Mariah Carey's twins watch on with pride as she performs medley of her hits before accepting Icon Award at Billboards
When Mariah Carey played the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas this Wednesday, she had some support from some very special people in her life.
Cheering her on in the audience were her twins with her ex-husband Nick Cannon - Monroe and Moroccan, who celebrated their eighth birthday a day earlier.
The 49-year-old, who was being presented with the Icon Award, sang a medley of her hits such as Always Be My Baby, Hero, A No No and We Belong Together.
Fabulous: When Mariah Carey played the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas this Wednesday, she had some support from some very special people in her life
Pride and joy: Cheering her on in the audience were her twins with her ex-husband Nick Cannon - Monroe and Moroccan
Her rollicking performance, which also featured her song Emotions, gave her the chance to show off her five-octave range, including her whistle register.
The G7 she hit on the 1991 version of Emotions that appeared on the album of the same name is the highest note Mariah has ever recorded.
Mariah, whose weight has fluctuated over the course of her career, slipped her currently slender frame into a figure-hugging black split gown.
'Oh my Gosh,' said the All I Want For Christmas Is You singer when she accepted her trophy from Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Fabulous: The 49-year-old, who was being presented with the Icon Award, sang a medley of her hits such as Always Be My Baby, Hero, A No No and We Belong Together
Her rollicking performance, which also featured her song Emotions, gave her the chance to show off her five-octave range, including her whistle register
Details: The G7 she hit on the 1991 version of Emotions that appeared on the album of the same name is the highest note Mariah has ever recorded
Looking fab: Mariah, whose weight has fluctuated over the course of her career, slipped her currently slender frame into a figure-hugging black split gown
'I saw a couple of people in the office. Hi, Roc and Roe! My babies are right there, them babies. It’s their birthday. Can we all say happy birthday?' she said.
'Thank you so much for this gorgeous award. It’s gonna look fabulous in my New York apartment. Bye! No, just kidding, I wouldn’t stop with that,' Mariah vamped.
'I’m so nervous. Seriously, thank you Billboard for letting me grow up on the charts with you and for this incredible honor. Icon? I really don’t think of myself in that way.'
Mariah, who was discovered in the late 1980s by her future ex-husband Tommy Mottola, then head of Columbia Records, shared: 'I started making music out of a necessity to survive and to express myself, and I just wanted to create something so I could feel worthy of existing. And if I’ve learned anything, anything at all in this life, it’s that truly, all things are possible with God.'
A legend in her own time: Mariah sang in front of a gigantic 'M' surrounded by a group of male backup dancers wearing glittery suits redolent of the 1960s
Talent: 'Oh my Gosh,' said the All I Want For Christmas Is You singer when she accepted her trophy from Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson
Fantastic: Mariah shared a warm embrace with Jennifer, who won her Academy Award for her supporting role in the 2006 film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls
Incredible: 'Seriously, thank you Billboard for letting me grow up on the charts with you and for this incredible honor,' said Mariah during her acceptance speech
Lasting emotions: The songbird shared that 'I still feel like that lost interracial child who had a lot of nerve to believe I could succeed at anything at all in this world'
She added: 'Without getting into all the drama, all the ups and downs of my career. We’ve all seen them. We all make mistakes. There’s been a few memes.'
Mariah gave a shrug and earned a huge applause break from the audience, including Taylor Swift, who could be glimpsed shouting: 'I love you!'
'I guess I’ve always felt like an outsider, someone who doesn’t quite belong anywhere,' Mariah continued, 'and I still feel like that lost interracial child who had a lot of nerve to believe I could succeed at anything at all in this world.'
She went on: 'But – and this is the truth – but I did believe because I had to. The truth is I’ve dedicated my life to my music, my saving grace, and to my fans, who are unlike any other entity that I’ve ever known.'
Crowd favorite: Mariah made a quip about starring in 'memes' and earned a huge applause break from the audience, including Taylor Swift, who could be glimpsed shouting: 'I love you!'
Full of gratitude: The pop diva affectionately known as Mimi said her fans have 'lifted me out of the depths of hell and brought me back with their devotion and love'
The pop diva affectionately known as Mimi said her fans have 'lifted me out of the depths of hell and brought me back with their devotion and love. I wanna thank all the people who’ve been with me on this journey, through the highs and lows, through the struggles, through your struggles and mine.'
Mariah, who calls her fans 'lambs,' said touchingly: 'And to anybody who doesn’t allow themselves to be broken and keeps getting up and keeps holding on and keeps standing tall, keeps on believing and keeps rising, I celebrate you tonight.'
The coda to her acceptance speech was: 'And to anyone who’s ever told me that I song I wrote helped save your life, I thank you, because you saved mine, and I’ll be eternally grateful for that. I love you. Thank you so much.'
Giving it back: The coda to her acceptance speech was: 'And to anyone who’s ever told me that I song I wrote helped save your life, I thank you, because you saved mine'
Long journey: Mariah 'started making music out of a necessity to survive and to express myself, and I just wanted to create something so I could feel worthy of existing'
History: Mariah was discovered in the late 1980s by her future ex-husband Tommy Mottola, who at that point was head of Columbia Records
Place to be: Mariah got herself snapped on the red carpet holding up her trophy