Mariah Carey's tragic promise to mother despite 'complicated' relationship and heartache

Despite their extremely complicated bond, Mariah Carey made her commitment to her late mother clear.

Former opera singer and vocal coach Patricia died at the age of 87, and Mariah has expressed gratitude for the time she spent with her in the week leading up to her death. In a heartbreaking turn of events, 'Songbird Supreme' Mariah also lost her sister Alison, 63, on the exact same day in a double tragedy over the weekend.

No further information has been given regarding the causes of death, and Mariah, 55, has asked for privacy during what will naturally be an incredibly difficult time. As with many families, relations were often fraught behind the scenes, with Mariah having previously opened up candidly about how professional jealousy had come between her and her Juilliard-trained mother.

An extraordinary vocal talent in her own right, Patricia sang with The New York City Opera as a mezzo-soprano, before her retirement and had a deep love of classical music. According to Mariah, Patricia also shared some of her own famous 'diva' qualities, and communication between the pair was often fraught with tension.

Opening up in a heartfelt passage in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey, New York-born Mariah shared: "Like many aspects of my life, my journey with my mother has been full of contradictions and competing realities. It's never been only black-and-white - it's been a whole rainbow of emotions."

Mariah went on to describe their difficult relationship as a 'prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration, and disappointment', adding that a 'complicated love tethers [her] heart to [her] mother's'. She remarked that this dynamic had caused her 'so much pain and confusion', reflecting that jealousy 'comes with the territory of success, but when the person is your mother and the jealousy is revealed at such a tender age, it's particularly painful."

However, Mariah's love for Patricia was clear to see in her moving dedication, in which she acknowledged her mum's efforts as a parent, and made a vow to love her 'always'. Mariah wrote: "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."

Despite their frequent differences of opinion, Mariah was keenly aware of her similarities with Patricia, who provided her earlier inspiration as a budding superstar. Passion for music aside, the talented mum-and-daughter duo apparently shared similar 'intense' temperaments.

In a 2017 interview with Paper magazine, Mariah revealed: "I have had diva moments, and then people can't handle it. I guess it's a little intense because I come from a true diva. My mother is an opera singer. And that's a real diva, you know - Juilliard diva."

With a laugh, she continued: "Other people that are like, 'I'm a diva,' it's like, 'Honey, you don't know what a diva is, you didn't grow up with my mom!' And I mean it as a compliment, or I wouldn't be the person I am without experiencing that."

In a recent statement given to People, a grieving Mariah confirmed: "My heart is broken that I've lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day." The mum-of-two concluded: "I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mum before she passed. I appreciate everyone's love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time."

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