Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey
Birth Date: March 27, 1969
Birth Place: Huntington, N.Y.

The life of Mariah Carey has never been lacking in rollercoaster drama. She shot up the charts in 1990 with her debut album and five-octave range, eventually becoming the best-selling female artist of all time. Then, in 2001, she fell from grace with her poorly received film debut, Glitter, and her subsequent emotional breakdown.

Carey's love life was just as volatile. At 19, she met Sony Music mogul Tommy Mottola, who signed her with Columbia Records, making her a star at 21 and his wife at 24. The marriage ended four years later, but Carey continued to record with Columbia until signing a reported $80 million, four-album deal with Virgin Records in 2001.

In 2005, the pop diva came back stronger than ever with The Emancipation of Mimi, which became the year's best-selling album and added three more Grammys to growing collection.