Mariah Carey had the spotlight on her Monday night at the iHeart Music Awards, where she was honored with the prestigious Icon Award. But while the living legend basked in being honored, fans couldn’t help but notice the presence of Anderson .Paak by her side.
The two stars were spotted holding hands in the audience, with cameras cutting to .Paak during Carey’s acceptance speech — further fueling speculation that their rumored romance is true. He also helped her to the stage to accept her award.
Following the speculative moment, social media erupted with commentary, with one fan declaring, “This is a living LEGEND. Good for her. If they like it, I love it.” Another joked about Mariah’s ex-husband Nick Cannon’s potential reaction, quipping, “I know Nick somewhere sliding down a wall… with his chest caved in like a Capri Sun.”
While neither Carey or .Paak has publicly confirmed a relationship, their past outings suggest that something has been brewing. According to TMZ, Carey and .Paak were seen dining at Duemani, a Mediterranean restaurant in Aspen, Colorado, last year.
Although they were accompanied by friends, the two reportedly carved out some PDA time, to which .Paak was seen affectionately kissing Carey’s hand, while she rested hers on his chest. When it was time to leave, the Silk Sonic singer reportedly showed his chivalrous side by guiding Carey to her car.
Carey and .Paak both experienced very public splits from their partners, with the “We Belong Together” singer finalizing her divorce from Nick Cannon in 2016 and .Paak ending his marriage to Jae Lin Chang in 2024. Many fans speculated that the heartbreak theme of his Why Lawd? collab album was inspired by his split, although he hasn’t confirmed that.
DavidCrotty/Patrick McMullan; Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Despite their undeniable chemistry, a close source has told TMZ that the two are just working on music together.
While accepting the Icon Award from LL COOL J at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Carey told the crowd, “Thank you iHeart for this incredible honor. Thank you Muni and Tori for these beautiful performances — and LL, thank you for your kind words.”
“As a kid I used to listen to my favorite artists on the radio and dream of being on the airwaves myself,” she continued. “Now, for those of you who may not know what airwaves are, think of it as the non-WiFi of streaming. Even now I still get excited when I hear one of my songs playing on the radio. It never stops being magical.”
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