Mariah Carey Earns Her First MTV VMAs, Honored with the Video Vanguard Award at the 2025 Ceremony
By Website Content Manager
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by LL Cool J, are being broadcast live from UBS Arena in New York on Sunday, Sept. 7.
Mariah Carey had a milestone evening at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
On Sunday, Sept. 7, the legendary R&B icon was honored with the Video Vanguard Award, presented by Ariana Grande. The moment came shortly after Carey picked up her first-ever Moon Person, winning Best R&B for her “Type Dangerous” music video.
“Thank you so much to MTV for this incredible honor. I can’t believe I’m only now getting my first VMA,” said Carey, 56, after warmly telling Grande she was “so proud” of her. She then joked, “I just have one question: What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for? I’m kidding—I love you.”
Looking back on her history with the show, Carey reflected on standout moments, including presenting LL Cool J with his own Vanguard Award years ago and her playful onstage “standoff” with Whitney Houston when the two compared gowns. “It was a moment,” she recalled with a smile.
Carey explained how music videos have always been central to her artistry: “They’re my way of bringing music to life, of visualizing the fantasy. And let’s be honest, sometimes they’re just an excuse to bring the drama and do things I’d never do in real life.”
She then reminisced about some of her most iconic visuals—dressing in drag for “Obsessed,” transforming into her alter ego Bianca in “Heartbreaker,” and making a daring escape with a love interest in “Honey.” Laughing, she admitted, “Well, that one wasn’t much of a stretch, but it happened anyway.”
Carey closed her speech with gratitude, saying, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that music changes, videos change, but the joy they bring—that’s forever. Thank you, MTV, for supporting my videos, and thank you to my Lambily. I love you endlessly.”
Witnessing @MariahCarey accept the Video Vanguard Award at the 2025 #VMAs was a daydream! ☁️✨🐑 pic.twitter.com/PFg9EwIbGb
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 8, 2025
The five-time Grammy winner also delivered a show-stopping medley, revisiting some of her biggest hits through the years. Her setlist included “Sugar Sweet” with Kehlani and Shenseea, “Fantasy,” “Honey,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed,” “It’s Like That” featuring Fatman Scoop and Jermaine Dupri, and the timeless ballad “We Belong Together.” She began the performance draped in a flowing gold silk robe before transforming into a sparkling gold bodysuit paired with matching boots.
Carey’s 2025 appearance marked her first time attending the MTV VMAs in two decades. She last took the stage at the event in 1997 when she presented the Vanguard Award to this year’s host, LL Cool J.
Her history with the VMAs stretches back to 1991, when she made her debut performing “Emotions.” In 1998, she returned for a memorable opening act alongside Whitney Houston, where the two jokingly wore identical dresses.
Along with the night’s biggest honor, the Video Vanguard Award, Carey also claimed the Best R&B trophy for “Type Dangerous,” a single from her upcoming album Here for It All, set for release on Sept. 26.
Over the years, the Vanguard Award has been presented to some of the industry’s most iconic performers, including Katy Perry, Shakira, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, and Missy Elliott.