In 1988, Brenda K. Starr, a Columbia artist, handed Mottola a demo tape from one of her backup singers. Initially he tossed it aside, but later decided to listen to it. He was impressed by the demo and tracked down the singer, a then-unknown Mariah Carey, and eventually signed her. Mottola is seen as the main architect for Mariah's success in the early years of her career.