Foo Fighters, Jennifer Hudson, Busta Rhymes Pay Tribute to Mariah Carey at MusiCares’ Person of the Year Gala 2026
Anyone who’s attempted to sing Mariah Carey’s catalog at karaoke or in the comforts of their car knows that matching the greatness of Mimi is often an insurmountable task. And yet, a slate of musicians — Foo Fighters, Kesha, Jennifer Hudson, to name a few — did just that in tribute to the Queen Lamb herself at the annual MusiCares Person of the Year benefit gala, which took place on Friday night at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The event, which has featured honorees including Dolly Parton and Jon Bon Jovi in recent years, typically plays as a marathon of tributes to the artist at hand. (Some attendees last night were grumbling at the expected length before the show even commenced, given the grueling grind of Grammy week.) But the two-hour program was succinct and, at times, surprising, as some artists either selected very deep cuts from Carey’s oeuvre — Foo Fighters with Taylor Momsen for not one but two tracks from her unreleased grunge album — or completely transformed the songs at hand, namely Maggie Rogers and Laufey with clever attempts at “Honey” and “It’s Like That,” respectively.
Jennifer Hudson performs a medley of songs in tribute to Mariah Carey at MusiCares in Los Angeles, including “My All” pic.twitter.com/v9MRr0OOkI
MusiCares 2026, the 35th annual event, was a well-oiled machine, with each artist introduced by surprise presenters including SZA, Rita Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Richard Marx, Gayle King, Babyface and Kim Burrell. Following a brief DJ performance from longtime Carey collaborator Jermaine Dupri, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. set the night into motion with a speech that established the event was just as much about Carey as it was celebrating her philanthropic efforts, and more specifically, encouraging donations from those in attendance.
“Tonight, we honor a true icon, a five-time Grammy winner, truly spectacular voice that has inspired generations of artists, a songwriter whose melodies and lyrics have shaped the soundtracks of our lives. The one and only Mariah Carey,” he said. “What makes tonight especially powerful is that this honor is not just about music. Mariah’s always understood that influence carries responsibility. She’s used her platform to support communities and advocate for those in need, and to show up when it matters most. That spirit and passion paired with impact is exactly what MusiCares stands for.”
To that point, MusiCares has become a beacon of hope for those affected by some of the world’s most challenging moments in recent years. Mason Jr. himself has been instrumental in mobilizing the Grammy membership, staff and MusiCares to help those in need, distributing over $25 million to pandemic relief and a total of $24 million toward fire relief. Last night, attendees were encouraged to scan QR codes on their tables to donate or participate in a live auction, where bidders spent tens of thousands of dollars on front-row seats at this Sunday’s Grammy Awards or a trip to Abu Dhabi to meet with Carey.
But music was equally the focus at MusiCares 2026 (and, of course, Carey, which goes without saying). Hudson began the parade of tributes with a rafters-reaching medley of songs including “Vision of Love” and “My All,” followed by the night’s most unexpected performance: Foo Fighters with Taylor Momsen, who ripped through “Love Is a Scam” and “Hermit” off Carey’s 1995 grunge album “Someone’s Ugly Daughter” by the band Chick. The camera cut to an enthused Carey several times as she sang along to the tunes.
Foo Fighters, fronted by guest singer Taylor Momsen, perform "Love Is a Scam" — a song from Mariah Carey's unreleased alt-rock album — as a highlight of Friday night's MusiCares salute to Mariah pic.twitter.com/ikWQft5Rk7
Some of the more compelling performances of the night came from artists who attempted to completely rewire some of her canon. Laufey’s bossa nova rendition of “It’s Like That” somehow worked, while Maggie Rogers invoked the spirit of Joss Stone with a soulful version of “Honey.” Others played it straight, often to great effect: Charlie Puth turned in a chills-inducing take on “I Still Believe”; John Legend tickled the ivories for “Hero”; FLO traded harmonies on “Dreamlover”; Kesha traipsed through “Obsessed”; Billy Porter gave a spirited rendition of “Always Be My Baby”; Teddy Swims hit the runs on “Without You”; and Adam Lambert brought his glam-rock vocals to “Can’t Let Go.”
There were a few surprises here and there, namely with an appearance from the un-billed Busta Rhymes who performed their 2002 classic “I Know What You Want.” (He appropriately called it “baby-making music.”) The rapper, who revisited the song with singer Chanté Moore and Spliff Star, gave Carey her flowers as he emerged from the wings. “I love whenever I need you, even when it’s not the most convenient, you pull up for Busta Rhymes,” he told Carey. “At the time, I would look at you on Video Music Box before I got the opportunity to make music, and I’d be like, I might have a crush on her. And then fast-forward, we have shared moments where we can actually say, it’s forever documented and etched in stone for eternity.”
Busta Rhymes shows up as a surprise to perform “I Know What You Want” with Chanté Moore and Spliff Star for Mariah Carey’s MusiCares tribute pic.twitter.com/bV8TYsyLfu
Carey spent the two-hour show smiling and singing along to the performances, and kept it brief as she accepted MusiCares’ Person of the Year honor at the night’s end. Introduced by Jody Gerson, CEO and chairman of Universal Music Publishing Group, Carey took the stage for her four-minute speech, where she teared up near the end. “I got to have a chance to sit there and listen and feel very just blessed to be here,” she said. “Thank you so much. Standing here tonight, surrounded by so many friendly and familiar faces, people I’ve worked with, people I’ve long admired, people I’ve even thought I’d never see again, so much love. So much music. It’s overwhelming in the most possible way.”
