Mariah Carey‘s very minimally choreographed performance at the 2025 VMAs has got fans talking on social media.
- READ MORE: Mariah Carey: “You know what? I love Christmas!”
The 42nd Video Music Awards took place at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, last night (September 7), with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Lady Gaga and Carey among those performing.
The evening saw Carey honoured with the Video Vanguard Award, which was presented to her by Ariana Grande, who described her as a “singular talent and artist”, and thanked her “for her work and for providing us with the soundtrack of our lives.”
Before accepting the award, the ‘Obsessed’ hitmaker took the stage to perform a career-spanning medley that has since lit up social media. Many took to X/Twitter to discuss an ill-timed slap that appeared to be under-rehearsed.
Carey seemed to hesitate ahead of the fake slap, eventually landing it nowhere near her dancer’s face. “Looked like a Tubi movie,” remarked one viewer on X/Twitter. “Give us nothing, queen.”
I guess she skipped rehearsals. That was the fakest fake slap I’ve ever seen. Looked like a Tubi movie lol
Give us nothing queen 🤣🤣#vmas #MariahCarey pic.twitter.com/rXEySFKvHr— 🅚🅔🅝🅨🅐 🅜🅞🅞🅡🅔 🅢🅣🅐🅝 (@GossipInformer) September 8, 2025
Mariah Carey is saving her energy for Christmas and that’s okay #VMAs pic.twitter.com/V8gHjVex4R
— Diary of a TIRED Black Woman (@HerNameIsSaam) September 8, 2025
Why doesn’t Mariah Carey’s body move when she performs?
Its giving….#VMAs pic.twitter.com/p4sLSJxwbj
— Dre$$$mithJr (@DreSmithJr) September 8, 2025
Mariah Carey walking down that runway like #vmas pic.twitter.com/yO6LO8mSSk
— Brit ❤️🔥🏳️🌈 (@bitchwthebun) September 8, 2025
Mariah Carey doing the bare minimum and still be an iconic #VMAs pic.twitter.com/ZqByFc7bJs
— Nene’s Trash Box (@NerNerHabbi) September 8, 2025
mariah carey on that stage giving us absolutely nothing IM CRYING #VMAs pic.twitter.com/DlZxuIwjZ1
— ⋆⭒˚ᶠᵃⁿ she thinks her piss is wine ⋆⭒˚ (@grxndesenigma) September 8, 2025
Mariah Carey looks breathtaking while giving absolutely nothing. pic.twitter.com/TRcpeLI4bb
— Rachel. (@_loveRachel_) September 8, 2025
Other social media users were more preoccupied with the general lack of choreography and her stiffness on stage, with one fan joking that she was “saving her energy for Christmas”.
Most were fairly forgiving, quipping that looked “breath-taking while giving absolutely nothing”, but others said it was an awkward showing. “I’m sorry, but Mariah doesn’t have stage presence she doesn’t interact with the crowd,” wrote one viewer. “She barely move her body be stiff as hell.”
Earlier this year, the ‘We Belong Together’ singer announced her long-awaited record ‘Here For It All’, which is due for release on September 26 – you can pre-order/pre-save here.
In the lead-up to the announcement, Carey had been teasing the album under the moniker ‘MC16’, and previewed the record with ‘Type Dangerous’.
In February, she was nominated for the Class Of 2025 Hall Of Fame, but was snubbed alongside Oasis, Phish, Joy Division/New Order and more when the inductees were confirmed in April.
Mariah Carey’s last album was 2018’s ‘Caution’. Since then, she’s released the standalone single ‘In The Mix’, and has collaborated with the likes of Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson, Busta Rhymes and more.
