by Laura Zakrewski
Many a diva has come and gone, but one has stood the test of
time. The name’s Carey. Mariah Carey, and feel free to wear it out. She
loves to see her name in lights because, well, she’s a diva and that’s her
right. However, loyal fans of Ms.
Carey’s don’t mind it at all. She’s just
the right amount of sassy mixed with a hint of sweet…or should I say Honey?
Her career began before all of us youngsters taking classes
here at Woburn High were even a thought, way back in the year 1990. Her first hit song "Vision of Love" catapulted Mariah Carey to the top of the Billboard
Charts. The accompanying music video is
often described by music critics as “simple and very focused on the power of
her vocal ability.”
At the 33rd annual Grammy Awards, Mariah won Best
New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. This gave her the proper platform to let out
her inner diva. The exposure that she
was getting for her debut album, self-titled Mariah Carey, created a high demand for her second studio
album.
Still, many people felt that she was nothing more than a passing pop star and that she would fade after the success of songs such as "Vision of Love", "Someday" and "Love Takes Time". Luckily, Mariah showed the haters just how wrong they were.
Her album Emotions came out in 1991, successfully
producing a few hit songs and highlighting the impressive whistle register that
Carey is known for. At this time in
Mariah’s career, she was having difficulties with her record label and lawsuits
were filed all over the place. However,
this tumultuous behind-the-scenes action never surfaced in her songs, as they
still came out better than ever.
In 1992, Mariah
Carey was set to perform on MTV unplugged, which was a television show where
artists performed stripped down versions of their hit songs. However, Carey wanted to go for the
unexpected and decided to sing a cover version of Hero, a song originally by the Jackson 5. This turned out to be a smash hit, and to
date remains one of Mariah’s most popular songs.
This success
continued with her album Music Box, which became one of the best-selling albums
of all time. She followed this up with a
small, yet successful concert tour of North America. After only three years on the music scene,
Mariah had officially earned the title of diva.
We mustn’t
forget about the merriest song of them all.
Mariah Carey’s contribution to Christmas has been named a “holiday
standard” by Rolling Stone Magazine. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a
modern take on the holidays that gets people, young and old, in a celebratory,
festive mood.
After the 1990s
ended, Carey kept the 2000s real with songs such as "Obsessed" and "We Belong Together." Her songs have reached the ears of many listeners. To date, Mariah Carey has had eighteen songs
hit number one, and countless other songs make the charts.
Now, it’s not to say that Mariah is perfect. Her personal life has been hectic at times, with a couple of failed marriages, an emotional breakdown circa 2001, and a failed foray into film with Glitter. Her vocals aren’t what they used to be, but that’s what happens after years of wear and tear on the vocal chords.
It is safe to say that Mariah Carey is not just a diva, but the diva. Her contributions to pop and R & B are immense and her influence on modern music can be felt even today in 2015.
Now, it’s not to say that Mariah is perfect. Her personal life has been hectic at times, with a couple of failed marriages, an emotional breakdown circa 2001, and a failed foray into film with Glitter. Her vocals aren’t what they used to be, but that’s what happens after years of wear and tear on the vocal chords.
It is safe to say that Mariah Carey is not just a diva, but the diva. Her contributions to pop and R & B are immense and her influence on modern music can be felt even today in 2015.
Mariah
Carey's Hits:
Honey
Dreamlover One Sweet Day
Emotions
6 Mine Again
Butterfly
8 Circles
Vision of Love
Don’t Forget About Us
We Belong Together
Always Be My Baby
Without You
Hero
Touch My Body
Bye Bye
I' I’ll Be There
Shake It Off
Obsessed
It’s Like That
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