Mariah Carey was honored during Genius’ “Genius Level,” a conversation-based series that highlights artists, songwriters, and executives who have shaped today’s music industry.

The pop icon discussed her extensive musical career with Rob Markman, veteran music journalist and Genius’s Head of Artist Relations.

“I used to think that when you heard someone’s song on the radio, it was their song,” she said good songwriting. “I didn’t understand. It took a while for me to understand that everyone didn’t write their own songs. And later on, at 12 or 13 when I started doing demos for people, I realized that I didn’t really like some of those songs that I was singing, but it didn’t matter because they were paying me to be there.”

“People know Mariah Carey is a voice for the ages, but not as many people realize she’s also one of our greatest songwriters. Her work behind the scenes and on stage set a new bar for solo artists, and her collaborations with everyone from Walter Afanasieff to Jermaine Dupri broke new ground in music,” said Elizabeth Milch, Genius’s director of content. “Mariah is responsible for lyrics, melodies, and arrangements that we love to sing… albeit not always in five octaves. She’s the pinnacle of a genius-level artist and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate her artistic impact.”