Mariah Carey is still bringing the glitter.
While she skipped the 2025 VMAs red carpet, the music icon took the stage to perform a medley of her greatest hits and accept the musical awards show’s biggest honor of the evening, the Video Vanguard Award.
While she initially donned a champagne-colored silk bathrobe, she soon whipped it off to reveal a corseted gold crystal-covered bodysuit paired with matching sparkling boots.
She wore her blond hair in waves and accessorized with even more bling, including multiple diamond bracelets, a statement necklace and chandelier earrings.
“I just have one question, what in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?” she quipped, while accepting the coveted award, presented by Ariana Grande.
Though she famously does not believe in birthdays and, in fact, refers to her aging as an “anniversary” — (or admittedly lives in denial) Carey is the oldest recipient of the Video Vanguard Award to date at age 56.
She follows in the footsteps of last year’s Video Vanguard Award recipient, Katy Perry, as well as past lifetime achievement winners including Shakira, Beyoncé, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and others.
Coincidentally, she presented the very same Vanguard Award to LL Cool J in 1997 — and the rapper is hosting this year’s show, which airs on CBS and Paramount+.
Shockingly, this will be the superstar’s very first Moon Person; she has never won one of the eight awards she’s been nominated for at the MTV show despite her decades-long career. Tonight, she’s up for her ninth: best R&B video for her song, “Type Dangerous.”
Here’s hoping Mimi’s heading home with her hands full.