Mariah Carey Faces Lip-Sync Claims at Milan Olympics Opening Ceremony

A diamond reportedly over 300 carats

American diva Mariah Carey (56) sparked controversy after performing at the opening ceremony of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on February 6 (local time), amid reports suggesting she may have lip-synced.

The ceremony’s director emphasized the success of the show, saying:

“We were able to create a magical moment.”

Carey herself posted on Instagram, calling it a dream come true, but behind-the-scenes details also emerged.

At the start of the ceremony, Carey appeared in a luxurious white gown adorned with a diamond reportedly exceeding 300 carats. Known as a singer with a seven-octave range, she performed the classic song Volare in Italian. Some viewers noticed moments where her lip movements seemed slightly delayed compared to the sound from the speakers, prompting fans on social media to accuse her of lip-syncing.

Additionally, large teleprompters were installed in the stadium, showing the correct Italian pronunciation for Carey’s performance. For example, “Volare” was displayed with the English phonetic guide “Voh-lah-reh,” a detail that drew attention as unusual for such a high-profile event.

So what was the truth?

According to the U.S. outlet PageSix, the opening ceremony director, Maria Laura Iascone, was asked about the lip-syncing allegation on February 7. She did not directly confirm whether Carey lip-synced, but praised the performance, stating:

“Mariah Carey’s performance was outstanding. She was able to create a magical moment.”

She also explained that, to ensure everything went smoothly, performances for international broadcasts are always pre-recorded. In addition, Carey reportedly was not paid a performance fee.

A prior record of lip-syncing allegations

On February 7, Mariah Carey posted videos and photos of her opening ceremony performance on Instagram, writing:

“Performing at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony (in Italian!) was a dream come true. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. Nothing is impossible!”

She mentioned that Volare had been a longtime favorite, but did not address the lip-syncing allegations.

While the truth remains unclear, her decision not to explicitly deny the lip-syncing claims meant the suspicion persisted. Carey has faced similar accusations in the past.

According to U.S. outlet RadarOnline, during the June 2013 BET Awards—an American cultural award honoring African Americans and other minorities in music, theater, and entertainment—fans criticized her performance as lip-synced.

“Another famous lip-sync controversy occurred in January 2013, when Beyoncé performed the U.S. national anthem at President Obama’s second inauguration using a pre-recorded track,” a Hollywood insider explained.

Beyoncé received some sympathy: during Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin explained that the outdoor temperature of 6–7°C made singing difficult for most performers. Beyoncé also stated that for the second inauguration:

“Due to harsh weather and the inability to do proper sound checks, I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks.”

She performed along with a pre-recorded track but emphasized that this is common in the music industry and that she was very proud of her performance.

The Hollywood insider added:

“In Beyoncé’s case, the extreme cold outdoors was a factor. In Carey’s case, she sang Volare in a non-native language, Italian. Both performances were internationally broadcast live, which is a unique situation and can’t necessarily be equated with lip-syncing at a regular concert.”

Nonetheless, for standard concerts or paid TV appearances, lip-syncing remains unacceptable for professional singers. Carey’s recent controversy may serve as a reminder to uphold authentic performances and ideally work toward eliminating lip-syncing altogether.