Mariah Carey Recalls Feeling Powerless in Her First Marriage To Tommy Mottola

Mariah Carey is looking back on her early years in the spotlight, and the difficult marriage that shaped them.

In a new interview, the pop superstar shared rare details about her time with former music executive Tommy Mottola, whom she married in 1993 after he helped launch her career.

Carey was just starting out when Mottola signed her to Columbia Records and guided her debut album to massive success.

But behind the scenes, things were far from perfect.

She now admits those years were filled with frustration and a lack of freedom, especially when it came to her music.

Although she became a global sensation, Carey says she was not allowed to explore the sound she really wanted.

She had dreams of diving deeper into rhythm and blues and more urban music styles, but her ideas were constantly rejected.

While she appreciated the hits she made, she felt something inside her was being held back.

Her former home with Mottola in upstate New York only made things worse.

Carey once described it as feeling like a prison, isolated, guarded, and deeply controlling.

She has even suggested that jealousy played a role in the way Mottola handled her career and personal life.

These days, the singer uses humor as a way to handle the painful memories.

She says joking about her past helps her avoid turning every day into a sad story. It is her way of staying strong and moving forward.

Despite all the challenges, Carey eventually found a new path. She married comedian Nick Cannon in 2008 and became a mother to twins Moroccan and Monroe three years later.

Although the couple split in 2014, they continue to co-parent their children.

Mottola has also moved on and is now married to singer and actress Thalía.

But for Mariah, that first marriage remains a chapter she will never fully forget, even if she tries not to talk about it too much.