‘She Almost Fell’: Mariah Carey’s Careful Strut During NYFW Has Fans Concerned After She Nearly Misses a Step
Mariah Carey is often one of the first celebrities who come to mind when you hear the word “diva.”
The “Heartbreak” singer earned the title through her glamorous appearances and couldn’t-be-bothered attitude. It also helps that she’s a highly respected singer with five Grammy wins and 34 nominations.
But Carey’s high-maintenance image seems to falter whenever she performs on stage.
Her stiff movements mid-performance have become more noticeable, and over the past few years, she’s often needed more assistance while walking.
That was evident again Monday, Sept. 14, as Carey left The Peninsula New York during New York Fashion Week.
A video posted to Hollywood Pipeline’s Instagram page shows the “We Belong Together” singer holding her bodyguard’s hand as she slowly navigated the hotel stairs.
She wore a brown sweater paired with a brown miniskirt and long Gucci boots.
Paparazzi greeted Carey, shouting her name to catch her attention. Focusing carefully on the steps, she looked up and offered the cameras an awkward smile.
Even after reaching flat ground, her bodyguard continued guiding her toward the waiting car as fans shoved vinyl records and sheet music forward, hoping for autographs. The last seconds of the video captured Carey taking her time to sign some of the items.
After watching the video fans immediately shared their concerns for the artist in the comments. One person asked, “Why does she need help down the stairs, is she ok?”
A second person questioned, “What happened to her?” “Something looks wayyyyyy off with her,” said a third worried fan.
A fourth who noticed that she nearly missed a step said, “She almost fell from the stairways thanks to her bodyguard.”
The hotel exit marks just one of several recent instances where Carey required help walking. Even during her Las Vegas residency performances last year, concertgoers noted her remarkably stiff posture and limited movement on stage.
While her backup dancers executed sharp, high-energy routines around her, Carey stood in place or moved with deliberate slowness. She occasionally held a dancer’s hand to steady herself across the stage, and when walking unassisted, she appeared visibly uncomfortable.
There are whispers that Carey’s uncomfortable movements are due to her wearing heels. Others suspect it is a health issue, but it has not been confirmed whether she has a condition that would affect her mobility.
The Long Island native suffered a severe fall on a video set in 2013, and her reliance on team support suggests she takes extra precautions to avoid a similar injury.
The accident occurred while Carey was shooting the remix music video for her hit single “Beautiful,” when a slip in high heels resulted in her falling.
Initially, she “downplayed” the injury, but later told Extra how bad it all was.
She said, “It was very serious and I downplayed the seriousness of the situation. I dislocated my shoulder, my ribs. There was nerve damage.”
Carey recovered in three months, defying doctors who expected her healing to take about eight months.