Mariah Carey

Other activities

Charity work

Carey is a philanthropist who has donated both time and millions of dollars to organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the National Adoption Center, VH1's Save The Music Foundation, Operation Smile, and the Fresh Air Fund among many others http://www.themariahnetwork.com/info/charity.html. Carey is well-known nationally for her work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in granting the wishes of the terminally ill Caleb Boulter as seen on live television. Boulter, a self-confessed "loyal fan" of Carey since listening to "My All" in 1997, called her "a very real person who overflows with compassion and love for others" http://popdirt.com/article11571.html.

Related Topics:
Make-A-Wish Foundation - National Adoption Center - Save The Music Foundation - Operation Smile - Fresh Air Fund - Caleb Boulter

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As part of her involvement with the Fresh Air Fund, Carey is the co-founder of a serene camp located in Fishkill, New York that enables inner-city youth to embrace the arts, be introduced to career opportunities, and build self-esteem. The camp was named Camp Mariah in honour of Carey's work with the Fresh Air Fund http://www.freshair.org/summercamp.asp. Carey even received a Congressional Award titled the Horizon Award for her charity work on behalf of children http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1426935/19990413/carey_mariah.jhtml.

Related Topics:
Fishkill, New York - Camp Mariah

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On July 2, 2005, Carey performed for Live 8 at the Live 8 concert, London. "Make It Happen" and "Hero" were sung with the African Children's Choir; she finished with "We Belong Together". Old friend and now American Idol judge Randy Jackson was one of her band members. Following the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the U.S. Gulf Coast two months later, Carey participated in the Shelter from the Storm telethon, performing "Fly Like a Bird". She is also working with Michael Jackson on a hurricane-relief single titled "From the Bottom of My Heart", expected to be released in October.

Related Topics:
July 2 - 2005 - Live 8 concert, London - African Children's Choir - Randy Jackson - Hurricane Katrina - Shelter from the Storm - Fly Like a Bird - Michael Jackson - From the Bottom of My Heart

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Fashion and lifestyle

Carey owns a three-story penthouse (valued at $9 milllion+) in TriBeCa, Manhattan, New York City that was featured on MTV Cribs and in a special issue of Architectural Digest. A centerpiece is Marilyn Monroe's white lacquered baby grand piano, bought at an auction in October of 1999 for $600,000 plus commission. Carey's friendly attitude towards her fans has backfired a bit. After she made an announcement in jest on Cribs for fans to visit, some fans traveled from Spain to her apartment in New York City and requested to stay the night citing her offer. Carey had to turn them away for privacy reasons, but she did give them money for a hotel. http://teenmusic.com/d.asp?r=6277

Related Topics:
TriBeCa - Manhattan - MTV Cribs - Architectural Digest - Marilyn Monroe - 1999 - Spain

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In 2005 it was reported that Carey was consulting with Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley to upgrade her clothing look, which since the Rainbow era has often been criticized as raunchy, excessively revealing, and age-inappropriate http://www.fashiongates.com/magazine/Mariah-Carey-to-Change-Style-19-05-05-66081.html. A Pan-Islamic political youth leader even attempted to have Carey banned from performing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in early 2004, on the basis that she was "not an appropriate role model for young Malaysians" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3402201.stm. Carey and Andre Leon Talley can be found talking about the 1950s look and old glamour influence on the television special "Mariah Carey Uncut" for cable network E!.

Related Topics:
2005 - Vogue - Andre Leon Talley - Pan-Islamic - Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia - 1950s

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Ironically, sometimes her sexual appearance is at complete odds with her personal behavior; she has been quoted several times as saying she has only had a handful of intimate relationships with men http://www.usatoday.com/life/dcovfri.htm http://www.1st-choice-ringtones.co.uk/pages/mariah_carey_news_and_gossip.html. Her decisions in this regard may have been influenced by the counter-example of her sister Alison, who has lived a troubled life and in 2005 was arrested for prostitution. http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/news/index.php?type=ent&news_id=361. Although the news made headlines with Mariah being in the spotlight again, this is not the first time Alison has been arrested and has been an expert in the field of prostitution for years. Through her activities, she has contracted the HIV virus, and her children were taken away from her (Mariah supports the children financially).

Related Topics:
Prostitution - HIV

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Some have commented that Carey's image is a key factor in the success of her records. In a 2005 concert at Madison Square Garden, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin said, "If we looked like Mariah Carey, we?d sell 25 times as many records, which would be a lot." He continued by stating that if the band resembled Carey, "We could date people who looked like Tom Cruise."

Related Topics:
Coldplay - Chris Martin - Tom Cruise

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Talent management

In February of 1997, it was announced that Crave Records, a new Sony Music label founded by Carey, would be launched. Groups signed to the label included female R&B quartet Allure, who released a self-titled album featuring the hit singles "Head Over Heels", "All Cried Out", and "Last Chance" and male R&B trio 7 Mile, who also released a self-titled album. In July of 1998, Crave Records was shut down.

Related Topics:
1997 - Crave Records - Sony Music - 1998

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Years later, as part of her deal with Island Def Jam Records, Carey created the MonarC imprint to sign and develop new artists. Carey signed her good friend and backup singer, Trey Lorenz along with Bell & Nae Nae and Sadie, also known as "Dat Baby", to the label. However, the label has since been officially shutdown.

Related Topics:
Island Def Jam Records - MonarC - Trey Lorenz

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Upcoming plans

Carey may be launching a clothing and accessories lines known as Automatic Princess http://www.themariahnetwork.com/info/ap.html. Carey was also going to write her autobiography with David Ritz http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1488282/20040609/carey_mariah.jhtml?headlines=true, but following a discussion with publisher HarperCollins, she dropped the proposal. She has instead chosen to fictionalize her story and adapt it into a series of illustrated children's books, also titled Automatic Princess, about an orphaned young girl who is biracial.http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1488282/20040609/carey_mariah.jhtml?headlines=true Carey is also in the works to launch her very own lingerie line, Kiss Kiss, which will be available for women in all sizes http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2345073&fSectionId=355&fSetId=204, but no official release date has been set.

Related Topics:
Automatic Princess - David Ritz - HarperCollins - Automatic Princess - Kiss Kiss

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