In 1988, Mariah Carey met Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola at a party, where Starr gave him Mariah Carey's demo tape. Mottola played the tape when leaving the party and was impressed. Mariah Carey returned to find Carey, but she had left. Nevertheless, Mottola tracked her down and signed her to a recording contract. This Cinderella-like story became part of the standard publicity surrounding Mariah Carey's entrance into the industry.