Mariah Carey, a renowned American singer and songwriter, is recognised for her five-octave vocal range and distinctive whistle notes. She won her first-ever VMA Award in 2025, becoming the recipient of the Video Vanguard Award. The singer rose to fame with her debut album, Mariah Carey, in the 1990s, which made her one of the best-selling artists of that era. Mariah is a pop culture icon, and she also appeared in the film Precious. Well, as she won her first-ever VMA Award, she is hogging the top spots on trends. Amid this, let’s have a look at her personal life.
Mariah Carey’s first marriage to Sony head, Tommy Mottola
Mariah Carey met Tommy Mottola back in 1991 when she was a backup singer for Brenda K. Starr, and he was the head of Columbia Records. Tommy was already married by then, with two kids, and was 43 years old when he met 23-year-old Mariah. Tommy reportedly tried to sign Mariah, and subsequently, he also reportedly divorced his wife of 19 years. Mariah’s life and career were reportedly being controlled by Tommy, and the duo got married. In her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, she described herself as a ‘prisoner’ in her marital life with Tommy.
Mariah shared that she was not able to leave their mansion, and even security guards remained outside her bathroom. She called her relationship with Tommy inappropriate, while crediting the Sony head (her husband), Tommy, for her successful career. Following this, Mariah began to find freedom from Tommy’s clutches as she met baseball icon Derek Jeter, whom she later referred to as a ‘catalyst’ during a pivotal phase of her life. In 1998, Mariah and Tommy called it quits, and in her album, Glitter, the singer reportedly accused her ex-husband of trying to sabotage her career.
Mariah Carey and Luis Miguel’s extravagant relationship
Following her first marriage and the split, Mariah started dating Luis Miguel. The duo reportedly met after being set up on a blind date in Aspen, Colorado. Luis and Mariah’s relationship was a talk of the town, and they were considered a ‘power couple’, given the fact that both were well-established in their respective careers. Luis and Mariah kept their relationship mostly private, and they would often get papped together, igniting the buzz around them. It was in 2001-2002, when Luis and Mariah called it quits, reportedly due to their respective demanding careers. Notably, Mariah and Luis had always spoken warmly about each other, which suggests that they have been on cordial terms.
Mariah Carey’s second marriage to Nick Cannon
Mariah Carey met Nick Cannon in 2008, when he appeared in her music video Bye Bye. Soon after that, Mariah and Nick started dating each other, and eventually Nick proposed to Carey with a pink diamond ring. The duo was tagged as one of the most adorable couples in Hollywood. Unlike her turbulent first marriage to Tommy Mottoal, Mariah’s wedding to Nick was rather light, which she described as fun, free, and supportive.
In 2011, the couple welcomed their twins, Monroe and Moroccan. Everything was going well between the couple until 2014, when Mariah filed for divorce from Nick. The reason for their split was not disclosed, and later on, their divorce was finalised. Currently, the couple maintains a cordial relationship for the sake of co-parenting.
Mariah Carey’s engagement to an Australian billionaire businessman, James Packer
Following her divorce from Nick Cannon, Mariah met James Packer, the son of media tycoon, Kerry Packer. The duo met through their common friend, Brett Ratner, at an event. Soon, something sparked, and they began dating each other, with their relationship going public in 2015. It was the following year, in 2016, when Nick proposed to Mariah with a 35-carat diamond ring, worth USD 10 million. The duo was reportedly set for a lavish wedding, but by October 2016, things had collapsed between them, and they called it quits.
After calling off their engagement, Mariah Carey sued James for USD 50 million, citing the fact that she uprooted her life and that she had to go through emotional distress. After a lengthy conversation, the duo settled on a price of USD 5-10 million, with Mariah retaining her engagement ring. According to the reports, she sold the ring for USD 2.1 million.
Mariah Carey’s other relationships
After her engagement to James Packer ended in 2016, the singer began dating dancer Bryan Tanaka. After dating for a few years, the couple ended their relationship. In December 2023, Bryan took to his social media handle and confirmed that he and Mariah had parted ways amicably. He further praised Mariah and their journey together, while mentioning that their relationship was meaningful and they even artistically collaborated, which would be etched in their hearts forever. He said:
“Our decision to embark on different paths is mutual, and as we navigate these separate journeys, we do so with profound respect and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the invaluable time we’ve shared. The memories we’ve created and the artistic collaborations are etched in my heart forever.”
Following this, Mariah reportedly dated singer-rapper-producer Anderson Paak. The duo collaborated on a project in June 2024, and in December of the same year, they reportedly were spotted together privately. In March 2025, they arrived at the iHeartRadio Music Awards together, following which US Weekly revealed that the duo was indeed a couple. While it is not confirmed whether Mariah is dating Anderson, in May 2025, he made an appearance on the Track Star YouTube show wearing a Mariah Carey T-shirt, following their trip to Disneyland in July 2025.
What do you think about Mariah’s personal life, including two broken marriages and a broken engagement? She earlier joked that her relationships and boyfriends are few and far between as she is a self-described ‘prude’. She also mentioned that she didn’t have many lovers, but she had a variety of packs.
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