Mariah Carey will add another career-defining honor to her résumé next month when she receives the Video Vanguard Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. The announcement, revealed Thursday through MTV’s Instagram, frames the pop icon as this year’s centerpiece at a ceremony designed to celebrate both legacy and reinvention.
Carey joins an elite group of performers recognized for their lasting contributions to music videos and popular culture. MTV praised her decades of influence and promised fans an emotional tribute to her career. The network also confirmed performances from Carey, Busta Rhymes—recipient of the Rock the Bells Visionary Award—and Ricky Martin, who will be honored with the Latin Icon Award.
Mariah Carey's honor follows the singer preparing her forthcoming album, Here For It All. Last month, she released the album's lead single, "Type Dangerous." For the first time, the VMAs will air live on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and stream on Paramount+, reflecting the network’s push to expand its reach.
Carey’s Vanguard Award carries resonance beyond the ceremony itself. Despite her towering achievements—34 Grammy nominations and five wins—she has long expressed ambivalence toward the Recording Academy. During a recent appearance on Pitchfork’s Over/Under series, she dismissed the Grammys as “overrated,” emphasizing her focus on artistry rather than accolades.
Mariah Carey Vanguard Award
Her skepticism toward the industry’s highest trophy echoes comments from her 2024 Global Impact Award acceptance speech, where she recounted early struggles against conformity. Carey described pressure to suppress her love of Black music and adopt a more sanitized image.
She recalled resisting through persistence and determination until she could fully express her artistic identity. “Eventually, I was able to reveal my authentic self and create music that came from my heart,” she told the audience.
By framing success around freedom and authenticity, Carey has shaped her legacy on her own terms. Her candid reflections, paired with her cultural impact, underscore why the Vanguard Award feels less like a lifetime achievement and more like recognition of an ongoing influence.
