Mariah Carey

Her wedding to Tommy Mottola was modeled after the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Her excuse for using the royal wedding as basis for her own was that she never really had much interest in weddings as a girl, and she wanted to know what such a gala affair should be like. Even the tiara she wore, a family heirloom, was redesigned to look like Princess Diana's. Her wedding dress was an ivory-silk duchess satin gown designed by Vera Wang, with a 8.25 m train and matching satin pumps. The whole affair cost almost $US0.5M, not including the 1893 sixpence Mariah put in one of her shoes for luck.

Her wedding to Tommy Mottola was modeled after the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Her excuse for using the royal wedding as basis for her own was that she never really had much interest in weddings as a girl, and she wanted to know what such a gala affair should be like. Even the tiara she wore, a family heirloom, was redesigned to look like Princess Diana's. Her wedding dress was an ivory-silk duchess satin gown designed by Vera Wang, with a 8.25 m (27') train and matching satin pumps. The whole affair cost almost $US0.5M, not including the 1893 sixpence Mariah put in one of her shoes for luck.

Got her name from the song "They Call The Wind Maria" (spelled 'Maria' without the H, but pronounced 'Mariah'). The popular Lerner & Loewe musical Paint Your Wagon , starring Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, which was enjoying a great deal of success after its release in 1969, and the song containing Mariah's name, was a favorite of mother Patricia.

Got her name from the song "They Call The Wind Maria" (spelled 'Maria' without the H, but pronounced 'Mariah'). The popular Lerner & Loewe musical Paint Your Wagon (1969), starring Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, which was enjoying a great deal of success after its release in 1969, and the song containing Mariah's name, was a favorite of mother Patricia.

Her mother Patricia discovered Mariah's talent in 1972 while rehearsing at home for her New York City Opera debut as Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto. Patricia said, "From the time Mariah was a tiny girl. she sang on true pitch; she was able to hear sound and duplicate it exactly. I missed my cue, but Mariah didn't. She sang it - in Italian - at exactly the right point. She wasn't even yet 3." From then on, Patricia began coaching Mariah.

Her mother Patricia discovered Mariah's talent in 1972 while rehearsing at home for her New York City Opera debut as Maddalena in Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletto". Patricia said, "From the time Mariah was a tiny girl. she sang on true pitch; she was able to hear sound and duplicate it exactly. I missed my cue, but Mariah didn't. She sang it - in Italian - at exactly the right point. She wasn't even yet 3." From then on, Patricia began coaching Mariah.

Is the only act to have had a number one single in the US every year of the 1990's.

In the mid 1990's, thanked her mother by buying her a house. She gathered her mother's possessions and put them in the new house, as well as framing photos and putting them on the wall. Then she pretended they were just looking at the house. Mariah says: "It was the most incredible thing I've ever been able to do".

Made her singing debut, age 20.

Made her singing debut, age 20. [1990]

In the mid 1990's, thanked her mother by buying her a house. She gathered her mother's possessions and put them in the new house, as well as framing photos and putting them on the wall. Then she pretended they were just looking at the house. Mariah says: "It was the most incredible thing I've ever been able to do".

Is the only act to have had a number one single in the US every year of the 1990's.

Her highest note thus far was a G#7 (a few keys from the top of a piano) hit during two live performances of "Emotions" in 1991. Also, she has hit an A2 in her 1998 hit "My All," verifying her 5-octave range. Also, celebrity vocal coach Mark Baxter says that he has heard Mariah sing past the top note on the piano.

Her highest note thus far was a G#7 (a few keys from the top of a piano) hit during two live performances of "Emotions" in 1991. Also, she has hit an A2 in her 1998 hit "My All," verifying her 5-octave range. Also, celebrity vocal coach Mark Baxter says that he has heard Mariah sing past the top note on the piano.

For the first time in history, a non current song, "All I want for Christmas is you" reached the #1 spot in the Digital Songs and Tracks the week of December 22th 2005.

For the first time in history, a non current song, "All I want for Christmas is you" (1994) reached the #1 spot in the Digital Songs and Tracks the week of December 22th 2005.

Made music history when "Fantasy" (from her 1995 album Daydream) became a #1. With "Fantasy," Mariah became the first female artist to debut at number one in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100s. "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow became her 14th #1 single, and with "Heartbreaker," it marked Mariah's 60th week atop the charts, which broke a long-standing 59-week record established by The Beatles as the artist with the most weeks at #1 in the 41-year history of the Billboard's Hot 100. "Thank God I Found You" also from Rainbow album was her 15 #1. "We Belong Together" from her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi became her 16th #1 single, is also Hot 100's Greatest Airplay Gainer, and moved to #1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart to become her ninth #1 chart topper there. It is also her first #1 without any guest artists since her song "My All" captured the top spot in May 1998. "Don't Forget About Us" became her 17th #1 single, tying her with Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. She beat Elvis Presley's record with "Touch My Body" as her 18th #1 single.

Made music history when "Fantasy" (from her 1995 album "Daydream") became a #1. With "Fantasy," she became the first female artist to debut at #1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100s. "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album "Rainbow" became her 14th #1 single, and with "Heartbreaker" it marked Mariah's 60th week atop the charts, which broke a long-standing 59-week record established by The Beatles as the artist with the most weeks at #1 in the 41-year history of the Billboard's Hot 100. "Thank God I Found You" also from the "Rainbow" album, was her 15 #1. "We Belong Together" from her 2005 album "The Emancipation of Mimi" became her 16th #1 single, is also Hot 100's Greatest Airplay Gainer, and moved to #1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart to become her ninth #1 chart topper there. It is also her first #1 without any guest artists since her song "My All" captured the top spot in May 1998. "Don't Forget About Us" became her 17th #1 single, tying her with Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. She beat Presley's record with "Touch My Body" as her 18th #1 single.

