Mariah Carey has gone viral thanks to her series of unimpressed facial expressions during a tribute to her at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
The singer, 55, was at the star-studded bash on Los Angeles on Monday to receive the coveted Icon Award, which included a musical tribute by fellow artists Muni Long and Tori Kelly, who performed some of her biggest hits.
As Long belted out the track We Belong Together, however, the camera briefly cut to Carey who could be seen sat in the audience slowly turning her head away from the stage and give a side-eye glance to her right.
Next to Carey was reported boyfriend Anderson .Paak, who in comparison really seemed to be enjoying the music.
Another cut away saw Carey with a big smile on her face, which slowly faded as the performance continued.
As the clips began to circulate online, fans rushed to social media platform X, formerly Twitter to weigh in.
“Mariah Carey is not feeling these performances and is not hiding that fact. lol,” penned one person.
“Mariah watching ppl butchering her songs lol,” wrote another.
“Now why would they make anybody sing a Mariah Carey song in front of Mariah Carey,” joked a third.
“The way Mariah Carey can't help but show her disinterest on her face but I get it I'm the same my face tells everything. She cracks me up. Personally I thought Tori killed it though!” added a fourth.
We LOVE a meme moment! @MariahCarey 😂 pic.twitter.com/ftRHqqNlel
— ✧ (@mariahglory) March 18, 2025
Meanwhile, others predicted that Carey’s expressions were destined to become Internet memes.
After Long and Kelly had finished their tributes, host LL Cool J presented presented the award to the songstress.
Living up to her diva reptuation, she quipped: “Is the lighting okay, because I don't like bad lighting.”
She then went on to describe how having her songs played on the radio had always been a “dream”.
“Even now I still get excited when I hear one of my songs playing on the radio. It never stops being magical,” she told the audience.
She also took the opportunity to pay tribute to her late mother, who passed away last year in August.
Carey said: “On this Saint Patrick's Day, I want to honour my mother Patricia Carey for giving me the gift of music.”
