Did you know that Mariah Carey recorded a secret grunge album in the 1990s which was never released?
Sounds unlikely, but it’s true.
Carey’s record label wasn’t too keen on this stylistic detour, so the version of the album which actually saw light of day was released under the band name Chick with Carey relegated to backing vocals (under the pseudonym D Sue), whilst her co-writer and friend Clarissa Dane sang lead. It flopped.
But now the original version with Carey up front has resurfaced and during an appearance on Jimmy Fallon on Monday night, the singer was happy to chat about the record and even play a track from it.
She explained to Fallon that the album – called Someone’s Ugly Daughter – was recorded in the mid-90s during sessions for her album Daydream: “I was just rebelling, because I was working on Daydream, and I was doing Always Be My Baby and Fantasy, and those kinds of songs. I loved doing that, but at the end of the night, when the band was still there, I’d say, can you play, like (sings grungy guitar riff).”
Fallon seemed enthusiastic about it, and his band leader Questlove nodded approvingly, saying, “It’s her best record.”
The talk show host played a track from it, Prom Queen, and yes, you’d never in a million years think this was Mariah Carey. It sounds more like Avril Lavigne.
She complained that Sony back then wouldn’t have it. “I always regretted not putting it out,” she said. “But they kinda stopped me at that point. It was Sony. Back then they were a little controlling.”
Perhaps it was for the best. It’s hard to remember now, but back in the 1990s, pop stars were supposed to stay in their lanes. Indie bands who signed to major labels and released overtly ‘commerical’ albums had to navigate accusations that they had ‘sold out’.
Mainstream artists who fancied grunging up their sound faced possible ridicule. Had Chick been released in 1995 it’s highly likely Carey would have never lived it down. It could have capsized her career completely.
Back in 2025, Carey is still a much-loved mainstream star who released a new album last Friday, Here For It All. And since she’s now forever associated with Christmas due that seasonal hit, she’s doing a Vegas residency in November and December.
