Mariah Carey brought some sparkle and plenty of soul to the 2025 BET Awards.
The 56-year-old music icon skipped the red carpet; yet, she still made a dramatic entrance onstage and even took home her first-ever BET Award.
However, her performance sparked mixed reactions online, with many mocking her moves (or lack of them) during her performance.
Highlights
- Mariah Carey skipped the red carpet but still made a dramatic entrance during her 2025 BET Awards performance.
- Her performance sparked mixed reactions, with some saying she was too stiff and “robotic.”
- “My granny moves more than her and she is 98,” one said online.
- Mariah gave an emotional speech as she accepted the BET Ultimate Icon Award.
Some even asked, “Did she do ozempic too?”
The internet had plenty to say about Mariah Carey's performance at the 2025 BET Awards
Image credits: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
During the 2025 BET Awards, Mariah performed the leading single off her upcoming 16th studio album, Type Dangerous, amid a sea of white-suit-wearing male dancers.
Dressed in a shimmering gold dress, she also sang a bit from her 2005 hit It’s Like That, while gold confetti rained down on her.
Netizens had mixed reactions to her performance, with one saying, “She is beyond perfection.”
Image credits: BETNetworks
“It's a comeback indeed,” said another. “I just wish she moves like Janet Jackson.”
“Ageless queen and songbird supreme,” one fan commented.
Others couldn’t look past her moves and criticized her performance.
Critics couldn’t look past her “robotic” stance and said, “she don’t move an inch!!”
Image credits: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“We all know Mariah wasn't a dancer,” one said, while another wrote, “She gotta let them heels go lol she can barely walk.”
“She acts like she’s reading the teleprompter for the words to her own song!” said another comment. “She looked amazing though.”
“My granny moves more than her and she is 98,” one said about her stiff moves
“She looked flawless, but who can tell me why she walked so stiffly and barely moved? Seemed like she was trying to stay as still as possible,” one said. “It was a strange experience watching her perform while barely moving a muscle…”
Even the Ozempic speculation poured in, with one saying, “Ozempic does wonders.”
“She can't walk.. Ozempic is her friend,” said another.
The music icon won her first-ever BET Award on Monday
Image credits: mariahcarey
The Monday award show marked a milestone moment for Mariah, who won her first-ever BET Award.
She was honored with the BET Ultimate Icon Award alongside fellow music stars—Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Snoop Dogg.
Busta Rhymes introduced her before she accepted the award, praising her for not only being “an icon culturally” but also “the blueprint for hip-hop pop collabs before it was even cool.”
“If you wanted a ballad, she got you. If you need a bop and a bounce, no problem,” he said, adding that she even gave the world a world-famous song to ring in the Christmas season.
Image credits: mariahcarey
“This means so much,” Mariah said as she stepped onstage, “especially coming from BET. And Busta, you made me a little emotional backstage, I was watching you and remembering that song. You're still one of my favorites.”
The Obsessed singer had an outfit change before accepting the award in a white, shimmering corset gown.
The five-octave queen addressed how this was her first BET Award in her acceptance speech.
“If you’re gonna get one, might as well start with the Ultimate Icon Award,” she told the audience.
The music royalty was honored with the BET Ultimate Icon Award alongside Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Snoop Dogg
Image credits: mariahcarey
“My life and career have been quite the adventure. I will spare you the long, drawn-out saga tonight. It’s all in my book anyway,” she continued.
She said it took her a while to realize that life is “far too short to live for anyone else’s approval, which is something [she] always did” earlier.
“So I decided to own who I am,” she continued. “My extra-ness, my fabulousness, and yes, my success and my iconic-ness, I guess, that's what they're telling me tonight and I appreciate it!”
“Be a diva, be a boss, be anything you wanna be. But be iconic while you’re doing it,” Mariah said during her acceptance speech
The Grammy winner expressed gratitude to those present at the award show to celebrate with her, and she encouraged “everyone out there to believe” in themself.
She concluded with an inspiring message: “Love and respect yourself. Be a diva, be a boss, be anything you wanna be. But be iconic while you’re doing it.”
Other stars who won big at the award show included Kendrick Lamar, who won five out of his 10 nominations, including Best Album, Video and Male Hip-Hop Artist.
Rapper Doechii won best female hip-hop artist, while Wicked star Cynthia Erivo won the Best Actress Award.
“Is she like sick or something?” one asked in the comments section
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