Mariah Carey at the 2026 official opening of the Winter Olympics.
Credit: unknown virally spread image on X
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina kicked off with a spectacle of Italian culture and global star power, but pop icon Mariah Carey’s performance during the opening ceremony has started a fierce debate online. The 55-year-old singer took the stage at San Siro Stadium in Milan on February 6, dressed in a shimmering silver gown, to deliver a rendition of the classic Italian song “Nel blu, dipinto di blu” (better known as “Volare”), originally by Domenico Modugno, before transitioning into her own track “Nothing Is Impossible”.
Performance fell completely flat
While official sources described her appearance as dazzling and a tribute to Italian music, Reddit and X went wild with accusations of the performance falling totally flat. Complaints expressed how up in arms fans were and centred on obvious lip-syncing, a stiff delivery, and the choice of an American artist for such a culturally significant moment in Italy.
Social media erupted with criticism. On X, @DFranciscoReal declared, “Mariah Carey has just ruined the Winter Olympics for everyone.”
@arcanedonovan lamented, “Countless great Italian singers, and we get Mariah Carey singing in the worst Italian I’ve ever heard on a national stage.” @DoronTam questioned, “Why would they bring Mariah Carey out to stand there and lip-synch while staring out into space bored out of her mind??”
Mariah Carey’s teleprompter as she sings ‘Nel blu, dipinto di blu’ (Volare) at the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.pic.twitter.com/N78OXIP1WZ
— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) February 7, 2026
Other users echoed the exact same sentiment, with @stephiemsantana calling it “terrible” as she “stood there looking afraid while she was lip-syncing,” and @lessdeux describing her as “stiff the whole time with the worst lip-sync ever,” adding she “looked like she was kidnapped or something.”
Mariah’s performance accused of being “stiff” and “lip-synced”
On Reddit, one commenter remarked, “[Mariah] was stiff as a board; it was insane. It could’ve been a Mariah cardboard cutout, and I wouldn’t have noticed a difference.” Others questioned the booking: “Love Mariah, but thought it was odd that they didn’t feature Italian singers,” wrote user kitcassidy, mentioning Andrea Bocelli‘s later appearance felt underutilised.
The backlash made organisers address speculation about lip-syncing, confirming pre-recordings were used for timing and broadcast quality but refusing to confirm if Carey sang live. Some fans defended her, praising the nostalgic revival of “Volare”. On X, @jeffsheehan
wrote, “You did a great job. The original Volare song… was an integral part of my life as a young child. It’s nice to see it resurrected on the world stage after so many years.” Another supporter, @IAmMapes quipped ironically but positively, “There really is no one better at not actually singing live any more than Mariah Carey.”
The ceremony also featured Andrea Bocelli’s “Nessun Dorma” and pianist Lang Lang on the Olympic Anthem, mixing international and Italian talent. Despite the divide, Carey’s appearance was all about the Games’ “Harmony” theme – though for some, it struck a discordant note. Some speculation hangs over the opening ceremony with Vice President JD Vance in attendance and the amount of US investment in the games and the real reason Mariah Carey was chosen instead of an Italian artist to headline the event.
Was Mariah’s performance so terrible? Judge for your self below and let us know in the comments.
