Mariah Carey has finally weighed in on that viral moment when she gave a side-eye glance at Muni Long’s performance during the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Muni Long performed a live version of Mariah Carey’s beloved ballad, “We Belong Together,” right before Mariah was presented with the Icon Award. As cameras caught Mariah sitting next to Anderson.Paak, viewers quickly noticed her glance, a side-eye that turned into the biggest meme of the night.
Fans immediately took to social media, labeling Mariah as “shady,” while others criticized Muni for being “pitchy” and “off-key.” The clip went viral online, diverting attention from the awards to Mariah’s expression.
Now, the 56-year-old superstar is clarifying what really happened. In a recent interview with GQ, she revealed that she didn’t even realize the performance was happening at the time. “I didn’t even hear the cover. I didn’t know it happened. No one told me,” Mariah said. “I love Muni Long! I just didn’t know that she had done ‘We Belong Together’ ’cause her song was so similar to ‘We Belong Together.’ I had no idea that she did ‘We Belong Together.'”
Once the interviewer pointed out that Muni had changed up the arrangement, Mariah humorously replied, “Well, I’m very honored and flattered that she did it. I love Muni Long, she’s a great person, umm, but I just don’t like people doing my songs.” She chuckled as she made the statement, which softened what many fans interpreted as shade.
Mariah also highlighted that she’s not alone in her feelings about this. She recalled how Prince was similarly averse to others covering his work, emphasizing the importance of preserving the essence of timeless songs.
For some context, both Muni Long and Tori Kelly performed during the tribute to Carey that evening. While one camera captured Mariah smiling with pride, another shot showed her expression changing throughout the performance, sparking endless discussions online.
However, Mariah insisted there’s no tension here. Her feelings toward Muni Long are nothing but positive.
