• October 27, 1997
• Mariah The Scientist (Mariah Amani Buckles) grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, in a frugal family that didn't have much money but was close-knit and supportive. Her mother worked in a church and her father was a police officer.
• She began writing music in high school but taught herself how to record and mix vocals in college using GarageBand and YouTube tutorials. Her earliest music was uploaded to SoundCloud, where it gained traction organically.
• Mariah released her debut EP, To Die For, on SoundCloud in January 2018. The EP caught the attention of Canadian rapper Tory Lanez, who signed her to his label, One Umbrella Records, and mentored her early on.
• Mariah was a biology major at St. John's University in New York with plans to become an anesthesiologist before dropping out to pursue music full time. Hence the "Scientist" in her stage name.
• Her albums tend to have cohesive themes, such as Master (2020), which reflects on her struggle to master love and self-control, and Ry Ry World (2021), which dives into the blurred lines between reality and fantasy in romance.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Return To InnocenceEnigma

"Return To Innocence" by Enigma is based on a Taiwanese chant by a husband and wife. The couple won a lawsuit granting them royalties from the song.

The Safety DanceMen Without Hats

The Men Without Hats lead singer wrote "The Safety Dance" after getting kicked out of a bar for dancing too aggressively. The song is literally about being safe to dance if you want to.

Don't Cry For Me ArgentinaJulie Covington

Featured in the 1978 musical Evita, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" became the biggest selling UK hit by a female vocalist (Julie Covington).

True CompanionMarc Cohn

When Marc Cohn played "True Companion" to his girlfriend, she thought he was proposing. He wasn't, but he did eventually marry her.

Who You AreJessie J

Jessie J had a lyric from her song "Who You Are" tattooed on her hip, but she spelled "lose" incorrectly so it reads: "Don't loose who you are in the blur of the stars."

We Are All Made Of StarsMoby

Moby says that "We Are All Made Of Stars" is scientifically accurate, since all matter originates from stardust.

Editor's Picks

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Country Song TitlesFact or Fiction

Country songs with titles so bizarre they can't possibly be real... or can they?

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.