Chronicling Mariah Carey
May 4, 2004

Mariah Carey has garnished more success in just a little over a decade than most music acts ever do in their entire careers. As a child she faced racial injustice because of her mixed race and continued to be misunderstood into adulthood. As a celebrity she has had to endure the scrutiny of the unrelenting press and has been put in the awkward position of having her daily life documented in magazines and tabloids. She is more complex than most think and her music is deeper and more influential than most critics will admit.

With all of this given, writing about her in any format is not necessarily an easy task. But music journalist Chris Nickson has extensively done so...twice. In 1995’s Her Story and 1998’s Mariah Carey Revisited (both published by St. Martin’s Press), Nickson chronicles Carey’s tumultuous childhood, rise to fame, and life after worldwide acclaim. Although dozens of other biographies have been published before and after these two, the Nickson books remain the most in-depth and informative on the market.

MariahDaily.com talked with the author regarding his reasons for writing about Mariah, as well as the process of bringing a concept to a fleshed-out publication and the possibilities of turning his Mariah biography series into a trilogy.

Mariah Daily: Her Story was your first book. Previously, you had been a rock music journalist writing for various magazines. When you made the jump to being a biographer, why did you decide to write about Mariah first?
Chris Nickson: In all honesty, opportunity more than anything. A friend of mine had been offered the chance to write the book. Mariah was the publisher's suggestion, I believe. He didn't want to, and suggested me instead. Naturally, I was interested. She was a major figure, even if it wasn't the type of music I normally covered, and like most writers, I wanted to see a book with my name on it.

MD: When Her Story was originally published in June 1995, Mariah had only been singing professionally for five years. Still, there was a lot of ground to cover. What were some of the processes involved in properly researching and preparing for the book?
Chris: The book itself was written in 1994, from April to June, as I recall, so there was even less to go on. Mostly it was a case of scouring magazines stands, and using the library. The [Internet] simply wasn't really a resource in those days. So there was plenty of detective work involved. I also had a couple of friends who worked for Sony Music in New York, who proved to be quietly valuable but anonymous sources.

MD: How long did it take you to compile all the information and write Her Story?
Chris: It was a three month process, all in all. Now that seems like a long time to me, but back then I felt rushed. I was new, didn't really know what was expected.

MD: Would you consider yourself a “Mariah expert” because of the in-depth research you did for these books?
Chris: I believe I was a Mariah expert at the time, although probably not as much as some obsessive fans, who follow every heartbeat. However, I probably knew more about her than most of America.

MD: Although these books are very factual, they are still unauthorized. To your knowledge, has Mariah or her camp ever commented about the biographies?
Chris: I've only heard this secondhand, so I don't know if it's true. But I was told that a girl won a competition to spend a day with Mariah. She took along CDs and other things to be autographed, including a copy of the book. The only item Mariah refused to sign was the book. But, as I stated, this is hearsay. However, when St. Martin's Press was preparing to published Mariah Carey Revisited, her manager offered a new picture for the cover.

MD: When writing about Mariah’s albums, you were very positive, going through each track and detailing its best qualities. Does this mean that, unlike many others who write about Mariah, you’re actually a fan of her music?
Chris: I can't say I like everything she's done, by any means. But it's rare for me to like everything any artist has done. We all have our individual tastes in songs. But ... she has some good pop songs and ballads, and a stunning voice.

MD: In October 1998, an updated version of Her Story was published entitled Mariah Carey Revisited. Although you’ve written many other biographies, Mariah’s was the first you decided to revise and re-release. Why was that?
Chris: That was suggested by the publisher, and there certainly seemed to be plenty to add at that point.

MD: Some critics gave the Mariah biographies bad citations for supposedly relying heavily on magazine articles. Mariah fans, however, generally find the books useful, informative, and a good read. Why do you think the critics and fans have such varying views on the books?
Chris: Well, in my view, you write for the fans - the people who are going to shell out hard-earned money for the book. If they're happy, then it's a job well done. I recall reading a review of my Mariah book from a girl who didn't especially enjoy reading. She'd gone through it in one sitting, or something similar. Obviously she'd enjoyed it. Hopefully it made her want to read more. To me, that was the most gratifying thing I read. I don't make claims for my biographies being high art or great literature - critics want original research, which is fair enough, and mine don't contain that. But if the fans are happy, then I've done a good job.

MD: Do you try to keep up with information about Mariah? Are you still interested in her?
Chris: I don't really keep up with pop culture at all these days - certainly not to any great extent. But I do have an abiding affection for Mariah, simply because she was my first book, and also because someone important [to me] loves "All I Ever Wanted" - it's her favorite song. So I keep up periodically. I appeared on a British documentary last year about Mariah.

MD: Would you ever consider writing about Mariah again? After all, quite a bit has happened in Mariah Land since the publication of 1998’s Revisited. (Multiple albums, movies, world tours, etc.)
Chris: Frankly, I think there's much more to write about now, but I also believe that it would probably be time for a much more in-depth book - which would involve Mariah's co-operation.

MD: You ended your Mariah biographies by saying, “[Mariah] gives herself to her music in a way most pop stars couldn’t even imagine. ...Whatever fads rise and fall, and whatever artists come and go, there will only be one Mariah Carey.” Do you still believe this holds true?
Chris: Well, she's still around, although her profile is lower these days. I wrote that before the boom in boy bands and girl singers. ... But she does have a remarkable voice, and there are still plenty of people who want to listen when she sings. So I'm sure she'll keep on.

MD: What do you think the world should know about Mariah Carey?
Chris: Oh Lord, that's a good question...and there's probably nothing I could tell you that you don't already know!

Chris Nickson recently completed a biography on OutKast. His publications, including the two Mariah Carey biographies, can be purchased from amazon.com.