Mariah Carey accepts MusiCares’ Person of the Year award in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/mCMPSQ4hRl
At that, Carey picked up the mic for one final farewell: an all-star performance of her perennial hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” led by Jon Batiste and joined by many of the evening’s singers. Carey accompanied them, beaming, gladly relishing the homage.
The event, which has featured honorees including Dolly Parton and Jon Bon Jovi in recent years, typically plays as a marathon of tributes to the artist at hand. (Some attendees last night were grumbling at the expected length before the show even commenced, given the grueling grind of Grammy week.) But the two-hour program was succinct and, at times, surprising, as some artists either selected very deep cuts from Carey’s oeuvre — Foo Fighters with Taylor Momsen for not one but two tracks from her unreleased grunge album — or completely transformed the songs at hand, namely Maggie Rogers and Laufey with clever attempts at “Honey” and “It’s Like That,” respectively.
Jennifer Hudson performs a medley of songs in tribute to Mariah Carey at MusiCares in Los Angeles, including “My All” pic.twitter.com/v9MRr0OOkI
MusiCares 2026, the 35th annual event, was a well-oiled machine, with each artist introduced by surprise presenters including SZA, Rita Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Richard Marx, Gayle King, Babyface and Kim Burrell. Following a brief DJ performance from longtime Carey collaborator Jermaine Dupri, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. set the night into motion with a speech that established the event was just as much about Carey as it was celebrating her philanthropic efforts, and more specifically, encouraging donations from those in attendance.
“Tonight, we honor a true icon, a five-time Grammy winner, truly spectacular voice that has inspired generations of artists, a songwriter whose melodies and lyrics have shaped the soundtracks of our lives. The one and only Mariah Carey,” he said. “What makes tonight especially powerful is that this honor is not just about music. Mariah’s always understood that influence carries responsibility. She’s used her platform to support communities and advocate for those in need, and to show up when it matters most. That spirit and passion paired with impact is exactly what MusiCares stands for.”
To that point, MusiCares has become a beacon of hope for those affected by some of the world’s most challenging moments in recent years. Mason Jr. himself has been instrumental in mobilizing the Grammy membership, staff and MusiCares to help those in need, distributing over $25 million to pandemic relief and a total of $24 million toward fire relief. Last night, attendees were encouraged to scan QR codes on their tables to donate or participate in a live auction, where bidders spent tens of thousands of dollars on front-row seats at this Sunday’s Grammy Awards or a trip to Abu Dhabi to meet with Carey.
But music was equally the focus at MusiCares 2026 (and, of course, Carey, which goes without saying). Hudson began the parade of tributes with a rafters-reaching medley of songs including “Vision of Love” and “My All,” followed by the night’s most unexpected performance: Foo Fighters with Taylor Momsen, who ripped through “Love Is a Scam” and “Hermit” off Carey’s 1995 grunge album “Someone’s Ugly Daughter” by the band Chick. The camera cut to an enthused Carey several times as she sang along to the tunes.
Foo Fighters, fronted by guest singer Taylor Momsen, perform "Love Is a Scam" — a song from Mariah Carey's unreleased alt-rock album — as a highlight of Friday night's MusiCares salute to Mariah pic.twitter.com/ikWQft5Rk7
Some of the more compelling performances of the night came from artists who attempted to completely rewire some of her canon. Laufey’s bossa nova rendition of “It’s Like That” somehow worked, while Maggie Rogers invoked the spirit of Joss Stone with a soulful version of “Honey.” Others played it straight, often to great effect: Charlie Puth turned in a chills-inducing take on “I Still Believe”; John Legend tickled the ivories for “Hero”; FLO traded harmonies on “Dreamlover”; Kesha traipsed through “Obsessed”; Billy Porter gave a spirited rendition of “Always Be My Baby”; Teddy Swims hit the runs on “Without You”; and Adam Lambert brought his glam-rock vocals to “Can’t Let Go.”
There were a few surprises here and there, namely with an appearance from the un-billed Busta Rhymes who performed their 2002 classic “I Know What You Want.” (He appropriately called it “baby-making music.”) The rapper, who revisited the song with singer Chanté Moore and Spliff Star, gave Carey her flowers as he emerged from the wings. “I love whenever I need you, even when it’s not the most convenient, you pull up for Busta Rhymes,” he told Carey. “At the time, I would look at you on Video Music Box before I got the opportunity to make music, and I’d be like, I might have a crush on her. And then fast-forward, we have shared moments where we can actually say, it’s forever documented and etched in stone for eternity.”
Busta Rhymes shows up as a surprise to perform “I Know What You Want” with Chanté Moore and Spliff Star for Mariah Carey’s MusiCares tribute pic.twitter.com/bV8TYsyLfu
Carey spent the two-hour show smiling and singing along to the performances, and kept it brief as she accepted MusiCares’ Person of the Year honor at the night’s end. Introduced by Jody Gerson, CEO and chairman of Universal Music Publishing Group, Carey took the stage for her four-minute speech, where she teared up near the end. “I got to have a chance to sit there and listen and feel very just blessed to be here,” she said. “Thank you so much. Standing here tonight, surrounded by so many friendly and familiar faces, people I’ve worked with, people I’ve long admired, people I’ve even thought I’d never see again, so much love. So much music. It’s overwhelming in the most possible way.”
Mariah Carey accepts MusiCares’ Person of the Year award in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/mCMPSQ4hRl
At that, Carey picked up the mic for one final farewell: an all-star performance of her perennial hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” led by Jon Batiste and joined by many of the evening’s singers. Carey accompanied them, beaming, gladly relishing the homage.