{"id":267579,"date":"2026-01-31T19:26:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T19:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/267579\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T19:26:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T19:26:11","slug":"mariah-carey-at-musicares-person-of-the-year-gala-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/267579\/","title":{"rendered":"Mariah Carey at MusiCares’ Person of the Year Gala: Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tWith 19 No. 1 smashes on the Billboard Hot 100 spanning four decades and nine more that reached the top 10, there was no way that performers could even scratch the surface of Mariah Carey<\/a>\u2019s voluminous catalog of hits Friday night (Jan. 30) when she was honored as MusiCares<\/a>\u2019 Person of the Year in Los Angeles, but they gave it a try.<\/p>\n

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\n\tTo be sure, tackling songs by one of the greatest pop vocalists of all time is not for the faint of heart and add on the nerves of performing in front of said vocalist and credit is due for any of the artists who even felt up to the task. In general, the performers fell into three buckets: Belters, devotees and innovators.<\/p>\n

\n\tJennifer Hudson<\/a>, who opened the show with a medley of Carey\u2019s hits, including \u201cVision of Love\u201d and \u201cMake It Happen,\u201d obviously fell in the belter category, as one of the few vocalists with the mighty prowess to power through Carey\u2019s hits. It was an audacious beginning that surely did nothing to quell any butterflies subsequent performers may have had.<\/p>\n

\n\tAlso falling squarely in the belter class were Kesha with a spiky version of the swaggering \u201cObsessed,\u201d Adam Lambert<\/a>, who delivered an expressive, heartwrenching take on \u201cCan\u2019t Let Go\u201d from the B stage in the middle of the floor, and Teddy Swims, who built his way up to the full force of Harry Nilsson\u2019s \u201cWithout You,\u201d a rare case of a Carey cover.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe devotees smartly didn\u2019t try to match Carey\u2019s pyrotechnics, instead delivered sturdy, sweet homages that were reverential in the best possible way from Charlie Puth\u2019s emotional \u201cI Still Believe,\u201d John Legend\u2019s piano and string-laden inspired version of \u201cHero\u201d and trio FLO\u2019s gorgeous rendition of \u201cDreamlover.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe innovators were led by the Foo Fighters<\/a>, with The Pretty Reckless\u2019 Taylor Momsen on lead vocals as the make-shift unit provided the most creative and revelatory performance of the night. They delivered electrifying versions of two songs from Carey\u2019s grunge (yes, you read that right) album, Someone\u2019s Ugly Daughter, which she recorded in 1995 under the name Chick with a different singer taking lead vocals. They powered through the heavy \u201cHermit\u201d and the poppier \u201cLove Is a Scam\u201d with thrashing verve. The Foos\u2019 guitarist Pat Smear, who had been sidelined with a broken foot when the band played a benefit two weeks ago, is such an avid Carey fanboy that he returned to the stage, playing seated with his broken appendage in a cast and extended.<\/p>\n

\n\tMaggie Rogers didn\u2019t upend her version of \u201cHoney\u201d in quite so drastic a fashion, but she started the tune as a languid slow groove before turning up the heat. Billy Porter<\/a>, who also proved to be one of the style icons of the night with a straightened ombre bob, glittery eye shadow and a floor-length white and gold duster over gold velvet pants, freestyled through a compelling take on \u201cAlways Be My Baby,\u201d \u00a0while Icelandic sensation Laufey delivered a jazzy, rhythmic rendition of \u201cIt\u2019s Like That\u201d that felt fresh and innovative.<\/p>\n

\n\tInstead of a single host, a number of artists introduced the singers, though it seemed a lost opportunity to have top-tier acts including Stevie Wonder (who teasingly held a harmonica the whole time as if he were going to play at any second), Babyface, Richard Marx and (especially) SZA only speak instead of perform.<\/p>\n

\n\tUniversal Music Publishing Group chairman\/CEO Jody Gerson introduced Carey, declaring, \u201cI would argue that she is the architect of the modern pop vocal,\u201d while also praising Carey\u2019s songcraft. \u201cHer songs are structurally sophisticated with key changes, extended bridges, modulations and unconventional phrasing,\u201d she continued. \u201cShe blends pop accessibility with R&B, gospel and hip-hop songwriting traditions in ways that open the door to genre fluid pop, especially for female artists who follow. Mariah is not only one of the most successful songwriters in popular music history, she is, quite simply, one of the very best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tCarey, who follows such past honorees as Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen<\/a> and Dolly Parton, called the evening \u201coverwhelming in the best possible way,\u201d as she looked around the room, commenting how blessed she felt to be surrounded by \u201cso many friendly and familiar faces, people I\u2019ve worked with, people I\u2019ve long admired, even people I thought I\u2019d never see again,\u201d adding the last part with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn addition to her musical accomplishments, Carey was also honored for her philanthropy, for which she is renown. She has supported many charities related to disaster relief, HIV\/AIDS education and Make-A-Wish, and also founded in 1995 Camp Mariah, her eponymous summer camp she runs in conjunction with the Fresh Air Fund.<\/p>\n

\n\tShe stressed the importance of continuing to give back generously to MusiCares, which serves as the Recording Academy\u2019s philanthropic arm and is dedicated to helping those in the music community.\u00a0\u201cBut tonight is not only about me, it\u2019s about this incredible organization, MusiCares, whether it\u2019s providing health care, financial support or simply offering a shoulder to lean on, MusiCares reminds us that behind all the glitz and glamor, there are real people who need care and community\u2026 We have to remember this organization thrives because of generosity, yours, mine, ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe evening closed the only way it possibly could: Even though Christmas is in the rearview mirror and it was 85 degrees in Los Angeles on Friday, Jon Batiste led several of the performers and presenters, including Kesha, Puth, Porter, FLO, Rita Wilson and Gayle King, in a spirited rendition of Carey\u2019s holiday classic, \u201cAll I Want For Christmas Is You,\u201d complete with a wintery, snow-laden backdrop. Though honorees have the option to perform \u2014 most recently, both Jon Bon Jovi and The Grateful Dead did a handful of numbers \u2014 Carey opted to limit her participation to the second half of \u201cAll I Want for Christmas,\u201d joining the merry carolers on stage as the evening concluded.<\/p>\n

\n\tCheck out Mariah Carey\u2019s MusiCares setlist below:<\/p>\n

\n\tMedley featuring \u201cI Don\u2019t Want to Cry,\u201d \u201cMy All,\u201d \u201cVision of Love\u201d and \u201cMake It Happen\u201d (Jennifer Hudson)
\u201cHermit\u201d and \u201cLove Is a Scam\u201d (Foo Fighters and Taylor Momsen)
\u201cI Still Believe\u201d (Charlie Puth)
\u201cObsessed\u201d (Kesha)
\u201cHero\u201d (John Legend)
\u201cIt\u2019s Like That\u201d (Laufey)
\u201cCan\u2019t Let Go\u201d (Adam Lambert)
\u201cHoney\u201d (Maggie Rogers)
\u201cI Know What You Want\u201d (Busta Rhymes, Chante Moore, Spliff Star)
\u201cAlways Be My Baby\u201d (Billy Porter)
\u201cDreamlover\u201d (Flow)
\u201cWithout You\u201d (Teddy Swims)
\u201cAll I Want For Christmas Is You\u201d (Jon Batiste and ensemble)<\/p>\n


\"Billboard
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