Mariah Carey isn’t the biggest fan of artists covering her songs.
During an interview with GQ, the topic of covers came up and Mariah told a story of Prince once telling her that he didn’t like when other singers did covers of his songs, in regards to Carey’s rendition of his record “The Beautiful Ones.”
“I love ‘The Beautiful Ones’ so much,” she said. “And I remember Prince, he didn’t like people to redo his songs. He said to me, ‘I love ‘Honey’ though.’ It’s like, ‘Prince likes ‘Honey’!’ [Laughs] But about [my cover of] ‘The Beautiful Ones,’ he said he didn’t like when people did covers of his songs. And I was like, ‘Oh no, he doesn’t like it.’ But then he told me that he liked ‘Honey.’”
And apparently she feels the same way because she was then asked if she liked when people covered her songs to which she answered, “Not really.”
She was then asked about the viral reaction to her watching Muni Long covering her hit record “We Belong Together” during the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards where the legendary singer was being honored as an industry icon and appeared to be a bit uncomfortable during her tribute performance.
“I didn’t even hear the cover. I didn’t know it happened. No one told me,” she said perhaps blaming her reaction on the venue’s acoustics. “I just didn’t know that she had done ‘We Belong Together’ [as a cover] ‘cause her song was so similar to ‘We Belong Together.’ I had no idea that she did ‘We Belong Together.’”
Adding, “I’m very honored and flattered that she did it. I love Muni Long, she’s a great person, umm, but I just don’t like people doing my songs.”
Muni took to social media and gave her side of the story, telling her followers that she was paying homage and was asked to do that specific song.
“The people that’s got a lot to say, you don’t understand how this…paying homage and having respect for people, you know what I’m saying,” Long explained at the time. “She asked me to do it. You thought I chose to get on TV and sing a Mariah Carey song? You thought that was my choice? Why would I do that? Nobody can sing Mariah’s songs like Mariah. Nobody. I didn’t chose that. She asked me to do it and of course I said yes ’cause why would I ever say no? I did my best, and that’s all I can do.”
Mariah also showed Muni love on her Instagram Stories after the show and posted a picture of herself, Long and Tori Kelly along with a caption that read, “So beyond grateful for these two gorgeous, uber-talented, kind, incredible musicians who made my heart so full of joy with their tribute performances at the @iheartradio awards. I love and appreciate you so much!!!”
The two singers have collaborated a bunch over the years, most recently in 2024 when Mariah hopped on the remix for Muni’s hit single “Made for Me.”
Mariah Carey’s 16th album Here for It All later this week on Friday, Sept. 26.