Mariah Carey is known for her divalicious ways, but her life wasn’t always so glamorous. The mega superstar is giving fans a chance to step into her life with her new eight-part E! docuseries Mariah’s World, and the singer opened up about her modest upbringing in a new sneak peek.
In a clip from the upcoming series, which is set to premiere this Sunday, Mariah met up with her nephew Shawn and they reflected on their past as they sailed on a luxurious yacht in Italy.
“I think me and Shawn have a great relationship because we both understand what it’s like to literally come from nothing,” Mariah said in her on-camera interview.
The “Touch My Body” singer stressed the fact that while she was currently taking in the views of the Italian seas with Shawn, they both did not grow up with such luxuries.
“There were a lot of economic and other difficulties when we were growing up,” Shawn explained. “And one of the main reasons that I admire Mimi is that she overcame that.”
Mariah explained that her “love affair” with music is what helped her reach her diva status. She said that her mother was the one who realized that she had a talent for singing and she encouraged her daughter to follow her dreams. At 12 years old, young Mariah started recording demos and she even worked as a back up singer. When she was a teenager, she moved to Manhattan on her own to chase her destiny.
“It was an exciting time for me even though I had nothing,” Mariah said in her on-camera interview. “I lived like on a mattress on the floor, I was writing my songs and being a horrible waitress. My demo tape ended up at Sony, they signed it away.”
Watch the full clip above and be sure to check out the series premiere of Mariah’s World, airing Sunday December 4 at 9 p.m. on E!
Photo credits: E!, Mariah Carey/Instagram
