Mariah Carey’s powerhouse performance at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony stole the spotlight, and also courted controversy.
Her rendition of the Italian classic “Volare” (Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu) was the dazzling highlight of the three-and-a-half-hour gala, yet the spectacle left many fans and critics questioning whether the pop icon was lip-syncing during the technically complex set.
“Such a dream come true to perform (in Italian!) at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
She received rave reviews from many, who called her marvellous and touted her high notes.
Her performance also prompted a good deal of criticism online, where commenters were confused why an Italian singer wasn't given the honour. Some noted a large teleprompter with a phonetic breakdown of the song's Italian lyrics, while others wondered if she was lip-syncing.
Carey was born in New York to an Irish American mother, who was an opera singer, and a Black father with Venezuelan roots.
Despite her non-Italian background, the local organising committee asked her to perform at Friday's opening ceremony and touted her for months as a big get to open the Winter Games.
Media later questioned the International Olympic Committee and local organisers to address the teleprompter and doubts about lip-syncing.
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“We believe that Mariah Carey's performance was exceptional," Milan Cortina's director of ceremonies Maria Laura Iascone said Saturday. “She was capable of creating a magic moment.”
Asked if Carey was lip-syncing, Iascone dodged the question. She said that “in order to be on the safe side,” they always record performances ahead of time for internationally broadcast events. She added the singer wasn't paid for her performance. “We were all satisfied with the result we had," she said.
When asked about it, Iascone said “of course” there was a teleprompter. “Especially for those artists who sang in a different language than their own native language,” she said. "And they needed some support, especially regarding the pronunciation.” Iascone added: “This is part of the show. It is a way to support the talents on the stage.”
While armchair analysts mused online that the “All I Want for Christmas is You” singer appeared stiff, especially while singing in Italian, the crowd inside the San Siro stadium cheered and applauded when they realised she was performing in the local language.
She later stunned the audience with her own “Nothing is Impossible.”
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