Mariah Carey made a triumphant return to the stage on Tuesday, Dec. 17, as she wrapped up her Christmas Time tour with a festive performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The show was made even more memorable when Rihanna, a special guest in the star-studded crowd, got her breast signed by the iconic singer.
“Mariah Carey is signing my tit,” Rihanna, 36, said to the camera, wearing sunglasses and a fluffy tan jacket.
The grand finale came after Carey had to cancel three earlier performances due to the flu. On Dec. 11, the singer announced she was too unwell to perform in Pittsburgh, Newark, N.J., and Belmont, N.Y.
“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,” Carey shared on X (formerly Twitter). She later canceled two additional shows, explaining, “Newark and Belmont — I wish I had better news but unfortunately I’m still sick and have to cancel the shows tonight and on Sunday.”
Carey’s health took a turn for the better just in time for her Brooklyn show. “Lambs, thank you for making my #Christmastime so special,” Carey wrote on Instagram on Dec. 16. “I’ve loved singing with you every night, and I can’t wait to see you all tomorrow in Brooklyn for the last show of the tour.”
The Christmas Time tour kicked off on Nov. 6 in Highland, Calif., following its announcement in August. Throughout the tour, Carey welcomed a few familiar faces to celebrate alongside her. During her Dec. 9 show in Raleigh, N.C., her 13-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan, whom she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon, joined her on stage to present flowers in honor of her classic holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” reclaiming the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Thank you. Wow!” Carey exclaimed onstage. “That was the perfect moment to find that out. It’s from the Hot 100? Well, thank you, everybody who helped make that possible. Thank you so much.”
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Carey’s iconic holiday album Merry Christmas, featuring her signature hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” On Dec. 9, she released a limited deluxe edition of the album to celebrate the milestone.
Mariah Carey’s triumphant Brooklyn performance solidified her status as the Queen of Christmas, closing her holiday tour with energy, fanfare, and a moment Rihanna and the audience won’t soon forget.