Founded Crave Records (1997-1998).

1998: Toured Australia and said the highlight of her trip was swimming with dolphins.

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

Honored by the Congressional Award in Washington, DC with the 1999 Horizon Award. The Horizon Award is a special recognition from the Joint Leadership of the United States Congress and the Congressional Award Board of Directors. The Horizon Award is presented to individuals from the private sectors who have contributed to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and who have set exceptional examples for young people through their successes in life.

With "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow, she became the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s.

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

With "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow, she became the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s.

Ranked #17 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women"

She has twice recorded Phil Collins' song "Against All Odds," initially on her album "Rainbow" and then a collaboration with Westlife hit number one in the UK in 2000.

She has twice recorded Phil Collins' song "Against All Odds," initially on her album "Rainbow" and then a collaboration with Westlife hit number one in the UK in 2000.

Ranked #17 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" (2000)

2001: Had a breakdown with the press, grabbed an interviewer's tape recorder and spoke directly to her fans: "I want them to know that this is a freaking, complete clown-fest".

Ranked #47 in Askmen's "Most Desirable Woman"

Ranked #99 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women"

According to some reports, insured her body for $10M during the shooting of Glitter .

The first single from the Glitter soundtrack, "Loverboy," was the #1 best selling single in the year 2001.

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

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.

Signed an $80 million deal with Virgin Records for her next four albums.

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

Virgin Records bought out her $80 million contract for $28 million. The primary reason being the failure of her Glitter album and film.

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

Virgin Records bought out her $80 million contract for $28 million. The primary reason being the failure of her Glitter (2001) album and film. [26 January 2002]

The first single from the Glitter (2001) soundtrack, "Loverboy," was the #1 best selling single in the year 2001.

Ranked #47 in Askmen's "Most Desirable Woman" (2001)

Signed an $80 million deal with Virgin Records for her next four albums. [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. [September 2001]

Ranked #99 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" (2001)

According to some reports, insured her body for $10M during the shooting of Glitter (2001).

2001: Had a breakdown with the press, grabbed an interviewer's tape recorder and spoke directly to her fans: "I want them to know that this is a freaking, complete clown-fest".

Her seventh studio album, titled 'Charmbracelet', will be released on December 3, 2002, a week earlier than originally planned.

Voted in at #36 in FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2002 poll, American edition.

Signed a three-album deal with Island/Def Jam records for a reported $21-24 million. She had already started work on a new album, which had no release date at that point. Meanwhile, WiseGirls , her movie with Mira Sorvino, premiered on HBO in the fall of 2002.

Signed a three-album deal with Island/Def Jam records for a reported $21-24 million. She had already started work on a new album, which had no release date at that point. Meanwhile, WiseGirls (2002), her movie with Mira Sorvino, premiered on HBO in the fall of 2002. [May 2002]

Her seventh studio album, titled 'Charmbracelet', will be released on December 3, 2002, a week earlier than originally planned.

Voted in at #36 in FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2002 poll, American edition.

March 2003: The Guiness Book of World Records awarded her the record for the highest note hit by a human, after she hit the G7# note during a live performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Gave acclaimed performances at State Kremlin Palace, Moscow, and in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2003.

March 2003: The Guinness Book of World Records awarded her the record for the highest note hit by a human, after she hit the G7# note during a live performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner". She also held the record for possessing the largest vocal range A2-G7#.

The Emancipation Of Mimi, named the biggest-selling album of 2005, generated an all-time career-high 8 Grammy nominations for Mariah. The album includes Mariah's 16th and 17th #1 career singles, "We Belong Together" and "Don't Forget About Us," respectively - which tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley's 17 #1's. She passed Elvis Presley with her 18th #1 single "Touch My Body". Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to match or surpass the Beatles' all-time high 20 #1 hits.

Named #15 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement.

Named #15 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

"The Emancipation Of Mimi", named the biggest-selling album of 2005, generated an all-time career-high 8 Grammy nominations for Mariah. The album includes her 16th and 17th #1 career singles, "We Belong Together" and "Don't Forget About Us", respectively - which tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley's 17 #1's. She passed Presley with her 18th #1 single, "Touch My Body". Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to match or surpass The Beatles' all-time high 20 #1 hits.

According to several interviews with Mariah Carey, her birth certificate, and her twins' birth certificates, Mariah has no middle name. Mariah said in a CNN interview (04/30/2005), her mother did not give her a middle name because she felt the full name "Mariah Carey" can be her "stage name". Mariah's daughter, Monroe Cannon, also does not have a middle name because Mariah herself does not have one.

Named #28 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. .

Named #28 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Ranked #71 on the Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2008 list (Measurements: 35D-24-36).

Merited a place in Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" (Artists & Entertainers section) with a tribute written by Stevie Wonder (Issue May 12, 2008).

154 thousand copies of her new album, E=MC2, were sold on its first day of release. (April 2008).

154,000 copies of her new album, "E=MC2", were sold on its first day of release. (April 2008).

Merited a place in Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" (Artists & Entertainers section) with a tribute written by Stevie Wonder (Issue May 12, 2008).

Ranked #71 on the Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2008 list (Measurements: 35D-24-36).

Suffered miscarriage, when she was pregnant with her first child with second husband Nick Cannon [December 2008].

Was originally cast as Tangie Adrose/Orange in For Colored Girls (2010), but after dropping out due to medical reasons she was replaced by Thandie Newton.

Gave birth to twins (her 1st and 2nd child) at age 41, a son Morrocan Scott Cannon and a daughter Monroe Cannon on April 30, 2011. Children's father is her second husband, Nick Cannon.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6537 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.