When Mariah Carey sang the medley of her hits at the VMAs on Sunday, September 7th, her voice and octave range were impeccable. Mariah is a Diva; she’ll walk, even glide, with the right person leading, because working the stage is a requirement these days. (And maybe a fear of falling in those high heels is a real issue.) But many speculated about her health because of the way she moved. But she has also had a tough year.
Did Mimi Cause More People to Tune in?
For the first time in six years, the VMAs hit a new ratings high. It wasn’t Sabrina Carpenter who did it. It was probably the combination of Busta Rhymes and Mariah finally receiving their flowers after three decades, plus the heavy-hitter lineup. But the VMAs even beat Sunday Night Football for the top spot with 5.5M views, according to Deadline.
Her Speech Was Lighthearted, Funny, and Sincere
When Mariah accepted the VMA Vanguard award from Arianna Grande, she was calm and relaxed. “Thank you so much, MTV, for giving me the first VMA award,” the songstress said.”I just have one question: What in the SAM HILL were you waiting for?”
“I am kidding. Being here brings back amazing memories, like when I presented LL COOL J with the Vanguard Award. Or when Whitney Houston and I opened the show with a faux stand-off,” she continued.
“Music videos are my way of life, mini movies visualizing the short fantasy of it all. And let’s be honest, sometimes it’s just an excuse to bring the drama of things I wouldn’t do in real life. Like going in drag for Obsessed, or playing my alter ego in Heartbreaker.”
Mariah Carey Has Earned the Right to be Called a Diva
In 1998, VH1 debuted a series of benefit concerts featuring powerhouse female vocalists. The first concert featured Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Shania Twain, Mariah Carey, and Carole King. Mariah even sang a duet of “Chain of Fools with Miss Franklin. She returned in 2000 for “A Tribute to Diana Ross,” which featured herself, Miss Ross, Donna Summer, and Faith Hill as the headliners.
However, upon reading reviews of her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, I was struck by what Ariana Davis wrote in her review about the diva persona she conceals. “By seeing all that Carey experienced far too early in her life, we come to understand that ‘diva’ image was created as a defense mechanism—a barrier to shield us all, and herself, from the pain she grew up with and still carries to this day.”
The Past Year Has Also Been Tough
Mariah has a history of bipolar II disorder, which can cause periods of depression and hypomania, she told People in 2018. Initially, when she was diagnosed in 2001, no one was talking about mental illness. And she was fearful and guarded. Hence, that diva shell we have come to know.
But in times of extreme stress, medication may need to be reevaluated. She has had a very stressful year. We may not remember that Mariah lost both her mother, Patricia, and older sister, Alison, who passed away on the same day last August.
Mariah released a statement a few days later to People that said,
“My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day,” the Grammy-winning singer, 55, said in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE.
“I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed,” adds Mariah. “I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
Mariah detailed her complicated family dynamics in her memoir.
Like many aspects of my life, my relationship with my mother has been marked by contradictions and competing realities. It’s never been only black-and-white — it’s been a whole rainbow of emotions,” she wrote in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
