She might be one of the most famous women on the planet, and indeed one of the most glamorous, but that doesn't mean that Mariah Carey doesn't have her insecurities like every woman. She opens up about her problems with low self-esteem in a telling new interview.

Mariah Carey at the Kids Choice AwardsMariah Carey at the Kids Choice Awards

Weeks after she was shamed by her Instagram followers for showing off her curvy figure in a clinging black dress, the 47-year-old singer revealed that she has always struggled with self-esteem issues and wishes people would consider that before making hurtful comments.

'I just feel like I am a regular human being and I deserve the same respect as anybody else', she told Page Six. 'I have always had low self-esteem, and people do not recognize that. I can't measure what type of respect I deserve - I really can't.'

She's achieved a phenomenal amount of success in her career and she's certainly not slowing down yet. She is currently on the road with Lionel Richie for their All The Hits Tour which is proving to be quite the popular event, but it hasn't always been this easy for her.

'Growing up different, being biracial, having the whole thing where I did not know if I fit in... That is why music became such a big part of my life, because it helped me overcome those issues', she continues. 'Sometimes it is hard to let your guard down.'

Of course, she gets more positive comments from the people and fans around her than negative, but sometimes even that's not enough to convince her that she's good enough haven't spent a lifetime feeling totally unsure of herself. 'I do think to myself, 'Did they mean this? Or do they not really mean it?'' She says.

Plus, she can remember only too well the difficulties she had to come as an aspiring singer in her early twenties. 'I remember it not being easy getting a record deal', she adds. 'Making demos in the middle of the night, sleeping on the floor in the studio, being broke with no food.' She confesses that she pretty much ate pasta and Newman's Own sauce the whole time.

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These days, things are certainly easier. She has her worldwide tour, a new boyfriend and a new fragrance on the way from Elizabeth Arden.