What is Mariah Carey nationality? In the United States today, the German-American ethnic group stands as the most significant, with over 40 million individuals self-identifying as such, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This accounts for 76.5% of Americans who identify as White. However, what about the ethnicity of the renowned singer Mariah Carey?
Mariah Carey is of mixed ancestry, often expressing a closer affinity to her Black heritage, in spite of having a White mother. Her biracial identity corresponds to 2.7% of the total U.S. population who identify with multiple races. This number is even smaller in Huntington, NY, where Carey was raised, with a mere 0.9% identifying as biracial or multiracial.
Now, let us delve into Carey’s lineage and the broader narrative of biracial America.
Tracing Carey’s Roots
As per data from the Pew Research Center, 11% of all marriages in the U.S. involve a Black man and a White woman or vice versa, while 42% include one White partner and one Hispanic partner. Similarly, just 14% of infants in America are of multiple ethnicities or races, and only 10% have one White parent and one Black parent.
Mariah Carey falls into this 10%, having an Irish-White mother and a Venezuelan African-American father. Despite her light complexion, which may lead some to assume she’s White, Carey is indeed biracial.
Mariah Carey’s Biracial Identity Challenges
Research indicates that biracial individuals often face a unique struggle in America, frequently seen as “attractively unusual outsiders” grappling with societal placement.
Carey has openly discussed the challenges she faced as a biracial child growing up in a predominantly White community, in an interview with Bustle. She expressed feeling like an outsider, believing that her wealthier peers could never truly grasp her profound life experiences.
Carey even suggested that her battle with bipolar disorder may be tied to her struggles with her biracial identity. In a 2018 dialogue with People, Carey confessed,
A Deeper Look into Mariah Carey’s Life
The renowned American artist, Mariah Carey, is not just a singer but also an actress and a television personality. Born to Patricia Hickey, an opera singer and vocal coach, and Alfred Roy Carey, an engineer in aeronautics, Mariah’s multicultural background is noteworthy. Her father Alfred Roy Carey, was of African-Cuban descent and her mother, Patricia, is of Irish heritage. Mariah’s name happens to be inspired by the song “They Call the Wind Maria” from the 1951 musical Paint Your Wagon.
The multiracial Carey family faced racial prejudice during Mariah’s early years. The divorce of her parents when she was just three years old led to her being raised primarily by her mother in Greenlawn, Long Island. Mariah, later in life, became a mother to two children during her marriage to actor and television personality, Nick Cannon.
The racial identity of Mariah’s paternal grandfather, Roberto Nuñez, has been a subject of intrigue. Mariah’s remarks in an interview with Latina Magazine indicate the ambiguity of whether he was of white or black Venezuelan descent. However, records show that he was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States in 1907. His race was listed as “Negro” (Black) in the 1930 United States Census. Mariah’s paternal grandmother, Addie Cole, was African-American, born in North Carolina.
Regarding Mariah’s maternal lineage, her grandparents had Irish roots. John Wesley Hickey, Mariah’s grandfather, and Ann Elizabeth Egan, her grandmother, were both born in Illinois and were of Irish descent.
Personal Journey
Mariah Carey tied the knot with Tommy Mottola in an extravagant ceremony at St Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan in June 1993. However, their marital bond came to an end in 1998. Post-divorce, Carey had a romantic liaison with Latin artist Luis Miguel, which lasted three years but concluded in 2001’s summer.
A new chapter in Carey’s love life began when she started dating rapper and actor Nick Cannon, who starred in her “Bye Bye” music video. The whirlwind romance led to their marriage in a covert ceremony in the Bahamas on April 30, 2008, after a courtship of less than two months. The couple welcomed twin children, Moroccan and Monroe, in 2011.
However, their marital bliss was short-lived, leading to their separation announcement in August 2014, after six years of togetherness. Their divorce process concluded in 2016. Carey then got engaged to Australian entrepreneur James Packer in New York City in January 2016, but they parted ways in October the same year. Post this breakup, Carey started dating Bryan Tanaka, her backup dancer who was also a part of her reality show, Mariah’s World.
Beyond her musical pursuits, Carey is deeply involved in philanthropic activities. She actively fundraises for The Fresh Air Fund. This nonprofit entity offers disadvantaged children from New York City free summer trips. Carey is also the co-founder of Camp Mariah, one of the initiatives of this organization.
The Biracial Experience in The American Entertainment Field
Mariah Carey’s journey as a biracial artist in the music industry has been fraught with racial disparities. From the onset of her career, the question on everyone’s lips was about her racial identity.
In a revealing interview, Mariah shed light on her early days in the industry and the covert racial discrimination she faced. This became more evident to her as she began travelling across the globe and saw the stark contrast in racial issues in America compared to other countries.
She found solace and escape from these challenges through her music. It became a therapeutic outlet for her to express her experiences as a biracial woman navigating through American society and the music industry.
Closing Thoughts
Mariah Carey’s journey as a biracial woman in America has been a challenging one. Despite facing racial prejudices and personal struggles, she has harnessed her talent and used her voice for positive influence. Her story serves as a testament to the fact that irrespective of the challenges you face, success is achievable if you’re determined and undeterred by obstacles.
