Earlier tonight was a once-in-a-lifetime event when the Superstars of Music honored five-time GRAMMY winner and the 2024 Recording Academy Global Impact Award honoree: Mariah Carey, with some incredible musical performances for the 2026 Grammy’s MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute Show & Concert! Mariah Carey is a music icon, and is one of the most celebrated voices in music, and was honored for her extraordinary career as well as her long-standing commitment to supporting communities and people in need.
This 35th annual Person of the Year benefit gala was held earlier tonight at the Los Angeles Convention Center, which traditionally is always held two nights before the GRAMMY Awards that are always on Sunday, at the Crypto.com Arena.
The biggest Pre-Event, and Cornerstone of GRAMMY Week, this annual event not only honors the extraordinary legacy of its honorees but also serves as MusiCares’ largest fundraiser of the year, raising critical funds to support year-round programs including disaster relief and essential services for music professionals in need.
With inspiring performances, heartfelt moments, and the support of this year’s incredible honoree, Mariah Carey—one of the most iconic performers of all time—the evening underscored the resilience and compassion of the music industry. 
On this 1/2 hour, once-in-a-lifetime, and amazing show we will take you down on the red carpet for interviews, and then show you a few short highlight clips from the concert portion of this Gala Show, with some of the incredible musical performances from some of the superstars of music!
I was given an amazing seat towards the front of the showroom, to watch this amazing concert, so I will let you know how I felt during this emotion packed evening, with some musical performances that I will always remember, along with the interviews we did on the red carpet!
Everyone was excited when the legendary singer: Mariah Carey arrived on the red carpet at the Los Angeles Convention Center, as the Queen of Christmas and R&B legend was celebrated on her big night. The star-studded MusiCares- benefit tribute brought together artists from across genres who honored her incomparable vocals and inimitable songwriting by performing her songs in their own styles. Throughout the evening, Carey seemed joyful and as she mouthed along to her own classics.
“Tonight, it’s been sublime to hear my songs reimagined by some of the world’s greatest artists,” Carey said as she accepted her Person of the Year award at the end of the evening. “When I was a little girl scribbling lyrics in my notebook late at night, I could only dream of someone hearing those words and singing them.” She continued, “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be here with all these magnificent artists singing my songs back to me, infusing them with their own artistry and giving them all new life. This has given me life.”
Our TV Show Host: Margie Rey did some great in-depth interviews on the red carpet with some of tonight’s performers, speakers, and celebrities: 
As you can see in the above and below photos Margie did an incredible in-depth interview with 5 time Grammy Award Winner: James Samuel “Jimmy Jam” Harris III, and his music production partner: Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. Their productions have received commercial success since the 1980s with various artists, most extensively Janet Jackson. They have written 31 top ten hits in the UK and 41 in the US. In 2022, the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category!
Jimmy Jam is the son of Cornbread Harris, a Minneapolis blues and jazz musician. Jimmy Jam met Lewis while attending an Upward Bound program on the University of Minnesota campus. In 2003, Jam and Lewis moved their recording operations to Santa Monica, California naming it Flyte Tyme West, due to more opportunities for work and collaboration. In 2006, they won a Grammy for Yolanda Adams‘ song “Be Blessed”, from her 2005 album Day By Day. In 2007, Jam and Lewis produced the two-time Grammy Award-winning CD Funk This for Chaka Khan, which included the Award-winning R&B duet “Disrespectful”, with Mary J. Blige.
The production duo reunited with the Time at the 50th Grammy Awards on February 10, 2008, in a medley that included the artist Rihanna, and featuring “Jungle Love”. In June and July 2008, all of the original members of the Time (Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jesse Johnson, Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson, and Monte Moir) reunited once again for a series of shows at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
In a career that has spanned more than four decades, Jam and Lewis have worked with a multitude of artists, including Lionel Richie, Herb Alpert, TLC, Sounds of Blackness, Yolanda Adams, Jordan Knight, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, Usher, Johnny Gill, Patti LaBelle, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, Prince, Mýa, Bryan Adams, Snoop Dogg, Spice Girls, Vanessa Williams, George Michael, Melanie B, Rod Stewart, Kelly Price, Gwen Stefani, New Edition, Eric Benét, Pia Zadora, SOLO, and the Human League. In the below photo you can see Lisa Harris and Jimmy Jam on the red carpet, right when Margie interviewed them both: 
Margie did a great in-depth interview with Rita Wilson, who was born Margarita Ibrahimoff, and is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and producer. She is married to: Tom Hanks, who has won two Oscars, both for Best Actor in consecutive years: Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994). He is one of only two actors to win consecutive Best Actor awards, with a total of six nominations throughout his career.
Rita is known for her roles in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Jingle All the Way (1996), and Now and Then (1995). She also produced My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) with her husband, Tom Hanks. Wilson has also appeared on Broadway and in TV shows like The Good Wife and Girls. As a singer, she’s released albums like AM/FM and Halfway to Home.
