According to Billboard magazine, she was the most successful artist of the 1990s in the United States.įollowing her separation from Mottola in 1997, Carey introduced elements of hip hop into her album work, to much initial success, but her popularity was in decline when she left Columbia in 2001. Following her marriage to Mottola in 1993, a series of hit records established her position as Columbia's highest-selling act. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S. Mariah Carey (born Main Huntington, New York, United States) is a pop and R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model and entrepreneur.