"I Don't Wanna Cry" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her eponymous debut studio album Mariah Carey (1990). Written by Carey and Narada Michael Walden, and produced by the latter, Columbia Records released it as the album's fourth single in March1991 backed with "You Need Me". A Latin soul-influenced pop ballad, the torch song describes the demise of an intimate relationship. It features drums, guitars, digital synthesizers, and a prototypical song structure with highly delineated section roles. Modulations occur between these segments that emphasize the singer's emotions expressed in the lyrics and vocals. Varying from whispering to belting, Carey's vocal range spans more than two octaves. Critics viewed "I Don't Wanna Cry" as a standout track from the album and complimented the dynamic between Carey's vocals and Walden's production. The song received high airplay across American adult contemporary, urban contemporary, and contemporary hit radio stations. It became Carey's fourth consecutive number one song on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, making her the second act to have their first four singles reach number one. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it Gold. Internationally, "I Don't Wanna Cry" reached the top ten on music charts in Canada and the top twenty in New Zealand. The song's music video, directed by Larry Jordan, shows Carey and a male model brooding over their tainted relationship. A director's cut version was released in 1998 and includes scenes that Columbia thought projected a sexualized image. Carey performed "I Don't Wanna Cry" during the 1993 Music Box Tour, the 1996 Daydream World Tour, and the 2015–2017 Las Vegas concert residency #1 to Infinity. It is included on her compilation albums #1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001), and #1 to Infinity (2015). Carey's former husband Tommy Mottola considers her lack of creative control during the production process a factor in the demise of their relationship. Background Then-backup singer Mariah Carey accompanied Brenda K. Starr to a record industry party in late 1988. Tommy Mottola, president CBS Records Group, obtained Carey's demo tape at the gala and was immediately impressed by her voice. He signed Carey within a month to establish her as Columbia Records's answer to Whitney Houston of Arista Records. Mottola persuaded Arista promoter Don Ienner—who had been part of the marketing strategy that made Houston a household name—to join Columbia. Although Carey requested to work on her debut album Mariah