A viral clip of Mariah Carey’s recent performance has gone viral, with several viewers fixating less on the music and more on how she moved on stage.
In footage circulating across social media platforms, the singer appeared slow and stiff, with some even comparing her walk to that of a “zombie.”
The moment came not long after her widely discussed performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics divided audiences.
Highlights
- Mariah Carey’s recent performance sparked a wave of "zombie" and "stiff" comparisons on social media.
- Critics took to the internet to question the 56-year-old’s state of mind during the show.
- Others also compared her with Jennifer Lopez's performances.
Mariah Carey’s alien walk at a recent performance sparked severe backlash online
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On December 31, 2025, Carey returned to Dick Clark’s New Year's Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, performing from Las Vegas.
The 56-year-old singer delivered a set that included Obsessed, It’s Like That, and her newer track In Your Feelings.
The event featured a wide lineup of artists across locations, including Diana Ross in New York, performers like 50 Cent and Demi Lovato joined Carey in Vegas.
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While her performance itself marked a smooth return following her infamous 2016 technical mishap, where she had difficulty hearing the backing and audio tracks for her performance, this time, it was her movement that caught viewers’ attention.
“She has always been really weird, like walking around like a zombie,” one person commented, while another added, “It’s like she zoned out for a bit, but then realized she’s on the stage. Creepy.”
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Some reactions were even harsher. “How high is she???? also needs to pull her wig forward,” one user wrote, while another claimed, “She ain’t tired, she is higher than Tiger Woods.”
Others questioned her overall performance style, with one comment reading, “Mariah Carey is not a true entertainer… She is just a recording artist.”
At the same time, some users defended Carey, pushing back on the criticism
“Young people are picking on older awesome people because they know they will never be that level at that age,” one person wrote.
Amid the criticism, some viewers even compared Carey’s performance to Jennifer Lopez’s stage appearances, which have also sparked repeated backlash.
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“She may be as high as a kite, and her wig's looking to exit her head, but at least she's not in a g-string shaking her a*s like @JLo. It's a win in my book,” one comment read, referencing Lopez’s ongoing criticism over her bold stage outfits.
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As reported by Bored Panda, Lopez has gone viral for performing in a sheer bodysuit during her Las Vegas residency.
While her performances are often high-energy, her fashion choices, however, have been labelled “too revealing” by some critics.
This isn’t the first time Carey’s appearance has divided viewers
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Carey’s latest viral moment comes shortly after her performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan.
As reported by Bored Panda, she performed the Italian classic Volare before transitioning into her song Nothing Is Impossible, standing alone under a spotlight in a diamond-heavy ensemble worth a million.
She described the opportunity as an honor and explained that singing in Italian was a way to respect the host country.
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“It’s one of the largest and most anticipated global events, and being part of a moment that brings the world together like that is a great honor,” she told Vogue.
However, viewers criticized the performance as slow and emotionally distant. “She stood there looking afraid while she was lip-syncing,” one person wrote, while another commented, “It’s not Christmas yet,” referencing her association with holiday music.
Others defended her, pointing out the challenge of performing in another language on a global stage.
The conversation around Carey’s stage presence isn’t entirely new, as she has received criticism for a while now
Image credits: Mariah Carey
During the 2025 BET Awards, her performance drew mixed reactions, with some praising her vocals and others focusing on her minimal movement.
“She is beyond perfection”, wrote one user, while another added, “She doesn’t move an inch!! She can barely walk.”
Some even speculated about her health, while others defended her, noting that she has never been known for heavy choreography.
Despite the criticism, Carey marked a major milestone at the event by winning her first-ever BET Award, receiving the Ultimate Icon Award alongside stars like Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg.
"She doesn't look well for herself," wrote one netizen
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