Just twelve days after Michael Jackson’s death swept the news, a public memorial service was held in L.A., honoring the pop legend in a star-studded ceremony.
Mariah Carey was amongst the league of celebs set to perform in tribute that day. But when the time came for Mariah to hit the stage with a cover of the Jackson 5’s career-defining ballad, “I’ll Be There,” her performance was soon lambasted as one of the most controversial moments of the entire ceremony.
Amassing more than five million views across its various YouTube uploads, Music Man readers can check out Mariah’s infamous tribute in the viral video above before we unravel what the critics had to say about this set.
From her very first lines, Mariah’s voice is unusually breathy and sparse, cracking beneath the emotional weight of the occasion. As she tries to regain her vocal strength in the heat of the moment, the payoff remains a little pitchy, Mariah wandering off-key a handful of times before Trey Lorenz enters the duet.
Critics were quick to call Mariah out over this. But, in hindsight, more than fifteen years on, we can’t fault Mariah or her ‘controversial’ performance. This was a star left truly shaken by the death of her musical idol, Michael Jackson. Singing practically face-to-face with his flower-draped coffin, the emotional wounds were clearly far too fresh, leading to a performance that might throw almost any pro off their usual beat.
Mariah Carey even issued an apology to her fans following the backlash she received after this set aired, explaining, “Trying to sing today was basically impossible for me. I could barely keep myself from crying. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to pull it together and really do it right, but I was literally choked up when I saw him there in front of me. One thing I know is, we will never really have to say goodbye to MJ. His legacy lives on through his music and the millions of people he inspired with his timeless music. He will be forever in our hearts.”
And, despite the initial backlash, Mariah’s fans are still running to the star’s support. As one top commenter wrote, “It’s terrible to me that people were dragging Mariah for this performance. First of all, this was a funeral. Not the Grammys or a major concert. Mariah would’ve been faulted for being heartless had she focused on the vocal. Also, Michael was a good friend of Mariah’s and she was clearly hurting. This performance was just fine.”
Other fans picked up on the atmosphere, commenting, “This was a funeral, not a concert,” “She put her heart into that performance, and they dragged her,” and, “This is what singing is supposed to be like. Not necessarily perfect but expressive and touching.”
Mariah’s memorial performance remains one of the ceremony’s most talked-about moments, dividing fans and critics alike. If you want to dive deeper into the debate and watch the clip for yourself, discover more via the useful links below.