Mariah Carey Joked About “Bad Lighting” at 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards

Mariah Carey doesn’t shy away from her diva status. From refusing to wear shoes without a heel, to taking dips into the pool while wearing designer gowns, the pop star never has a dull moment—and her recent appearance at the iHeartRadio Music Awards is proof.

The “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer attended the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 17 to accept the Icon Award, for her achievements in the music industry and her chart-topping singles on the radio. When it came time to go up onstage, Carey quickly had to make sure that the lighting was to her liking.

“Is the lighting OK ’cause I don’t like bad lighting,” Carey asked the production team—prompting the audience to break out into laughter. Once the lighting was stable, she launched into her speech.

“As a kid I used to listen to my favorite artists on the radio and dream of being on the airwaves myself,” Carey said. “Now, for those of you who may not know what airwaves are, think of it as the non-WiFi version of streaming. Even now I still get excited when I hear one of my songs playing on the radio. It never stops being magical.”

“I want to thank John Sykes, the president of iHeartRadio and my first manager, by the way—he was my first manager by the way, did you know that? Some people think it was this other guy, but it wasn’t him,” she continued, referring to her ex-husband and former manager, Tommy Mottola. “It was John…[thank you]for believing in me from the start.”

Carey concluded her speech with a touching message to her fans, as well as a tribute to her late mother, who died in August 2024 (her sister Alison, passed the same day as her mother).

“To my fans—my Lambily. You’ve been with me through every step of this journey. Your love and loyalty are the greatest gift, and I’m endlessly thankful for each one of you. And, on this St. Patrick’s Day, I want to honor my mother Patricia Carey for giving me the gift of music.”