Mariah Carey Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy Before Mariah Carey became a famous musician, she struggled to find love and happiness within her broken family - a goal that didn't change with musical success. Carey detailed her ups and downs with her family, especially her mother, Patricia Carey, in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. The Grammy winner revealed that growing up she felt "significant neglect" from her mother, who she claimed was jealous of her career.