Who was Mariah Carey’s mom? Singer’s “complicated relationship” with Patricia Carey explored amid iHeartRadio tribute

Mariah Carey honored her late mum, Patricia Carey, while accepting the Icon Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Reflecting on her journey, the singer credited her mother for introducing her to music, which she admitted was a “gift.”

Mariah’s early musical foundation was also largely influenced by Patricia, a Juilliard-trained opera singer. But their relationship was often fraught with challenges, as the singer herself has stated in past interviews and her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

Patricia Hickey Carey, an opera singer trained in the classical style, was born and raised in the United States and studied at the prestigious Juilliard School. She went on to become a vocal coach, training Mariah from an early age.

Mariah Carey has long characterized her relationship with her mother as both love and pain. In The Meaning of Mariah Carey, she wrote openly about how while helping or guiding Patricia Carey could be a harsh critic and show emotions of envy. She recalled a particular incident that made her feel undermined when Patricia made a comment saying:

"You should only hope that one day you become half the singer I am."

These experiences played into what Mariah described as a “complicated love” that included admiration but also a few emotional scars. Addressing her mother in the memoir she wrote:

"Like many aspects of my life, my journey with my mother has been full of contradictions and competing realities. It's never been only black-and-white — it's been a whole rainbow of emotions,"

More about Mariah Carey’s tribute to Patricia Carey at the iHeartRadio Awards

Mariah credited her mother for helping her with her career during the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards. In her acceptance speech, she thanked Patricia for opening her up to the world of music.

The tribute comes months after Patricia died, in late 2024, a day that was particularly painful for Mariah as she also lost her sister, Alison, that day.

During her recent speech at the iHeartRadio Awards Mariah acknowledged everyone responsible for her success, including her fans, producers, and her late mother. During her speech, she said:

"On this St. Patrick's Day, I want to honor my mother Patricia Carey for giving me the gift of music,"

In 2010, the mother and daughter even sang together on stage, performing “O Come All Ye Faithful/Hallelujah Chorus” in a televised Christmas special. Mariah Carey has continued to pay homage to her mother’s influence since her death.