Skip to main content

Mariah Carey is known for being a diva, but it’s a label that the Grammy-winning artist takes pride in. Celebrities are often judged when they treat themselves with the money that they earned. Carey has been known to splurge on many gifts for herself over the years, and she doesn’t regret any of them.

Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is honored with Hand and Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 1, 2017 in Hollywood, California | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Mariah Carey says she’s allowed to be a diva because she’s earned it

The word “diva” has gotten a negative connotation over the years due to the association with celebrities who care only about themselves and have little regard for those around her. The word is derived from the Latin word for “goddess,” so anyone who is deemed a diva should take pride in the label rather than shame.

In her 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey, the “Fantasy” singer spoke about how she’s earned the right to call herself a diva. She’s discussed how she feels as far back as 2002 in her famous MTV Cribs interview.

“You know what? I don’t give a sh*t. I f*cking am high-maintenance because I deserve to be at this point,” Carey said. “That may sound arrogant, but I hope you frame it within the context of coming from nothing. If I can’t be high-maintenance after working my ass off my entire life, oh, I’m sorry — I didn’t realize we all had to be low-maintenance. Hell no!”

Mariah Carey smiling in front of a pink background
Mariah Carey | Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Mariah Carey spent $100,000 a month on exotic flowers

Carey is known for spending a pretty penny on herself. When she was engaged to billionaire James Packer, her spending habits were reportedly even more extreme.

A close friend of Packer’s detailed Carey’s spending history to Woman’s Day in 2016. “Mariah spends $100,000 a month ordering exotic flowers from around the world to where she happens to be,” they said.

Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey | Todd Williamson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
Related

Mariah Carey Was Once Treated to a Private Plane Full of Red Roses By a Famous Ex-Boyfriend

Mariah Carey’s other spending habits

A Vanity Fair article released in 2016 chronicled some of the splurges that Carey had over the course of a year. They ranged from standard things celebrities need like a hair and makeup squad to a personal champagne pourer.

She spent her summer on her own personal yacht, which the Grammy-winning singer said was a “surprise from James” in her reality series Mariah’s World. Entertainment Tonight took a tour of the boat and priced it at $340,000 per week, not including the $40,000 for fuel or the salaries for the 16 members of the crew and private chef.

Carey’s Sweet Sweet Fantasy world tour took her around the globe, with most of the dates in Europe. Being the hardworking diva that she is, Carey demanded nothing but the best for her travel accommodations. She stayed in luxurious hotels such as Plaza Athénée in Paris, which costs around $15,000 a night for its “Eiffel Suites,” and London’s Corinthia Hotel, which has a two-story “Musician’s Penthouse” available for $12,615.