MARIAH CAREY
writer: Chauncy Jackson

Her highs and lows have been well-chronicled. From her No. 1 singles, to her failed marriage, from her chart-topping albums to her emotional breakdown, the peaks and valleys in the life of Mariah Carey have been tabloid fodder for as long as she has been in the public eye. "You try to take those moments and channel them into something, because if not you just become bitter!," says Carey.

It often seems that Carey does not receive the respect that she deserves. Her multi-octave singing voice puts those of her contemporaries to shame. She is a proven hitmaker whose longevity in the business cannot be questioned.

Still, despite all the problems she has encountered, Mariah Carey has managed the most difficult trick of all: survival. When others would have quit, overcome by the negativity, she soldiered on. Her failed marriage, the dismissal from her record label, her nervous breakdown ­ all of these have conspired to tarnish the personal image of Mariah Carey. And yet, she keeps on coming back; a phoenix rising from the ashes. If nothing else, the singer proves that she is capable of taking a punch and hitting back.