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At Monday night’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, Mariah Carey’s reaction to a tribute performance sparked intense social media buzz. The moment occurred during a performance by Tori Kelly and Muni Long, who were honoring the iconic singer before she received the Icon Award.

The viral moment captured Carey’s seemingly disapproving expression as Long performed “We Belong Together.” While others in attendance were dancing enthusiastically, cameras caught the 55-year-old superstar slowly turning her head with what appeared to be a critical side-eye.

Social media quickly erupted with commentary about the moment. “this gif of Mariah Carey will go down in history,” wrote one X user, while another dubbed her the “meme queen.” Another user quipped, “She was wondering why they didn’t book Ariana [Grande].”

Despite the viral moment, other footage from the evening showed Carey’s positive engagement during different parts of the tribute, particularly when “Always Be My Baby” was performed. The singer’s representatives haven’t addressed the incident when contacted by Page Six.

The evening featured another memorable Carey moment during her acceptance speech when she demonstrated her characteristic attention to detail. “Is the lighting OK?” she inquired from the stage. “Because I don’t like bad lighting.”

Continuing her acceptance speech, the legendary vocalist shared her enduring passion for her work, saying, “I still get excited when I hear one of my songs playing on the radio. It never stops being magical.”

Though she skipped the red carpet, Carey made a striking appearance in an elegant black sequined dress paired with perfectly styled curls. Following the ceremony, she expressed her gratitude on Instagram, writing, “Thank you, @iheartradio!! ✨❤️”

Long, who later shared fan reactions to the tribute on her social media, expressed her enthusiasm to Billboard about honoring Carey. She discussed her favorite songs from Carey’s extensive catalog, highlighting tracks like “Mine,” “Heartbreaker,” and “My All.”