Mariah Carey: Super Fly - October 1991 Issue

Mariah Carey
Super Fly - October 1991 Issue

Just when a lack of good old-fashioned talent seems to be creeping up on the music industry--enter Mariah Carey. Mariah is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale atmosphere. So why has it taken so long for this 5-foot 9-inch volcano to erupt? Well, like I say: all good things take time.

Mariah always knew that she would become a successful performer and it was just a matter of time. "I worked hard for a long time. I know I had to stay with it. If you don't believe in yourself, you never get anywhere," Mariah states firmly.

She began her career when she was a mere tot. She used to mimic her mom, who was an opera singer and a voice teacher. At 4 years old, Mariah's formal voice training began. She would also join in on "impromptu jam sessions" with her mom and her mom's friends.

Growing up in New York, Mariah was exposed to all kinds of music. She listened to all types of music, including opera and jazz. Her tastes turned toward gospel and the combination of all these different sounds helped her to really understand music and inpired her to write as beautifully as she does.

And this girl can write! And sing. But Mariah never displayed her talent publicly when she was younger. In her high school days, she never entered talent contests or sang with a band. She also never strived to achieve the greatest marks in academics. But, when in the privacy of her own home, she would write and sing with a vengeance. Her determination was incomparable and unstoppable. And so the story goes.

At 16 years old, she got her break when she started singing back-up vocals for Brenda K. Starr. Starr got a hold of her demo tape and gave it to CBS Records President, Tommy Mottola. Mariah signed immediately and her career was in motion. The rest is history.

Since last June when her self-titled debut LP came out, there has been no stopping her. Mariah wrote all her own material, and, with her seven-octave vocal range, crooned all her wonderful tunes like nobody's business. "Vision of Love," was the first of her songs to cruise up the Billboard charts. This was followed by "Love Takes Time" and "Someday." Each song is as good as, if not better than, the one before it.

The way this young lady is going, there is no one who can stand in her way. Her favorite artists include Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Although she is not one of her favorites, Whitney Houston also has some sort of tie to Mariah--the dreaded comparison. Many people say that Mariah sounds a lot like Whitney. And what does Mariah think about this? "It's a compliment. She's a superstar and a great singer. There are people lots worse I could be compared to," Mariah says. "People compare someone new to someone established because they just don't know the new person."

Well, not it's Mariah's turn to get know. With the heavy rotation her videos receive on MTV and VH-1 and the heavy airplay her songs get on radio, two out of three people are bound to have seen her face or heard or voice. Now, she even has her own home video for sale. "The First Vision" is a "culmination of so much hard work, so many dreams, countless wishes and endless prayers," Mariah Says. It's a 42-minute video which includes her three successful videos. Included on her "I Don't Wanna Cry" video, footage from backstage at the Apollo theater, an interview with the dynamo herself and finally, coverage of her performance on Saturday Night Live.

Anyone who loves Mariah's music must definitely check it out, and check this out--it's only the beginning! She hasn't toured yet, and won't begin a tour until she has completed another album so there will be plenty of good material to work with. As Mariah sits at home with her two Persian cats, writing fervently, the world waits with baited breath. Upon completion, there'll be two fabulous albums and maybe even a chance to see Mariah strut her stuff live.

She is young, talented, and beautiful--and together! This star's future shines brightly. She's been here for about a year and the way things are going, it looks as though she'll be around for years and years to come. Who knows, in time, maybe people will hear up 'n comers and say, "Boy, she sounds like Mariah Carey!"




Many thanks to Kerry from Mariah Carey Collection for the scans.