Mariah Carey just made history after her long-lost demo tape from the late 1980s sold for a jaw-dropping $54,050, marking a major moment for collectors and pop historians alike.
The rare cassette, unearthed from producer Arthur Baker‘s personal vault and sold in collaboration with Brenda K. Starr, was the exact tape Baker received the night Carey was discovered at a 1989 holiday party.
The auction, confirmed by Wax Poetics, is the first time one of Carey’s original demo tapes has ever hit the public market.
“This tape is history – a real one-of-a-kind piece that has been long sought-after by Mariah fans,” said Wax Poetics CEO Alex Bruh. “The impact this tape has had on music is unprecedented and we are incredibly proud to have been a part of its story. It captures the exact moment a generational voice was taking shape, and stands as a testament to her self-made beginnings and the creative foundations that defined her ascent.”
The seven-track tape, recorded in 1988, includes early versions of five songs that would later anchor Carey’s blockbuster 1990 self-titled debut album, an LP that produced four No. 1 singles. It also features two unreleased tracks that have long been whispered about by collectors and superfans.
The demo’s backstory is as iconic as the music itself. At the 1989 Christmas party, Starr, who had intended to bring her mother, brought Carey instead, hoping to help her land a record deal.
That night, she handed the tape to then-Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, sparking one of the most pivotal launches in pop music history.
The songs were co-produced by Ben Margulies and Chris Toland, who helped shape Carey’s early sound before she signed to Columbia. The demo versions of “Someday,” “Alone in Love,” and “All In Your Mind” showcase Carey’s early musical range, blending funk, synth-pop, and R&B in a raw, unfiltered form.
“The songs were more primitive in demo form, but all the elements that led to the final record are there – the hooks, the background vocals, the kicks, the chords. Mariah already had it,” Toland said.
The winning bidder received the original 1989 cassette, a certificate of authenticity, archival documentation, and verified research compiled by the Wax Poetics team.
The auction is part of Wax Poetics’ expanding archival series, which pairs storytelling with authenticated music memorabilia. Previous releases have spotlighted artists like Bootsy Collins, Don Blackman, Louie Vega, and Nightmares on Wax.
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