The seven-track tape is the only one known to exist
A rare demo tape of Mariah Carey in 1988, before she was signed to a record contract, is headed to auction next month. Wax Poetics will auction the seven-track tape, which is the only known one to exist, from December 2-11 in New York City.
The tape is described as an “incredible opportunity to own a truly unique piece of music history from the beginning stages of the career of one of music’s most influential artists ever. As far as we know, this is the only time one of these has ever come up for auction, and is one of the only very few that remain anywhere in the world,” the auction house shares.
In the mid-80s, Carey was a young working-class singer-songwriter, working relentlessly towards her goal of stardom. Along the way, she made a demo comprised of songs that would form the nucleus of her self-titled 1990 debut album. An album that went on to produce four No. 1 singles and announced the arrival of a self-made talent who would come to define the 90s and one of the biggest-selling stars of all time.
In the years since, the demo has been the subject of much myth and speculation, becoming a grail item for fans and collectors around the world.
Handed personally to Arthur Baker at the same 1988 Christmas party where she was discovered, this demo tape includes unreleased and early versions of what would become hits. It’s one of the most actively sought-after demos in the world.
