Muni Long Clears the Air on Mariah Carey 'Side-Eye' Moment

Muni Long is speaking out after a viral clip sparked drama online. Last week, the Grammy-winning R&B star performed Mariah Carey’s We Belong Together at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards, where Mariah Carey received the Icon Award. However, fans quickly misread Carey’s facial expression during Long’s tribute, speculating that Mariah was unimpressed and shading the singer.

A few days later, Muni cleared things up in a social media post and revealed that Mariah herself had specifically asked her to perform, adding “Nobody can sing Mariah’s songs like Mariah.” She also confirmed that Carey personally praised her afterward.

Finally, Mariah ended rumors once and for all, when she praised Muni and fellow tribute performer Tori Kelly as “uber-talented” on Instagram, calling their performances incredible.