Mariah Carey, the queen of Christmas and a global music icon, wrapped up her festive concert tour on December 17 with a memorable encounter, and among the audience at her final show was none other than Rihanna, the 36-year-old music superstar and Fenty founder, who added a dash of unexpected excitement to the night.
During the concert, Carey took her signature approach of stepping off the stage to interact with fans, snapping selfies and sharing moments with the crowd. However, as she made her way back to the stage, a security guard asked her to return to the audience.
“I was like, ‘You cannot call me a diva again because I’m literally backing down the stairs,’” Carey humorously told ‘People’ while recounting the event.
To her surprise, the reason for the detour was Rihanna herself. The “Diamonds” singer had everyone in stitches when she playfully asked Carey to sign her breast. “That was hilarious,” Carey said from Aspen, where she’s enjoying some downtime. “I heard Rihanna might be at the show, but I didn’t expect her to be in the crowd. She was so much fun!”
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Carey’s Christmas tour wasn’t without its challenges. Earlier in the month, she canceled three shows due to illness. On December 11, just hours before her scheduled performance in Pittsburgh, Carey took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce she was down with the flu.
“Pittsburgh, I am sorry to say, I’ve come down with the flu. It breaks my heart that I unfortunately have to cancel tonight’s show. I love you all so much,” she wrote.
Despite her best efforts, Carey had to cancel two more shows in Newark, N.J., and Belmont Park, N.Y., as she continued to recover. “I’m devastated about it and appreciate your support. Love, MC,” she shared with fans.
Carey had announced the Christmas Time tour back in August, expressing her excitement about creating a magical experience for fans. “I’ve been working day and night on this one,” she said at the time.
As the tour ended on a high note, Carey took to Instagram to thank her fans, lovingly referred to as “Lambs,” for their unwavering support. “I’ve loved singing with you every night,” she wrote, promising more unforgettable performances in the future.