MTV VMAs viewers question Mariah Carey during Vanguard performance – Celebrity News – Entertainment

Viewers of the MTV VMAs were left concerned as they watched Mariah Carey perform a medley of her biggest hits before she accepted the Video Vanguard Award from Ariana Grande.

The 56-year-old singer took to the stage at New York‘s UBS Arena on Sept. 7 to perform in a dazzling gold outfit, but viewers and fans noticed she was visibly stiff and barely moved at all on stage.

Many took to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the performance, with one person writing, “Yesss, give us nothing Mariah Carey. I don’t know about this year’s MTV VMAS, lol.”

One was concerned when they penned, “I’m so serious when I ask this… is Mariah Carey okay?”

Another added, “Why the f–k is Mariah Carey moving so slowly on stageeeee omg ?”

The singer, dubbed the “Queen of Christmas,” seemed slow as she interacted with her backup dancer and sang a mash-up of various songs.

The video prompted tons fans to weigh in with their concern for her health, with one asking if she was “in pain.”

One viewer asked: “Omg is she ok?” as another questioned: “Is she in pain? What is going on?”

A third added: “I’m a little worried about my Mimi,” as a fourth weighed in: “I love Mariah but that gave me Joe Biden vibes.”

“By all means move at a glacial pace,” one person quoted Devil Wears Prada.

Another joked that the Queen of Christmas clearly reserves her energy for the holiday season, writing: “She saves her energy for Christmas 25.”

In June, Carey was accused of lip-syncing during a performance at the 2025 BET Awards.

During the ceremony, Carey was celebrated with the Ultimate Icon Award, sharing the honor with legends like Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx, and Kirk Franklin.

However, her performance left viewers underwhelmed, as they took to social media to slam her for lip-syncing yet again and being “robotic” on stage.

Audiences quickly voiced their disappointment on X, with comments such as: “It’s so easy to tell when the mic isn’t on.”

Another fumed: “Mariah Carey just lip syncing away. Lol no effort,” as a third said: “Mariah Carey….great gowns, beautiful gowns. Lip syncing like this. Tuh!!”

Speaking about her being motionless, one fan wrote, “Mariah is so robotic. ” Another fan questioned, “Honey, is Mariah okay? She’s always looking spaced out like she doesn’t know where she’s at.”

One viewer remarked: “Stiff Mariah, as per usual.”

Further critiques surfaced online, including, “Ummmm..Is Mariah ok..Teleprompter too far ..She looks like she don’t know where she is,” and “Wait was it just me or something wrong with Mariah Carey? What she couldn’t move or something? and why she had to get walked out?”