Mariah Carey’s face says it all as Billy Porter belts out her song at a gala.
Mariah Carey was named MusiCares’ 2026 Person of the Year on Friday night—but it was Billy Porter who unexpectedly became the night’s standout.
The pop legend was celebrated for her decades-spanning career and philanthropic impact at a star-studded Grammy weekend gala.
A-list performers including Jennifer Hudson, Charlie Puth, Kesha, Busta Rhymes, and the Foo Fighters took the stage to honor Carey’s iconic body of work.
Several tribute performances drew widespread praise, including Adam Lambert’s heartfelt rendition of Can’t Let Goand Teddy Swims’ show-stopping take on Without You.
Stevie Wonder also made a surprise appearance, telling Carey, “The greatest thing about you and I is we have respect and love for each other.”
But the mood shifted online after Billy Porter’s freestyle version of Always Be My Baby sparked backlash, with fans branding it “cringe” and fixating on Mariah Carey’s seemingly forced smile during the moment.
One critic compared the performance to “a drunken wedding karaoke,” while another dismissed it outright as “awful.”
A third added that it took far too long to even recognize the song, calling the flubbed lyrics “pure cringe.”
Another commenter was even more blunt, writing, “Billy has needed to stop for a while now,” while someone else went further, claiming the performance left their “ears and eyes bloody.”
Others came to Carey’s defense, calling the moment “cringe” and pointing to Mariah appearing to endure it with a forced smile.
Despite the online backlash, Carey later joined Porter onstage, where the two shared a warm, heartfelt hug.
Jennifer Hudson opened the MusiCares gala with a powerhouse medley of I Don’t Wanna Cry, My All, Vision of Love, and Make It Happen, setting the stage for a truly unforgettable night.
The surprises continued with a deep cut from Mariah Carey’s own vault—two songs from Someone’s Ugly Daughter, the 1995 grunge album she recorded and co-produced under the pseudonym Chick.
Taylor Momsen and the Foo Fighters brought the tracks to life onstage as Carey looked on from her seat at the L.A. Convention Center.
Additional standout moments included Charlie Puth’s cover of I Still Believe, Kesha’s take on Obsessed, John Legend performing Hero, Laufey delivering It’s Like That, Adam Lambert’s rendition of Can’t Let Go, and Maggie Rogers with Honey.
Presenting duties throughout the evening were handled by Babyface, SZA, Richard Marx, Rita Wilson, Kim Burrell, and Gayle King.
Wonder also offered a powerful reminder, telling the room, “When you speak, it’s free. When you talk, it’s free. When you sing, it’s free… never let anyone convince you they can take your freedom away.”
When the award presentation began, Universal Music Publishing Group chairman Jody Gerson stepped onstage to honor Carey’s songwriting legacy, noting that she “wrote or co-wrote virtually her entire catalog” and seamlessly fused pop appeal with R&B, gospel, and hip-hop traditions—helping pave the way for future generations of female artists.
Gerson added that Carey broadened “the collective vocabulary of millions of fans,” transforming “SAT words into chart-toppers” and redefining what it meant to be a self-directed female pop star.
“Mariah married glamour with intellect, vulnerability with power, and technical mastery with emotional storytelling,” Gerson said, calling her a symbol of resilience, reinvention, and creative independence—“and yes, she owns Christmas.”
Carey accepted the honor to a standing ovation, joking that she was “surrounded by so many friendly and familiar faces—people I’ve worked with, people I’ve long admired, and even people I never thought I’d see again.”
Reflecting on the moment, Carey called the honor “one of the most profound experiences of my life and career.”
She described the evening as “sublime,” saying it felt surreal to hear her music reimagined by some of the world’s greatest artists.
Carey recalled being a young girl, scribbling lyrics late at night, never imagining that others would one day hear her words and connect with them.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be standing here, surrounded by these extraordinary artists, hearing my songs sung back to me—reborn through their own artistry,” she said. “It’s given me new life, and I’m endlessly grateful.”
