Mariah Carey Honors Late Mother in 2025 iHeartRadio Music Icon Award Speech

Mariah Carey honored her mom on the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

On Monday, March 17, the “Fantasy” singer accepted the Icon Award on the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards on the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Launched by host LL Cool J, Carey, 55, took the stage to just accept the award — and honored her late mom whereas doing so after R&B stars Muni Lengthy and Tori Kelly carried out two of the icon’s greatest hits.

“Is the lighting okay, as a result of I do not like unhealthy lighting,” she joked earlier than starting her speech.

“Thanks iHeart for this unimaginable honor. As a child, I used to hearken to my favourite artist on the radio and dream of being on the airwave myself. Now, for these of you who might not know what airwaves are, consider it because the non-Wifi model of streaming, OK?” Carey quipped. “Even now I nonetheless get excited once I hear one in every of my songs taking part in on the radio. It by no means stops being magical.”

Carey additionally thanked her followers, who she affectionately calls her “Lambily.” “To my followers, Lambily. You’ve got been with me by means of each step of this journey. Your love and loyalty are the best reward, and I am endlessly grateful for every one in every of you.”

The “Obsessed” singer concluded her speech with a young tribute to her late mother.

“On this Saint Patrick’s Day, I wish to honor my mom Patricia Carey for giving me the reward of music,” Carey mentioned.

The singer’s mother and sister Alison each died final August.

“My coronary heart is damaged that I’ve misplaced my mom this previous weekend. Sadly, in a tragic flip of occasions, my sister misplaced her life on the identical day,” Carey advised PEOPLE completely in a press release on the time. “I really feel blessed that I used to be capable of spend the final week with my mother earlier than she handed. I respect everybody’s love and assist and respect for my privateness throughout this inconceivable time.”

Earlier than her speech, R&B stars Lengthy and Kelly took the stage serenade Carey. Lengthy, 36, carried out a transferring rendition of “We Belong Collectively,” and Kelly, 32, sang “All the time Be My Child,” throughout which Carey might be seen singing alongside within the crowd.

“12 months after 12 months, decade after decade, Mariah has continued to share her gorgeous voice, her songwriting and her deeply private story with hundreds of thousands of followers in all places,” host LL Cool J, 57, mentioned of Carey whereas presenting her with the award. “Alongside the best way, Mariah has damaged just about each chart report across the globe, together with the report for a solo artist with 19 No. 1 hits. That is the extraordinary story, a profitable story of a hero, a fantasy, a butterfly, a imaginative and prescient of affection, who all the time has us feeling feelings, one of many best singers songwriters and artists of all time, the 2025 iHeart radio icon Mariah Carey.”

Try all of PEOPLE’s full iHeartRadio Music Awards protection right here.

Carey joins a powerful roster of previous Icon Award recipients. The honour was introduced final 12 months to Cher, and, up to now, stars like Pink, Bon Jovi, Elton John and Jennifer Lopez have additionally acquired the title.

This 12 months’s performers embrace Billie Eilish, Dangerous Bunny, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams, Kenny Chesney and Nelly.

In the meantime, main the nominations is Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen with 10 nods. Kendrick Lamar, Submit Malone and Sabrina Carpenter path them with 9 nominations every.

Carey — who’s the best-selling feminine artist of all time — wrapped her Celebration of Mimi residency at Dolby Stay in Las Vegas in February.

Earlier than the residency kicked off, Carey — who has 19 No. 1 singles — additionally carried out a string of festive Christmas Time concert events in November and December.

On the finish of 2024, Carey’s festive hit “All I Need for Christmas Is You” topped the Billboard Scorching 100 for a record-breaking seventeenth week greater than two and a half many years after its preliminary launch.

“That is superb!!!! Won’t ever ever ever ever ever take this without any consideration,” the “Contact My Physique” singer captioned a put up on her Instagram Tales on the time.

The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards air dwell from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, March 17, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Followers may tune in dwell to iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app.