Mariah Carey's rise to fame was marked by her debut album and subsequent chart-topping singles.
Signing with Columbia Records
December 1988
Carey handed her demo tape to Tommy Mottola, the head of Columbia Records, at a music executive's party. Mottola signed her to Columbia after a bidding war with another record label.
First Public Appearance
June 5, 1990
Carey made her first public appearance at the 1990 NBA Finals, singing 'America the Beautiful'. The highlight was the piercing whistle note toward the song's conclusion, sparking CBS Sports anchor Pat O'Brien to declare, 'The palace now has a queen.'
Debut Album
1990
Carey's self-titled debut album was released and topped the US Billboard 200 for eleven consecutive weeks. The album's singles 'Vision of Love', 'Love Takes Time', 'Someday', and 'I Don't Wanna Cry' all topped the US Billboard Hot 100.
Grammy Awards
1991
Carey won the award for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her single 'Vision of Love' at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards.
