy.

(2001) Signed a $100,000,000 million deal with Virgin Records for her next four albums. 

(26 January, 2002) Virgin records buys out her $100 million contract for $28 million. The primary reason being the failure of her Glitter album and film.

(2001) Mariah Carey's songs have spent more weeks at Number 1 in the Billboard charts than any other artist in history. Sixty-one weeks total, the previous record was Fifty-nine weeks held by the Beatles.

Founder of Camp Mariah, a serene escape located in Fishkill, New York for inner-city youth to embrace the arts, introduce career opportunities, and build self-esteem.

Named one of People Magazine's '25 Most Intriguing People of 2001'.

(May 2002) Signed a three-album deal with Island/Def Jam records for a reported $21-24 million. She has already started work on a new album, which has no release date at this point. Meanwhile, 'Wise Girls', her movie with Mira Sorvino, will premiere on HBO in the fall of 2002.

Single 'One Sweet Day' holds the record for the single staying most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (a record 16 weeks)

Has more number one singles than any artist in history, except Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

Owns a three floor apartment in New York City

Personal quotes:

"Music is what I love and it's what I feel and it's in me and to know that I can do something that I enjoy and hopefully bring some enjoyment to other people through what I do is an incredible feeling and I am just really thankful for it."

"Some people look at me and they see my light skin and my hair. I can't help the way I look, because it's me. I don't try to look a certain way or sing a certain way. I'm just trying to be me. And if people enjoy my music, then they shouldn't care what I am, so it shouldn't be an issue."

"It's been an incredible release for me. I would come out of sessions emotionally drained, because I was getting in touch with all this stuff that I'd never really dealt with-even things from my childhood." -Mariah Carey on the recording of the Butterfly album.

"You really have to look inside and find your inner strength, and say, 'I'm proud of what I am and who I am, and I'm just going to be myself.'"

"If you see me as just the princess then you misunderstand who I am and what I have been through."

"I need to keep eye on things because I've been frigging taken advantage of like you wouldn't believe." 
-Mariah Carey, after signing with Virgin records at 23.5 million per album.