STARCHIVES
Mariah Carey
Interview - Swedish Newspaper
05/30/1997

Mariah makes a movie about her childhood and growth.
Ronny Olovsson gets answer from Mariah Carey.

Soul singer Mariah Carey will be a movie star
in a movie about her upbringing, a movie telling about the dark side,
about an other than problem-free upbringing.

Okay Mariah, you've just gone through a divorce, did you learn any positive
things from that?
- It has been good for me because I've learned to be strong and independent.
I've learned to trust my own judgement. To make my own decisions.

Do you go through a change musically as well?
- I think the Butterfly Album is a big change for me. This time I could
cooperate with those hip-hop artists I wanted to work with. It's more of a big city record.
And it scared a lot of people that I wanted to do that type of Album. But I haven't cut off
my past, I still do the ballads.

Now to the big question, are you still single?
- Mmmh..... (nods a yes)

Okay, how do you want to be seduced?
- Unless the man knows it himself... then it's bound to fail.

Roses?
- I don't know... roses? Guys who don't know how to seduce a woman won't have a
chance no matter the advices they get. There is no "secret."

Okay. You've been taking acting lessons lately, when will the debut take place?
- There is a script written for me right now which looks really good. And I'm in
negotiations with movie company Touchstone Pictures right now, so hopefully
we can start filming during 1998. I've already recorded one of the songs to the
soundtrack. A song I took from this album.

There you see, what is the movie about?
- It takes place during the 70s. And it's not just about a "soul singer".
I think it's a history that will shock people a bit. It's not so cute...
I've written things that wasn't easy to deal with, things from my childhood.
But I don't want to say too much. All I can say is that it is about a family.

Speaking about family, your big sister Allison Scott, have threatened to
write a book where she will reveal your "betrayal" towards her and the rest of the family.
- Oh! Is that really true? I don't know... (heavy sigh!) I don't really want
to comment on that. All I can say is that it's sad to see what greed can do to people.

Her life seems to be the opposite to yours, it looks more like a tragedy.
She's been a drug addict...
- I can't talk about all that for juridical reasons.
But... sometimes you can only give as much as you can give, to take care of
people on the best way... you know. Become the parent and the one taking all the
responsibility. And to give everything you've got emotionally. And still it's not enough for
some people. These people have deeper personal problems. Things that can't be solved with
consideration. You can't "heal" those people. A human can only heal herself.

Sounds hard...
- There are lots of hard things in my life, things in my past I don't talk
about so much because I don't want to get stuck in negative emotions. I am what I am, I
have the life I have and I can't sit today and cry about what happened to me when I was a
child. I am happy with what I have today, that I have been blessed with the success I've
had. I haven't got the ideal American role model family, but what can I do about that?

You got a "Rockbjornen" from Aftonbladets readers 1994, where do you have
your bear?
- I still have it. It is on a shelf back home.

That's good to know. Oh.. a quote who shocked alot of people was when you were
quoted by Radio 1 in England in June 1996: "When I see all those starving
children in Africa on my TV I wan't to cry. I mean, I'd love to be that thin, but oh my
God, all those flies..."
- That is a total lie, that is bullshit! The fact that people think I said
that makes me sick. I've NEVER said it. I don't know who could be stupid enough to say such a
thing. If people thinks I'm that dumb it makes me sad. It's the same with all those
nudes on the Internet, it's not me either, it's manipulated pictures where my head has
been placed on a nude body. This type of lies are offending, really offending. And
frustrating.

Okay, last thing, the fact that you've gone through a divorce, have it
changed your faith in love, the faith that there's someone out there for you?
- No. I really hope there is one...

What do you say about...Spice Girls?
- I can't comment on that, I don't listen to their music at all. I'm all
about Hip Hop and R&B.

...President Clinton?
- I met him one time in the White House when I was their to sing for
policemen who got wounded in duty and he seemed to be a nice man.

...Sweden?
- Cold! But it's fun, because here my good friend Josefine lives, so we can meet
and have fun together when I'm here.

...Dog or cat?
- Both. I've had both cats and dogs. Sadly I don't have my cats now...

...God?
- He is responsible for everything I am and everything I've got.

Name: Mariah Carey
Born: 22 March 1970.
Lives: In a new apartment in New York.
Family: Rescently divorced from recording label boss Tommy Mottola.
Do: Sings soul
Misc: Has sold over 80 million Albums around the world.
Actuell with: On a quick visit in Sweden to take part in "Sondagsoppet" on Sunday.

===========================
NOTE:
"Rockbjornen" is a statue shaped as a bear, Mariah got one in 1994
because Swedish people voted her as best singer that year.

Starchives - Mariah Carey - Interview - Swedish Newspaper
STARCHIVES