11/22/2025
🔗 https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/mariah-careys-lost-demo-tape-surfaces-in-miami-40503513/
Back in December 1988, Mariah Carey attended a holiday party at Media Sound in New York with singer Brenda K. Starr. She brought with her two demo tapes featuring seven original tracks written with collaborator Ben Margulies. One tape famously ended up in the hands of Tommy Mottola, then head of Columbia Records, who signed Carey soon after. The other, however, went to legendary Miami-based producer Arthur Baker, who instantly knew he had hit a goldmine after listening to just the first three songs.
Baker tucked that tape away... for decades. That is, until recently.