Mariah Carey Plays Her Greatest Hits At VMAs, Something Was Off

The Video Vanguard Award is MTV’s highest honor and is given out only to artists who’ve had a profound impact on music video and popular culture. Fellow pop diva Ariana Grande introduced Carey as its latest winner Sunday, leading to a polarizing performance.

Carey, who seemed to be lip-syncing for at least part of her time onstage, certainly appeared to give the crowd what they wanted — and performed bits of some of her most famous songs, “Sugar Sweet,” “Fantasy,” “Heartbreaker,” and finally, “We Belong Together.”

Critics couldn’t help but feel that those songs didn’t belong to that performance, however.

“am i crazy or does it seem like mariah carey is lip synching and also her being stiff as a board is killing me,” wrote one user on X, with another person commenting: “Mariah Carey looks breathtaking while giving absolutely nothing.”

Carey has been a pop culture mainstay for several decades and went home a winner regardless. She not only won her very first VMA during the preshow for 2025’s “Type Dangerous,” but truly joined the annals of MTV history as a newfound vanguard.

“Thank you so much MTV for giving me the Vanguard Award,” said Carey at the podium. “I can’t believe I’m getting my first VMA tonight. I just have one question: What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?! I’m kidding, I love you, MTV … This is amazing.”

“Being here brings back amazing memories,” she continued. “Like when I presented LL Cool J his Vanguard Award, or when Whitney Houston and I opened the show with a faux standoff … It was a moment.”

The award has previously gone to the likes of Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Beyoncé.

Grande said in her introduction Sunday that Carey, the one true “queen” of vocalists, has sung “the soundtrack of our lives.” While her Vanguard win is an invaluable achievement, it certainly seemed that many social media users were eager to press “skip.”