October 21, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — An early Christmas present came for her Filipino fans as Mariah Carey performed her Christmas anthem All I Want For Christmas Is You as an encore, along with her other massive hits, during the Manila leg of her “The Celebration Of Mimi Tour” on Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Accompanied by backup singers and all-male dancers, the “Queen of Christmas” made her fans’ wishes come true at the concert, which was presented by Wilbros Live, through her mere presence and by singing her extensive music catalogue during the 90-minute gig, which started promptly at 8 p.m.
Despite less talk and movement from Mariah, the night was still heavily laced with nostalgia as the crowd sang along to the tunes that had been etched in their memories since their high school and college days. Some netizens who attended the music event expressed that they didn’t mind whether she sang live or not (it was hard to tell) as long as they got to hear their favorite songs and see their beloved idol in the flesh.
The swarm of people let out a loud scream and sang their hearts out to fan favorites and videoke staples like Hero, Emotions, We Belong Together and Always Be My Baby. The inspiring ballad Hero reminded of the old days, emotively conveying its message of hope through its lyrics: “So when you feel like hope is gone/Look inside you and be strong/And you’ll finally see the truth/That a hero lies in you.”
Another familiar melody came alive on stage — My All — complemented by a passionate, steamy dance act from one of her topless male dancers, reflecting the song’s themes of longing, intense passion and heartache.
From black to pink sparkling gowns, the 56-year-old “Songbird Supreme” was glamorously dressed for the occasion, adorned with her long, bouncy curls that matched the flirty and sultry vibe she embodied throughout her performances. Select songs were also sprinkled with her signature whistle register.
She occasionally exited the stage for quick breaks, only to return in a new costume and continue with pop jams from the ‘90s — Can’t Let Go, Vision of Love and Fantasy.
Mariah proved that she’s a “chick” to be reckoned with when she launched into I’m That Chick, #Beautiful, Heartbreaker and Obsessed.
The powerhouse diva also indulged the concertgoers with tracks from her 10th studio album “The Emancipation Of Mimi,” including It’s Like That, We Belong Together, Shake It Off, and Say Somethin’. The set turned titillating as two male dancers performed sensual moves, especially during Say Somethin’, with her nickname “Mimi” flashing across the stage screen.
Mariah also made sure that her latest album, “Here For It All,” was well-represented during the show.
“I wanted to play a few new songs for you tonight, if that’s OK with you. I did this one with Anderson .Paak. Daniel Moore, my musical director, will be singing with me tonight,” she told the audience before starting Play This Song, In Your Feelings and Sugar Sweet.
She also mounted a cover of Badfinger’s classic Without You and Busta Rhymes’ I Know What You Want.
Toward the end, Mariah’s longtime friend and one of her vocalists, Trey Lorenz, led the group in introducing the band members one by one and thanked the Filipino fans for being “such a great audience.”
Full props to the group for injecting their vocal and dancing flair into the show.
The concert ended on a jovial note with Mariah evoking the Christmas spirit in All I Want For Christmas Is You. Her dancers wore Santa hats and red shirts, a winter wonderland background played on the video screen, stage lights dazzled in festive green and red, and a confetti shower topped it all off.
Mariah last staged a concert in Manila in 2018.
