Mariah Carey Returns to New Year’s Rockin’ Eve—9 Years After Her Infamous Performance.

Mariah Carey took on the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve stage Wednesday night, nine years after her infamous lip-sync mishap.

The 56-year-old singer—fresh off turning heads in Aspen—stunned in a low-cut, crystal-embellished ombré pink mini dress paired with thigh-high metallic silver boots.

She delivered a live performance of her 2009 hit “Obsessed,” earning cheers from the thrilled Times Square crowd.

Carey’s trademark waist-length blonde hair was center-parted and styled in cascading spirals that framed her chest.

The iconic singer held a metallic gold microphone during the high-profile performance welcoming 2026.

Nearly a decade earlier, technical glitches threw her lip-sync track off beat, prompting her to exit the stage mid-performance.

Several years ago, the pop icon was set to ring in 2017 and bid farewell to 2016 with performances of “Emotions” and “We Belong Together” ahead of the traditional ball drop.

However, after having trouble hearing her backing track, she ultimately stopped lip-syncing mid-performance.

She rested one hand on her hip as her pre-recorded vocals continued playing without her.

Clearly shaken as the mishap unfolded live before millions, Carey paced the stage in visible frustration.

Despite the technical difficulties, she addressed the crowd, saying, “I’m trying to be a good sport here.”

Her backup dancers pressed on with the choreography but appeared confused, prompting the singer to remark, “It is what it is. It just don’t get any better,” before exiting the stage.

She later shrugged off the mishap, posting “s** happens”* on Instagram.

With a touch of humor, she added, “Have a happy and healthy new year, everybody. Here’s to making more headlines in 2017.”

The incident capped off a difficult year, which also included the end of her engagement to Australian billionaire James Packer.

The star revealed in mid-December that she is set to open the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, this February.

The veteran vocalist—who is reportedly planning to release a ’90s-inspired grunge album next year—shared the announcement in a video posted to Instagram.

Dressed in a figure-hugging, plunging red gown and a diamond necklace, she teased fans by saying, “Ciao! Get ready for Milano Cortina 2026.”

Sprinkling in bits of Italian, she continued, ‘See you at the Stadio San Siro on the 6th of February for the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Ci Vediamo a Milano!​’

She echoed the closing phrase in her caption, which translates to ‘See you in Milan.’

The Milano Cortina Instagram account shared a promotional poster for the event and referenced Carey’s famed Christmas song All I Want for Christmas Is You in the caption, writing, ‘All I want for THE OPENING CEREMONY​ is youuuuuuuu!​’