It goes without saying that Mariah Carey is without a doubt one of the most talented and successful singers of our time! The songbird supreme first debuted back in 1990 with her hit single, Vision Of Love. Mariah's self-titled debut album not only went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 but was her first of 19 Hot 100 number one songs, the most for any solo artist in music history!
Carey falls behind The Beatles by one song, making her a force to be reckoned with. While the star may be known for her many diva moments, her voice is certainly her claim to fame. Mariah went on to release her most recent album, The Rarities, which came out in October 2020.
Come Christmas time, which Mariah is the Queen of, the star collaborated with Ariana Grande, who has been compared to Mimi for most of her career. Ariana has made it clear that she "loves Mariah Carey", but what other artists has the We Belong Together singer inspired? Let's dive right in!
10 Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande first debuted back during her Nickelodeon days, however, it wasn't until 2013 did she release her debut album, Yours Truly, which featured her hit song, The Way.
Fans immediately sensed elements of Mariah's sound and style in her first single, only to later find out that Grande's musical inspiration is none other than Mariah herself! Grande admittedly says her sound was very much inspired by Mimi's 90s era, hence why the Thank U, Next singer has been so widely compared to Mariah.
9 Rihanna
Much like Ari, Rihanna has also made it clear that Mariah Carey is truly her number one! Prior to becoming famous, RiRi would sing Mariah songs in a number of talent shows and competitions, including her go at Carey's number one song, Hero.
While Rihanna's music definitely has a different sound to that of Mariah's, it goes without saying that Mimi is Rihanna's biggest musical inspiration. The singer has mentioned Mimi a number of times, claiming that she "identified with her," growing up.
8 Beyonce
Queen Bey has easily become one of the biggest names of our time, and rightfully so! Prior to being a soloist, Beyonce was part of Destiny's Child, alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
During her rise to fame, Beyonce revealed that Mariah Carey is the reason why she even became a singer! This is nothing new, as Mariah has quite literally inspired many to sing, however, considering the magnitude of who Beyonce is, a statement like that is one worth mentioning!
7 Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera is yet another powerhouse vocal who has admitted to Mimi being her musical inspiration. Considering Mariah reigned the 90s with her countless hits and iconic music videos, it was only fitting that she'd go on to inspire up-and-coming singers of the 2000s, Christina being one of them.
During a 2000 interview, Christina revealed she "discovered Mariah in my room one day, listening to the radio... I ran downstairs going, “Mommy, Mommy, I just found the greatest person in the world,” and the rest is history!
6 Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson first gained prominence following her win from American Idol, marking the singer as the first winner of the FOX talent competition. Clarkson went on to have an immensely successful career in music, one that was heavily inspired by Mimi.
During Mariah's time as an Idol judge in 2012, Kelly made an appearance to perform her song, Piece by Piece, later leading Mariah to join her on stage for a quick hug and catch up sesh. It was at this moment that Kelly told Mimi just how much she meant to her! Shortly after, Kelly went on to perform a cover of Mariah's song, Vanishing, which led Mimi to send over nothing but praise for beautifully taking on one of the singer's hardest songs.
5 Adele
Adele has easily become one of the biggest names in music, and we aren't the slightest bit mad about it! Whether you're a fan of Hello, Rolling In The Deep, or Chasing Pavements, there is no denying the talent Adele holds.
Well, it seems as if that talent was inspired by Mariah's! In 2011, Adele referred to Mariah as the "ultimate dive," and later showed her love for the songstress again in 2016 during her tour, saying Mariah "should be in the bible."
4 Ava Max
Ava Max is relatively new to the pop scene, however, she is definitely making a name for herself! Her hit song, Sweet But Psycho managed to catapult the singer to international fame and fortune.
Earlier this week, the singer revealed that while she adores the comparisons she gets to Lady Gaga, she always thought she'd be compared to Mariah Carey. While Ava and Mariah have very different sounds, Ava says she began listening to Mariah from a very young age, and would even watch and listen to her mother tackle some of Carey's songs as well!
3 Grimes
Grimes is also one artist who has been heavily influenced by Mariah Carey. The Oblivion singer is known for many things, her eclectic stylings, relationship to Tesla, and SpaceX creator, Elon Musk, however, one thing many wouldn't expect of Grimes is her love and admiration for Mariah.
In 2013, Grimes revealed that Mimi is the very reason why she began singing! "The first time I heard Mariah Carey, it shattered the fabric of my existence and I started Grimes," says Billboard.
2 Brandy
Brandy Norwood has gone on to have quite a successful career! The star is known for her melodic voice and close relationship to the late and great, Whitney Houston. It goes without saying that a dinger as talented as Brandy was inspired by an icon like Mariah Carey.
During a 2008 interview, Brandy revealed that she owes Mariah her entire existence, saying, "When I first got my deal... I sang Vision of Love. I owe Mariah everything." Mariah's Vision of Love remains one of the best pop vocal performances of all times, so it's only fitting that it would have such a great effect on so many artists.
1 Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado has also been heavily inspired by Mariah and her songwriting abilities. The star revealed that as a child, she wasn't financially able to afford singing lessons, so, she'd listen to Mariah and mimic her style and technique.
During an interview with Billboard, Furtado said, "she kind of taught me how to sing, because, you know, [I] couldn’t really afford singing lessons," making it clear that Mariah really is the gift that keeps on giving.
