Mariah Carey has said that her 'heart is broken' after suffering the double tragedy of her mum and sister both dying on the same day.
Patricia had been married to Mariah's father, Alfred Roy Carey, and had children Alison, Mariah and Morgan.
Mariah's parents had divorced when the singer was three years old, and the star expanded on their relationship in her 2020 book, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
In her memoir, she wrote: "Like many aspects of my life, my journey with my mother has been full of contradictions and competing realities.
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"It's never been only black-and-white - it's been a whole rainbow of emotions.
"Our relationship is a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration and disappointment.
"A complicated love tethers my heart to my mother's."
The memoir was in part dedicated to Patricia, with Mariah writing the tribute: "And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could. I will love you the best I can, always."
Speaking to People, Mariah confirmed the sad news that her family had suffered two tragedies on the same day.
The singer told the outlet that her mother Patricia and sister Alison had died, though provided no information on the causes of death and asked for privacy at what everyone can appreciate is an 'impossible time'.
She said: "My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day.
"I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.
"I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time."
Patricia was a trained opera singer and vocal coach who, in 2010, performed alongside her daughter on Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You, a TV special.
Together they performed 'O Come All Ye Faithful', and at the end of the song, Mariah told a rapturous audience to give 'a big hand to my mother Patricia Carey'.
It may be that the singer's relationship with her sister Alison was complicated as well, as in her 2020 memoir, she wrote that it was 'emotionally and physically safer for me not to have any contact' not to have contact with her sister or brother.
As the singer said, it certainly has been 'a tragic turn of events' for her family.
Topics: Mariah Carey, Celebrity, Music
Joe Harker