Many of the icons we celebrate today have risen from circumstances so dark, it’s almost unimaginable that they ever made it to greatness. The woman at the center of this story is one of them — a superstar whose early life was marked by betrayal, trauma, and a childhood steeped in pain. Her memoir later exposed truths that were both shocking and heartbreaking.
When she was only 12, she claimed that her own sister attempted to introduce her to drugs and even tried to involve her in sex work.
Didn’t believe she was worthy of being alive
The world often sees fame, elegance, and effortless success — yet behind the spotlight, some legends have endured wounds far deeper than the public ever knew. One of them, recently named the fifth-greatest singer of all time, proves just how much darkness can hide beneath stardom.
She became a global sensation in 1990, but her journey began long before fame. Born on March 27, 1969, in Huntington, New York, she was the daughter of Alfred — an African American and Venezuelan aeronautical engineer — and Patricia, an Irish-American opera singer. Despite sharing blood with those around her, she often felt like an outsider, noting that neither parent resembled her. She remembered viewing them as “riddled with regret, hostages of a sequence of cruel circumstances.” Her older siblings, Morgan and Alison, also looked different, with darker skin. At one point she admitted, “I didn’t believe I was worthy of being alive.”
Racism, violence, and a childhood in chaos
Her parents’ interracial marriage drew hostility at a time when such unions were rare. Patricia’s family disowned her for marrying a Black man, and the community around them made life unbearable. While living in Huntington, the family experienced horrific attacks — their dog was poisoned, and their car was set on fire.
She described her first experience of racism as “a first kiss in reverse,” adding that “Each time, a piece of purity was ripped from my being.”
Growing up mixed-race meant she was often misunderstood. Many friends didn’t even know she was biracial, and childhood events left lasting scars. During one sleepover, she says she was locked in a room while girls repeatedly screamed racial slurs — “The venom and hate with which these girls spewed this… chant was so strong, it quite literally lifted me out of my body.” Terrified, she cried, believing an adult would intervene. “But no-one came.”
On another occasion, a stranger spat in her face on the school bus.
Home wasn’t a haven either. She remembered violent fights between her father and brother, saying, “It was not uncommon for holes to be punched in walls or for other objects to go flying.”
Always felt dirty
Her bond with her mother was strained. She once shared, “I always felt dirty, I didn’t feel put together, and [she was] leaving me with people who were not safe.”
Frequent relocations and constant pressure eventually tore her parents apart. After the divorce, she rarely saw her father and spent long hours alone. Still, at just three years old, she began mimicking her mother’s operatic singing — a seed of hope in an otherwise chaotic world.
Even music couldn’t shield her from pain. In her memoirs, she recalled phoning for help at age six after her mother was attacked. A police officer reportedly said, “If this kid survives it will be a miracle.”
Her sister Alison struggled with teenage pregnancy, addiction, and suicidal thoughts. Their relationship was turbulent, and what came next would haunt her forever.
Her sister’s devastating actions
According to her memoir, at age 12, her sister gave her Valium, exposed her to cocaine, caused severe burns, and attempted to sell her to a pimp.
She described being coerced into spending a night with him, ending up at a drive-in where he placed his arm around her — and she noticed a gun resting beside him. Frozen in fear, she managed to escape only when another car appeared nearby.
Alison denied these allegations and expressed shock at being accused, before her death in 2024.
From unbearable trauma to unimaginable success
Considering everything she survived, it’s extraordinary that she became one of the best-selling artists in history — with more than 220 million records sold worldwide. Known as the “Songbird Supreme,” she earned global recognition for her distinctive five-octave range, whistle register, melismatic vocal style, and iconic diva persona. And of course — she became “The Queen of Christmas,” thanks to All I Want for Christmas Is You, one of the world’s most successful singles.
That woman is Mariah Carey.
A controlling marriage & a rebirth in music
Carey exploded into fame in the early ’90s. Her debut album made history, with her first five singles all reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. She dominated charts for eleven consecutive years, earning the title of Artist of the Decade.
But her personal life was far from perfect.
Her marriage to music executive Tony Mottola later felt restrictive. She described it as “controlling”, saying she lived like a prisoner inside their mansion. After eight difficult years, she broke free — choosing her children and “music,” which she calls her “saving grace.”
She welcomed twins Monroe and Moroccan Scott Cannon with Nick Cannon on April 30, 2011.
The story behind All I Want for Christmas
Her painful childhood shaped her deep love for Christmas — a theme that radiates through her most legendary holiday hit. All I Want for Christmas Is You celebrates its 31st anniversary this year.
She once told Cosmopolitan:
“As a kid, I always hoped for great Christmases, and we didn’t have them…”
“You know what? I just want to have the best time,” she recalled, reflecting on the holidays overshadowed by family pain.
Her relationship with her mother — the source of her vocal gift — remained layered. Their story was one of “betrayal and beauty,” “love and abandonment,” “sacrifice and survival.”
In August 2024, tragedy struck when Patricia and Alison passed away on the same day. Mariah was present for her mother’s final moments.
She later said, “I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.” She thanked fans for their compassion and for the “respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
After everything she endured — the racism, the violence, the abandonment, the trauma — she rose anyway. The story of Mariah Carey reminds us that behind the glittering fame, there is often a history of survival the world never sees.
It teaches us not to judge a life by what it looks like, but by what it overcame.
