It’s December, and you know what that means: it’s Mariah Carey season. Indeed, for any fan of the Long Island-bred singer, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Wax Poetic capitalized on this holiday spirit with a rare demo tape of Carey’s on the auction block.

Containing seven recordings from 1988, including five early versions of songs from Carey’s 1990 debut album, the demo tape sold on Thursday (December 11) for $54,050. This impressive price tag made the sale historic, earning Carey the distinction of having the highest-selling cassette by a female artist.

The songs on this record-breaking demo were produced and arranged with Ben Margulies and Chris Toland and included future hits “Someday”, “Alone in Love”, and “All In Your Mind”.

How the Tape Got Into the Right Hands

“The songs were more primitive in demo form, but all the elements that led to the final record are there. The hooks, the background vocals, the kicks, the chords. Mariah already had it,” Toland said in a statement.

The tape was part of producer Arthur Baker’s personal archive and offered in partnership with singer-songwriter Brenda K. Starr, who enlisted Mariah Carey as a backup singer at the start of her career. If you don’t remember, Starr was the person who gave the demo to Sony Music exec Tommy Mottola at a holiday party. She was supposed to bring her mother, but ended up taking Carey instead. Shortly thereafter, Mottola signed (and eventually married and divorced) Carey to Columbia Records. The rest, as they say, is history.

The person who spent the five figures received the demo along with a certificate of authenticity, archival notes, and historical documentation. Not included was a cassette player or Walkman. That said, the total number of demos still floating around is unknown. So, to whoever won it, don’t forget to make a digital copy, or else this music could be lost to the dustbin of history.

Have a look at the demo tape below: