For months, fans have speculated about Mariah Carey’s reaction to Muni Long’s performance of “We Belong Together” at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Clips of the “Emotion” singer appearing uncomfortable went viral, sparking endless debate online. Many wondered if the singer was shading Long during her tribute.
Now, Carey is setting the record straight, finally sharing her side of the story while also opening up about how she really feels about artists covering her songs.
Mariah Carey Explains Her Feelings About Covers
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Mariah Carey admitted that she isn’t always comfortable with other artists performing her songs.
In an interview with GQ, she explained that her feelings partly came from a conversation she once had with singer Prince.
She recalled, “I love ‘The Beautiful Ones’ so much. And I remember Prince, he didn’t like people to redo his songs. He said to me, ‘I love ‘Honey’ though.’ But about [my cover of] ‘The Beautiful Ones,’ he said he didn’t like when people did covers of his songs.”
Carey said she could relate to his point of view. When asked directly if she enjoys hearing covers of her own songs, she replied honestly, “Not really.”
The Viral Reaction That Sparked Debate
As The Blast reported, Mariah Carey was honored with the Icon Award at the March 2025 iHeartRadio Awards, celebrating her decades-long influence on music.
During the event, Long took the stage to sing “We Belong Together.”
While the performance was meant as a tribute, a clip showing Carey looking away at one point quickly went viral.
Fans on social media argued over whether she was unimpressed, with some suggesting she had deliberately shaded Long.
During the interview with GQ, the 56-year-old clarified that her reaction had nothing to do with Long’s vocals.
Instead, she said she did not realize at the time that the singer was even covering her song.
“I didn’t even hear the cover. I didn’t know it happened. No one told me,” Carey explained.
She added that the sound in the venue may have contributed to her confusion, saying, “I just didn’t know that she had done ‘We Belong Together’ ‘cause her song was so similar… I had no idea that she did ‘We Belong Together.’”
Carey also noted that she was “very honored and flattered” that Long sang the song. “I love Muni Long, she’s a great person, umm, but I just don’t like people doing my songs,” she said.
Muni Long Defends Her Tribute And Shares Mariah Carey’s Praise
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After the awards show, Long took to social media to defend her performance and to set the record straight.
She explained that singing “We Belong Together” was not her idea; it was specifically requested.
“You thought I chose to get on TV and sing a Mariah Carey song? You thought that was my choice? Why would I do that? Nobody can sing Mariah’s songs like Mariah. Nobody,” she said.
Long emphasized that she did her best with the moment she was given. “I did my best, and that’s all I can do,” she explained.
The 37-year-old also revealed that Carey complimented her privately after the show.
Although she had proof of the icon’s words, she refused to share them out of respect.
“She told me I did a great job, she appreciated it,” Long said. “But I’m not gonna post the footage because her lighting wasn’t right. You know how Ms. Carey is about her lighting.”
Long even joked that if Carey had openly criticized her, she would still have accepted it with grace.
Carey Publicly Praises Long And Kelly
Instagram Stories | Mariah Carey
Two days after the viral moment, Mariah Carey made her feelings clear with a public message.
She praised Long and Tori Kelly, who also performed during the tribute with a rendition of “Always Be My Baby.”
On Instagram, Carey posted a picture of the trio and wrote, per The Blast, “So beyond grateful for these two gorgeous, uber-talented, kind, incredible musicians who made my heart so full of joy with their tribute performances at the @iheartradio awards. I love and appreciate you so much!!!”
The Grammy Award winner also appeared in a video shared by iHeartRadio, smiling as Long hit her final note, contradicting claims that she had been unimpressed.
Muni Long Shares Gratitude To Mariah Carey
Long responded to Carey’s public post with a heartfelt message of her own.
She commented, “Thank you @mariahcarey for choosing me to honor you in this magical moment! You ARE my Icon and I am your forever lamb. I love you! The little girl in me is screaming.”
For Long, the chance to perform for Carey was a career highlight.
She told fans that no matter what critics said, she was proud to have been chosen.
“Nobody can sing Mariah’s songs like Mariah,” Long repeated, making clear that her performance was meant only as a tribute and sign of respect.
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