During this interview with Margie: Rita Wilson announced her sixth studio album, SOUND OF A WOMAN, slated for release on May 1st. 2026. The most visionary and revealing work to date in her ever-evolving musical cannon, SOUND OF A WOMAN was co-produced by Rita and nine-time Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton) and recorded at the historic RCA Studio A in Nashville. Rita even sang an intro performance song from this album at tonight’s Grammy MusiCares Gala Concert & Show! The title track and lead single will drop FEBRUARY 9th, 2026 accompanied by a stunning music video directed by Steven Sebring (Patti Smith), which you can hear here: https://youtu.be/51PzNYNXUCA In the below photo you can see Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks attending the MusiCares Persons of the Year gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles on Friday, February 3, 2023, when our news team was there to cover it: 
Margie did a very interesting interview with DIXSON (Darius Scott) who is a multi-Grammy-winning and Academy Award-nominated artist, producer, and songwriter signed to Roc Nation and Sony Music Publishing. He is best known for co-writing the Oscar-nominated song “Be Alive” with Beyoncé for the film King Richard. His work includes contributions to Grammy-winning albums Renaissance and Cowboy Carter. You can see him posing on the red carpet: 
Margie had a very fun interview with: Multi Grammy Award Winner: Atia Chade Boggs, known professionally as Ink, who is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer recognized for her work in the music industry. She has been credited on singles and albums for Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Monica, Kendrick Lamar and Jennifer Lopez, among others! In the photo below you can see her during the interview with Margie, when she did a promo spot for our show: 
Margie also did interviews with: Ella Mai, and Chris & Keltie Knight, and many others.
The Foo Fighters are a rock band founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, and they all posed on the red carpet for photos- from Left to Right: Ilan Rubin, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Taylor Momsen and Dave Grohl: 
Brandon Lake was giving good interviews on the red carpet: discussing his music, faith, and joking about his Grammy storage. He expressed that the song’s success highlights a message of hope and redemption. Shortly after these events, on Sunday February 1, 2026, at the Grammy Awards, he won the GRAMMY AWARD for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Jelly Roll. 
Stephen Sanchez is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter known for his retro persona and romantic themes. His music evokes the nostalgia and timeless romance of mid-century American pop stars like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, who he discovered as a child. Sanchez’s debut single, “Lady By The Sea”, was originally shared on TikTok and caught the attention of producer Jeremy Zucker. On the red carpet he talked about romance during his interviews: 
Adam Lambert just gave us a quick hello on the red carpet. Adam Mitchel Lambert is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his dynamic vocal performances that combine his theatrical training with modern and classic genres. Lambert rose to fame in 2009 after finishing as runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol: 
I was really overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and admiration for Mariah Carey, from some of the biggest names in the music world, as they sang their hearts out during the show! The concert portion of the evening kicked off with Babyface speaking onstage, where he called Carey “1 of 1” as you can see in the below photo: 
Accompanied by Gayle King, the legendary Stevie Wonder took the stage at one point to speak on the importance of freedom, and how Carey did well in honoring the “gift [she] was given by the most high:” her voice. “Never let anyone think they can take your freedom away,” Wonder said: 
There was a great musical performance that I will always remember as Adam Lambert used his mighty pipes to sing Mariah Carey’s “Can’t Let Go” from a round stage built in the middle of audience: 
There was a nice mini DJ set from Jermaine Dupri of Carey classics (and several unexpected B-sides), before the cascade of performances came in.
Jennifer Hudson (in the above & below photos) opened with a vocally driven performance of “I Don’t Wanna Cry,” before continuing into “My All,” and adding even more soul to “Vision of Love,” – Carey’s 1990 debut single, & “MAKE IT HAPPEN” : 
Jennifer Kate Hudson, also known as J.Hud, is an American actress, singer, producer, and talk show host who has achieved EGOT status! EGOT status refers to an individual who has won all four major American entertainment awards: an Emmy (television), Grammy (music), Oscar (film), and Tony (theater). It is considered the “grand slam” of show business, with only around 20–28 people achieving this prestigious, rare feat throughout history.
Her career spans music, film, television, and Broadway. Hudson’s debut album was critically acclaimed for its R&B influences, and she’s won a Grammy. She’s also starred in films like Sex and the City and The Secret Life of Bees. 
As you can see in the above and below photos- Jennifer Hudson was so very kind to pose with only a lucky few people from the stage right after the show! 
One of the best parts of the concert for me was when GRAMMY Award-winning artists Dave Grohl (left) of Foo Fighters and Taylor Momsen performed on stage to a standing ovation, for an amazing musical performance: 
The Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, keyboardist Rami Jaffee and drummer Ilan Rubin. 
