Mariah Carey’s Triumphant Return: Music Icon Celebrates Historic Night at 2025 MTV VMAs

A Night of Milestones and Recognition

Music legend Mariah Carey delivered a spectacular performance at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, dazzling the audience at New York’s UBS Arena in a sparkling gold bodysuit.

The superstar treated fans to an electrifying medley of her hits, including ‘Sugar Sweet,’ ‘Fantasy,’ and ‘Honey,’ before transforming into her British alter ego Bianca for renditions of ‘Obsessed’ and ‘It’s Like That.’

Breaking New Ground

The performance marked Carey’s first VMAs appearance in 20 years, making it even more special as she had never won an MTV Video Music Award until this historic night. She finally secured her first Moon Person trophy during the pre-show, winning best R&B video for ‘Type Dangerous.’

The prestigious Vanguard Award, which was first presented to David Bowie, The Beatles, and director Richard Lester in 1984, places Carey among an elite group of artists including Beyoncé, Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Jennifer Lopez.

A Legacy of Innovation

Throughout her career, Mariah Carey has proven herself to be a true visionary, writing or co-writing all of her hits. She’s been directing, producing, and marketing herself like a CEO since long before artist autonomy was trending.

As Carey steps into this new chapter, her influence continues to expand. Whether mentoring young artists, trending on TikTok, or preparing for another Christmas season, she remains one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in pop and R&B.

Looking Ahead

During her acceptance speech, Carey thrilled fans with the announcement of her new album, ‘Here For It All,’ set to release in two weeks. She reflected on her journey, noting that ‘music videos are my way of life, of bringing music to my own life… movies visualizing the sheer fantasy of it all.’ She added that while ‘music evolves, videos evolve — but the fun, that is eternal.’