On September 22, 2024, Mariah Carey made history at Rock in Rio with the biggest performance ever on the Sunset Stage. The unforgettable concert closed the festival with fans and critics alike praising Mariah’s show as one of the most iconic moments in the history of the festival.
A monumental moment for Mariah Carey, who has broken her fair share of records, this performance was on the newly improved Sunset Stage, finally giving the main stage a run for its money. The show drew in huge crowds, dwarfing numbers compared to past years. Part of her continuing tour “The Celebration of Mimi“, the concert was in celebration of the 20th anniversary of The Emancipation of Mimi and evidence that Mariah’s star power isn’t dimming.
For both Mariah and Rock in Rio, the performance went beyond numbers into those realms of legacy, nostalgia, and the staying power that is one of pop music’s most celebrated artists.
Mariah brought precisely what the fans came for-an eclectic array of her hits. She first took to the stage with the never-failing “Hero,” conjuring the emotions of all those in attendance. Later in the night, she sang those favorite fan tracks: “Touch My Body,” “We Belong Together,” and a beautiful rendition of “I Want to Know What Love Is,” which reminded all just why she is one of the best-selling female artists of all time.
Known for her pitch-perfect voice with a wide range, Mariah belted out every high note with effortless ease that left the crowd aghast. And it was not all about vocals, either. All glammed up and sparkling in stage lights, she married visual spectacle with musical virtuosity to make the show as much a feast for the ears as for the eyes.
The crowd was electric the very moment she stepped on stage. For many, this was the most highly-anticipated performance of the whole festival. Dancing, crying, and singing along word-for-word, utterly transported by the magic of the night, there went the fans.
“I’ve waited my whole life for this,”
said one overwhelmed fan.
“Mariah is an icon, and this show is everything I dreamed it would be!”
But to some, that placement wasn’t good enough for a star of Mariah’s caliber.
“She should’ve been on the main stage,”
some argued. And yet, even on the Sunset Stage – which had massive upgrades to improve the sound and size from previous years – the performance felt every bit as grand as a main-stage headliner.
The concert was not just any tour stop but also a testament to Mariah’s continued relevance in today’s musical landscape. The music critics claimed that having such a sizeable audience after years in the business speaks volumes of her unparalleled cultural relevance.
“It is the celebration of an artist who has not only stood the test of time but continues to define pop music,”
one critic noted.
The Sunset Stage upgrades, which now include cutting-edge lighting, sound, and visual production, also played a role in the night’s success. Organizers said they wanted to create a situation where even acts on secondary stages had the full “Rock in Rio experience,” and Mariah’s show was a testament to how well those improvements paid off.
