Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey has been a part of the pantheon of modern pop vocalists since she shocked the world with the ethereal registers she reached on 1990's eponymous debut. Those first singles were syrupy ballads that showcased her vocal tenacity, extremely tame and classy and not too far removed from the Celine Dions of the world. Over the next five years, Carey slowly turned into a bombshell R&B diva, shedding her good-girl image (and most of her clothes) seemingly overnight as she collaborated with hip-hop producers like Jermaine Dupri, Puff Daddy and Just Blaze. A most public meltdown on MTV while promoting 2001's Glitter bomb sidetracked Carey into tabloid territory for a spell, but by 2005 she was recording with the Neptunes and Kanye West and selling albums again. Last fall's Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel has already gone gold, and Carey has a supporting role as a compassionate social worker to Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe's title character in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.