Top 10 Best Mariah Carey Live Performances of All Time
#10: “Without You” “Fantasy: Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden” (1996)
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Our first entry takes us all the way to the world’s most famous arena. While promoting her fifth studio album “Daydream” in 1995, Mariah Carey took to Madison Square Garden to perform her career highlights. Although the concert was filled with dynamic vocal performances, the night’s best moment was clearly her rendition of “Without You.” Originally performed by Badfinger and later Harry Nilsson, Mariah’s cover the year prior soon became one of her signature hits. Her performance at the Garden not only matched, but surpassed the album version, further proving that her take on the song was the definitive one. Just like she sang, we can’t forget this evening.
#9: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” “Fresh Air Fund Benefit Concert” (1994)
It’s hard to imagine a time without this modern classic, but those dark ages lasted until 1994. Before she reliably spread annual holiday cheer, Mariah Carey gave her first performance of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at a fundraiser at New York City’s St. John the Divine. While the song had been out for over a month and did well, the audience likely didn’t know they were about to witness history. Mariah performed its live debut slightly more subdued than the showy studio version, putting forth a softer yet still powerful side of her vocals. It was already a great performance at the time, but feels so much more important in retrospect.
#8: “My All” “VH1 Divas Live” (1998)
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After a near-decade of nonstop success, it was a given that Mariah Carey would participate in the first VH1 Divas concert. But, before performing alongside fellow vocal royalty, she opened the show with the fan favorite, “My All.” The haunting Latin-inspired number set the stage for a dramatic night, exuding silky smooth passion and longing. Although Mariah’s signature move is her whistle register, she hit the song’s demanding low notes just as expertly. And, just when things were winding down, she busted out a surprise sped-up dance remix. Talk about crying in the club! Years later, this performance is still vividly emblazoned in our minds.
#7: “Emotions” “1991 MTV Video Music Awards” (1991)
From Burmese pythons to meat dresses, the MTV Video Music Awards are known for their stunts and gimmicks. In Mariah Carey’s first VMA performance, however, all she needed to stand out was her voice. In the most complimentary way possible, her rendition of “Emotions” transcended the limits of human pitch. Mariah’s whistle tones were on full display as they totally owned the upbeat gospel-meets-disco track. They’re considered some of the highest notes of her career, and the audience was definitely feeling it. With one of the night’s most energetic performances, she showed her stage presence wasn’t just reserved for slow ballads.
#6: “Hero” “Mariah Carey: Live at the Tokyo Dome” (1996)
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Embarking on her second-ever tour, Mariah Carey touched down in Japan for three sold-out shows at the Tokyo Dome. Despite promoting the upbeat bops on her latest album “Daydream,” she also threw it back to her hit anthem, “Hero.” The performance was the highlight of the show, and an obvious indicator that Mariah’s specialty for inspirational ballads wasn’t going anywhere despite her branching out into urban sounds. It also stood the test of time; the Tokyo rendition of “Hero,” as well as the rest of the concert is so well-regarded among fans that it later ended up on Mariah’s “Rarities” album in 2020 as a second disc.
#5: “America the Beautiful” “1990 NBA Finals” (1990)
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The palace now has a queen. In the first major live performance of Mariah Carey’s career, she gave an entire stadium goosebumps while singing “America the Beautiful” at the NBA Finals. It started out nice enough, but absolutely stopped everyone in their tracks when she whipped out her trademark vocal runs. Although Mariah was just getting started in her career, the close-ups on the players’ faces predicted a long and legendary one. People might not have known who she was before, but they certainly would after. Mariah later detailed the experience in her memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” citing it as the moment she knew her dreams were about to come true.
#4: “Vision of Love” “Saturday Night Live” (1990)
Mariah Carey loves a comedic moment, but there was zero funny business at her first “SNL” appearance. Leading with a mysterious intro, Mariah Carey’s live take on “Vision of Love” more than measured up to the studio version. Over the next few minutes, she employed every vocal trick in the book, from melisma to whistle tones to belting. There was even a long pause for dramatic effect before the final high note, one of the few times you could hear a pin drop on the show. Although Mariah would return to Studio 8H again over the years, her rookie showing remains the most memorable.
#3: “When You Believe” feat. Whitney Houston “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (1998)
There can be miracles, and this performance is one of them. The media had pitted Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston against each other for years, but they finally joined forces in the late 90s for “When You Believe.” They premiered the “Prince of Egypt” soundtrack song on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” serving up their spiritual side and showing off their real-life sisterhood. Afterwards, the dazzling duet partners gave an interview declaring their friendship. Not only did Mariah and Whitney deliver a quality performance, but they quashed the rumored rivalry and delivered an iconic moment in divadom. Never have there been so many hand motions on one stage!
#2: “I’ll Be There” feat. Trey Lorenz “MTV Unplugged” (1992)
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When critics called Mariah Carey a studio artist who couldn’t replicate her album vocals in person, she responded with a live special for “MTV Unplugged.” However, the best part of the concert surprisingly wasn’t one of her own songs. Despite being a cover, Mariah’s rendition of the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” became the night’s most remembered moment. Joined by backup singer Trey Lorenz, she put her own spin on the bittersweet classic, arguably eclipsing the original. It was soon released as a single to rave reviews, becoming the only single from “MTV Unplugged” to hit number one on the US Adult Contemporary chart. Even though she had a lot to prove, she definitely managed to pull through.
#1: “We Belong Together” / “Fly Like a Bird” “48th Annual Grammy Awards” (2006)
Due to a string of setbacks, Mariah Carey’s 2000s didn’t get off to the best start. However, halfway through the decade, everything changed with “We Belong Together.” The R&B breakup jam officially marked Mariah’s return to form, resulting in a triumphant medley at the 2006 Grammys. She led with an emotional rendition of the hit song, segueing into the gospel number “Fly Like a Bird.” Besides her backup singers, Mariah was also accompanied by her pastor and a soulful gospel choir, creating a truly religious experience. She went on to win three Grammys in the same night, proving one should never count out the Songbird Supreme. Now that’s what you call a comeback, dahling!
