Mariah Carey, the undisputed queen of high notes, butterfly whispers, and holiday domination, floated onto the stage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards like the living legend she is. Held at the Dolby Theatre on Monday (March 17) in Hollywood, the event bestowed upon her the almighty Icon Award—a title so exclusive, it’s basically the music industry’s version of being knighted.
Only six entertainers have been deemed worthy of this honor, and now Mariah joins the ranks of Bon Jovi, Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, and Cher. Yes, Cher. If Mariah is in Cher’s club, then it’s officially elite.
But First… The Lighting Crisis of 2025
Before she even got into her speech, Mariah had some very urgent business to attend to: the lighting.
“Is the lighting OK? Because I don’t like bad lighting,” she asked, squinting like a true diva who knows her angles. Host LL Cool J—who probably didn’t sign up to be a personal lighting technician—assured her it was, in fact, good.
She then pivoted to another critical concern: her ensemble.
“Do you like the ensemble?” she inquired, because priorities. The audience, obviously terrified to say anything but “Yes, Queen!” cheered in agreement.
A Brief History of Mariah, By Mariah
Once she confirmed that the stage was properly honoring her beauty, she launched into a nostalgia-laced speech.
“As a kid, I used to listen to my favorite artists on the radio and dreamed of being on the airwaves myself,” she reflected. “For those of you who may not know what airwaves are, think of it as the non-WiFi version of streaming.”
A history lesson and a flex? Love that for her.
She also gave a special shoutout to iHeartRadio President John Sykes, whom she boldly clarified was actually her first manager. “Some people think it was this other guy, but it wasn’t him—it was John.” Translation: Set the record straight, darlings.
Shoutout to the Lambs & Mama Carey
Mariah wrapped things up with a heartfelt thank-you to her Lambily (her diehard fans, if you somehow live under a rock and didn’t know).
“I appreciate you all more than you know,” she gushed. “Your love and loyalty are the greatest gift.”
And, because it was St. Patrick’s Day, she honored her late mother, Patricia Carey, for giving her the gift of music—which, let’s be real, is a gift to us all.
The night ended with Mariah showered in applause, her lighting confirmed flawless, and yet another legendary award to add to her collection. All is right in the world.
