Mariah Carey Opens Up About Marriage To Tommy Mottola, Derek Jeter Affair

Mariah Carey opened up in her memoir about her previous marriage to ex-husband Tommy Mottola, how she questioned her decision and why she initially had no plans to marry young. She also talked about her affair with Derek Jeter, whom she thought was her soulmate.

"The Meaning of Mariah Carey," the Grammy-winner's memoir was released on Tuesday, Sept. 29. In the book, the "Hero" singer shared some juicy details about her previous relationships, including her marriage to Mottola in 1993 that lasted for five years.

"Many reasonable people questioned why I married Tommy. But none of them questioned the decision more than I did," she wrote as quoted by Us Weekly.

Carey shared that she "saw no way out" and described her ex-husband as "like humidity – inescapable." Mottola allegedly monitored her every move and everyone in her circle had some connection with him.

"It felt like he was cutting off my circulation, keeping me from my friends and what little ‘family’ I had. I couldn’t talk to anyone that wasn’t under Tommy’s control," the singer added.

"I couldn’t go out or do anything with anybody. I couldn’t move freely in my own house."

Carey also admitted that she "never dreamed of getting married" young. She was only 23 when they tied the knot. Mottola is 20 years her senior.

The "All I Want For Christmas Is You" singer also opened up about her affair with Jeter in her book. Carey said that at the time, she wanted "to be like Peter fan and fly the f--k away." They met at a diner and she fell head over heels in love with him after finding out that he also had biracial parents. They exchanged numbers and began sneaking around in New York City.

"Derek was only the second person I had slept with ever (coincidentally, his number was 2 on the Yankees)," Carey continued.

She added that she thought Jeter was her "soulmate." When they were together, Carey felt that he was the proof she could still have something beautiful amid her marriage to Mottola, which she described as "hell."

Carey and Jeter's relationship was short-lived, but it was life-changing for the songstress. She even thanked him for being "the catalyst [she] needed to get out from under Tommy’s crippling control."

Mottola is now happily married to Thalia. Meanwhile, Mariah went on and married Nick Cannon in 2008, but they divorced in 2016.