Music legend Mariah Carey has revealed she isn’t a fan of other singers performing her songs — no matter how flattering the gesture may be.
Speaking to GQ magazine, Carey was asked about her reaction to Muni Long’s tribute performance of We Belong Together at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards, where Carey was honored as an industry icon.
Surprisingly, the singer claimed she didn’t even realize it happened.
“I didn’t even hear the cover. I didn’t know it happened. No one told me. I just didn’t know that she had done We Belong Together ‘cause her song was so similar,” Carey explained.
“I’m very honored and flattered that she did it. I love Muni Long, she’s a great person, umm, but I just don’t like people doing my songs.”
Mariah Carey then shared that her stance may echo a conversation she once had with the late Prince, who also disliked covers of his music.
“I love The Beautiful Ones so much. And I remember Prince, he didn’t like people to redo his songs. He said to me, ‘I love Honey, though.’ It’s like, ‘Prince likes Honey!’ But about The Beautiful Ones, he said he didn’t like it when people did covers of his songs.”
For Mariah Carey, whose catalog includes some of the most iconic ballads in music history, it seems her hits are best left in her own voice.
