Mariah Carey appeared to slur her words and seem unusually sleepy while singing and speaking at a private after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards, prompting concern from some fans and onlookers.
The gathering took place at the private members' club The Twenty Two in New York, where several stars, including rapper Busta Rhymes, were photographed and filmed socializing after the ceremony. Video and eyewitness accounts published by the Daily Mail show the 56-year-old singer holding a microphone as she crooned the 2002 song "I Know What You Want" next to Busta Rhymes and spoke with other guests.
In the footage cited by the Daily Mail, Carey closes her eyes while listening to the rhythm and begins to sing slowly. She is also heard telling people about the release date of her new album, Here for It All, saying, "The release date is the 26th," and at one point asking producer Jermaine Dupri to come to the microphone. Some viewers interpreted parts of her speech as slurred. The Daily Mail said it reached out to Carey’s representative for comment.
Busta Rhymes is heard encouraging her to sing, and at one moment putting his arm around her. The Sun reported that a person at the club said Carey stayed past 2 a.m. and appeared to be intoxicated. The Daily Mail and The Sun are among the outlets that published the footage and eyewitness accounts.
Carey had earlier appeared on stage at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, during the VMAs, where she performed in gold and accepted an award. Photographs from the ceremony show her posing with fellow artist Ariana Grande. At the after-party she was seen in a black leather dress and jacket with lace-print boots and diamond jewelry.
Representatives for Carey did not immediately provide a statement in the coverage by the outlets that published the video. The singer’s new album, Here for It All, is scheduled for release on Sept. 26, and she referenced the project during the after-party.
The footage and accounts circulated online as attendees shared video captured on mobile phones. Media reports noted the late hour and the presence of alcohol at the event as context for the appearance captured in the videos. No medical or official statement regarding Carey’s condition at the after-party has been released.