After decades of dazzling the music world, Mariah Carey is finally breaking her VMA drought—earning this year’s coveted Video Vanguard Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, her first-ever Moon Person despite nine past nominations.
The ceremony, set for September 7 at UBS Arena on Long Island, is especially poetic: Carey once presented the same honor to host LL Cool J back in 1997.
But she’s not just accepting—she’s returning to the VMAs stage for the first time in 20 years with a career-spanning live medley of her greatest hits.
Adding to the excitement, she’ll also be competing in the Best R&B category for her new single “Type Dangerous,” a taste of her highly anticipated 16th album Here for It All, dropping September 26.
This momentous return sees Carey finally claim the accolade that’s eluded her—and do it in style. It’s more than a recognition of her video artistry; it’s a coronation, decades in the making.
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