Singer Mariah Carey made the 2025 BET Awards memorable for fans with a stage performance and a heartwarming speech as she accepted the Ultimate Icon Award at the ceremony. While many fans lauded Carey for winning the award, some viewers criticized her performance.
Why is Mariah Carey’s BET Awards performance receiving backlash?
Mariah Carey delivered the first stage performance of her new lead single, “Type Dangerous,” at the 2025 BET Awards. The song features a star-studded list of collaborators, including Anderson .Paak and Rakim.
Carey surprised fans by bringing D-Nice, Anderson .Paak and Rakim on stage as she performed the song in a metallic gold minidress. The very ’90s-inspired stage performance also featured a squad of dancers.
Fans praised Carey’s iconic vocals that shine in all her stage performances. However, some viewers criticized the entertainer’s live performance. One X (formerly Twitter) user shared, “She’s classy and has a great voice. She can dance IF she wants to.” Another fan joked, “She is so FUNNY!!! She doesn’t move an inch!!”
A third viewer opined, “I love Mariah more than anyone, but she is so robotic here. And it seemed like she had a hard time walking in her heels. Even when the rap part broke, she didn’t even move, and that’s the time to really get into it. I kinda like the song though.”
Additionally, longtime Carey fans celebrated the pop star’s new award from BET as the “Ultimate Icon.” After accepting the honor on stage, Carey gushed, “My life and career have been quite the adventure. I will spare you the long, drawn-out saga tonight.”
She added, “It took me a while, but I realized life is far too short to live for anyone else’s approval.” Carey also encouraged her fans to embrace their true spirit in the acceptance speech.
The 56-year-old songstress noted, “I decided to own who I am, my extraness, my fabulousness, and yes, my success and my iconicness.” She concluded the touching speech by saying, “I just want to encourage everyone out there to believe in yourself. Love and respect yourself. Be a diva, be a boss, (and) be anything you want to be.”