Taylor Momsen joined Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters and took things from R&B heaven to pure grunge as they played songs from her secret 1995 album Someone’s Ugly Daughter, including “Hermit,” “Love Is a Scam” and “Demented.” Mariah Carey was all smiles as she sang along for what was by far the highlight of the night: 
In below photo: Performer John Legend and wife Chrissy Teigen, enjoying the show at their table: 
With her beautiful voice Laufey spiced up Mariah Carey’s “It’s Like That” :
The breathtaking singer Kesha performed a new version of the award-winning hit song: “Obsessed,” that was a reimagined, high-energy cover of Mariah Carey’s 2009 hit “Obsessed,” which was a great tribute to Mariah Carey: 
This was an amazing performance by the beautiful “Kesha” as she performed onstage with a very powerful performance, where she wore a sexy sequin minidress, boots, and shades, with Mariah Carey watching from the audience and mouthing along to the words to this song: 
Richard Marx sang acapella to “Can’t Let Go,” as you can see in the below photo. Richard Noel Marx is a Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter who has sold more than 30 million albums globally. Marx’s career spans the 1980s to the present, and his styles include adult contemporary, pop rock, album rock, and soft rock. He’s had a string of hit singles, including the platinum-selling “Right Here Waiting” and “Hold On to the Night.”
The Finale is always the best part of this show when everyone comes up on stage to sing together, as you can see in the below photo: Stella Quaresma of Flo, Jon Batiste, Renée Downer of Flo, Jennifer Hudson, Jorja Douglas of Flo, Laufey, Kesha, and Rita Wilson performed onstage, which you will see in our video highlights of this amazing show: 
John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Rika Tischendorf, and Babyface enjoyed this amazing show: 
SZA thanked Carey for being a “blueprint,” and R&B trio FLO delivered delectable harmonies on “Dreamlover,” and Charlie Puth and John Legend paired their falsettos with the piano with renditions of “I Still Believe” and “Hero,” respectively. It was also great to see Maggie Rogers perform “HONEY,” and Kim Burrell give a intro performance with an Acapella “EMOTIONS” moment.
Billy Porter also performed “Always Be My Baby” with plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’, bringing a playful, attention-grabbing energy that shifted the focus from honoring the Carey classic to making it his own. 
Then Mariah emerged from backstage to save the song, adding her vocals and closing things out as she greeted everyone onstage. If the Queen of Christmas says it’s Christmas in January… it’s Christmas in January! 
As you can see in the above and below photos Jon Batiste was so nice to take the time on the stage right after the show ended to pose for a few photos with a few lucky people in the audience: 
Also, in the above photo – on the left in the suit and tie, looking towards the camera, you can see Paul Pelosi- (the husband to Nancy Pelosi – the former 2 time Speaker of the House!) who like many others was happy to walk up to the stage after the show was over, to talk to the singing superstar: Jon Batiste, as we were doing the same as Paul was, and to my surprise his wife Nancy Pelosi walked right up towards us, so I was able to get a photo with her also! Nancy was so kind as to agree to the photo, so then I asked Paul if he could join in also, but he said “it’s okay- I am good” so then Nancy nudged him into the photo on the right, so then I was so honored to have a photo with 2 people that are part of our history: 
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, and again from 2019 to 2023, having made history in 2007 when she was elected the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, and made history again in January 2019 when she regained her position second-in-line to the presidency! The Speaker of the House is second in the line of presidential succession, directly following the Vice President, according to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. Nancy has represented San Francisco in Congress for more than 35 years, and previously served as House Democratic Whip. She has been a Representative (D-CA 11th District) since 2023, and a Previous Representative, CA 12th District (2013–2023). 
The A-list, high net worth crowd took turns bidding on an Abu Dhabi trip to see Carey perform, tickets to the Grammys, and a glittery stage worn outfit by the star — all in the name of charity. 
Music has the power to heal and comfort. Friday’s MusiCares Person of the Year Charity Gala was an evening defined by purpose, connection, generosity, and community—coming together to stand with and support music professionals who need us now more than ever. In a time of deep division, the night was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we come together, helping ensure MusiCares can continue its mission of supporting the humans behind the music.
Right after the dinner and desserts were over he told me that he has to go backstage now, to do the drumming for the show. You can see him during the clip highlights of the music portion on our news story wrap-up. 
In the above and below photos you can see his beautiful wife up on the stage, as we are posing in front of the stage: 
A Very Special thanks to Musicares for the use of the music clips from the show: Obsessed (Reggae Version), WITHOUT YOU (Album Version), Hero. Most of the photos were taken by our news team, but some were also taken by: Matt Winkelmeyer, Getty Images For The Recording Academy, Amy Sussman, Getty Images, Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy, Frazer Harrison, Getty Images, and MICHAEL TRAN, AFP Via Getty Images. A very special thanks to ALL of the ABOVE! 
MusiCares helps the humans behind music because music gives so much to the world. Offering preventive, emergency, and recovery programs, MusiCares is a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community. Founded by the Recording Academy in 1989 as a U.S. based, independent 501(c)(3) charity, MusiCares safeguards the well-being of all music people through direct financial grant programs, networks of support resources, and tailored crisis relief efforts. For more information please visit: www.musicares.org 
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