Get a vocal coach. Mariah has been singing almost since birth, and her mother was an opera singer. She credits her vocal coach as responsible for much of Mariah's early training.
Focus on training daily and expanding your ability to hold notes and breath control. Mariah's trademarks are her ability to use melisma and sing in the whistle register.
Look for local opportunities. Mariah began singing on demo tapes for local record companies in New York and backup singing for other artists to make contacts in the music industry.
Study her music catalogue. Mariah sings in a wide variety of music genres, from smooth R&B, to danceable hip-hop tunes and pop ballads. Mariah also enjoys singing gospel as well.
Take chances and change up your sound like Mariah. Since she can hit every note from low alto to high soprano, it offers versitility. Record yourself singing her music to see how you sound and find your range.
Listen to artist she is influenced by. Mariah's vocals show her influence by gospel, soul and classic R&B artist, giving her breathy vocals a lot of power and range. Some of her biggest vocal influences are Minnie Ripperton, Gladys Knight and Shirley Caesar.
Write your own music. Mariah co-writes almost all of her own music, and her lyrics feed off her own lifestyle experiences from being a biracial child, often covering topics dealing with love and racism.
Show off your curves. Mariah loves to show some skin and flaunt her full-figured curves on stage and in her music videos. Mariah's voice gets her to the top of the charts. However, her choice of sexy clothing and videos doesn't negatively impact her image.