Mariah Carey was honored with the Icon Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday night (March 17). Broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, her celebratory moment came with a musical tribute performed by Muni Long and Tori Kelly.
Taking the stage in an all-black pantsuit, Muni Long delivered a rendition of Carey’s 2005 hit “We Belong Together.” As she performed, the camera panned to Mariah Carey in the audience. Sitting next to Anderson .Paak, the R&B singer turned to display a side-eye, however, it is not clear what she reacted to. As Muni Long wrapped up, Mariah Carey smiled and applauded.
Next, Tori Kelly took center stage in a sparkling black and silver gown to perform Carey’s 1995 hit “Always Be My Baby.” The camera highlighted the Butterfly musician singing along before she joined the audience in applauding as the performance ended.
When accepting the Icon Award, the 55-year-old proudly spoke after being introduced by LL Cool J.
“Is the lighting OK cause I don’t like bad lighting,” Carey quipped, before spinning around, showcasing her all-black ensemble to the audience. “Thank you iHeart for this incredible honor. Thank you Muni and Tori for these beautiful performances. And LL, thank you for your kind words.”
Mariah Carey, winner of the iHeartRadio Icon Award, attends the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California on March 17, 2025. Broadcasted live on FOX.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
She continued, “As a kid I used to listen to my favorite artists on the radio and dream of being on the airwaves myself. 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.”
Watch her full acceptance speech below and the musical tributes from Tori Kelly and Muni Long above.
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