Mariah Carey, the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer, is mourning the devastating loss of both her mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, who passed away on the same day. Patricia, 87, was a former opera singer and vocal coach of Irish-American descent, with whom Carey shared a complex and often painful relationship, as detailed in her 2020 memoir, *The Meaning of Mariah Carey*.

Despite their differences, Carey expressed deep affection for her mother, acknowledging that Patricia did her best despite their struggles. Carey’s relationship with her sister Alison, 63, was also fraught, leading to estrangement that Carey described as necessary for her emotional and physical well-being. Alison later sued Carey for $1.2 million, claiming the memoir caused her immense emotional distress. This tragic loss adds to Carey’s already challenging family history, following the death of her father from cancer in 2002. Carey, renowned for her powerful vocal range and record-breaking success, including the best-selling Christmas song ever recorded by a female artist, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” continues to be one of the most successful singers globally, with over 220 million records sold and 19 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.