‘Heartbroken’ Mariah Carey confirms her mother and sister died on same day
Mariah Carey has confirmed her mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, have both died on the same day.
“My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend,” the pop superstar said in a statement.
“Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day. I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.
“I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
The causes of either of the pair's deaths have not yet been confirmed.
In 2020, the pop singer wrote about the “complicated” nature of the relationship she had with her mother in her memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey.
She credited Patricia partly as an inspiration and wrote: “I would sing little tunes around the house, to my mother’s delight. And she always encouraged me."
However, the memoir also reveals some of the more complicated aspects of their relationship, with Carey describing it as fraught with "so much pain and confusion."
Carey has maintained a relationship with Patricia, who was a trained opera singer, with the pair recording a festive duet of O Come All Ye Faithful and Hallelujah Chorus in 2010.
Carey’s mother Patricia and father Alfred separated when she was three.
She dedicated her memoir in part to her mother, writing: “And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could. I will love you the best I can, always.”
Carey’s relationship with sister Alison also appeared to be complex, with the singer largely estranged from her sister.
In the memoir, she described it as “emotionally and physically safer for me not to have any contact” with Alison or her brother Morgan.
In 2021, Alison sued her for intentional infliction of emotional distress caused by some of the contents in Mariah Carey’s memoir.
In the lawsuit filed in New York, Alison Carey claimed her younger sister used her book as a means to “humiliate and embarrass” her. According to online court records, Mariah Carey never filed a legal response to the claim.
Unscripted is ITV News' arts and entertainment podcast, brought to you by ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar. In each episode, Nina speaks to a leading name from the world of arts and entertainment.