Mariah Carey
Ethan James Green
Five-time Grammy winner and 2024 Recording Academy Global Impact Award honoree Mariah Carey will be honored as the 2026 MusiCares Person of the Year during the organization’s annual Grammy Week soiree.
The 35th annual Person of the Year benefit gala will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, January 30, 2026, two nights before the 2026 Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena.
“We are honored to recognize Mariah Carey as this year’s MusiCares Person of the Year, a true creative force and once-in-a-generation talent,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares. “Her artistry and her voice have helped shape the sound of our times. We look forward to celebrating her remarkable career on this very special night.”
Carey will be honored for her extraordinary career as well as her long-standing commitment to supporting communities and people in need and advancing health and social welfare . She founded Camp Mariah in 1994 in partnership with the Fresh Air Fund to support underserved youth. In December 1994, Carey hosted a benefit concert that raised more than $700,000 for the Fund, and she personally pledged $1 million. Her philanthropic endeavors also include relief for communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since 1991, the Person of the Year gala has raised funds to support MusiCares’ programs, including health and wellness services, addiction recovery, preventive care, disaster relief, and emergency support for music professionals. Carey joins a distinguished list of MusiCares honorees including The Grateful Dead, Jon Bon Jovi, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson and Joni Mitchell.
“Mariah Carey’s influence extends far beyond her remarkable artistry,” said Theresa Wolters, Executive Director of MusiCares. “She has used her platform consistently to provide tangible support to communities, whether through disaster relief, youth empowerment, or programs that help those facing barriers to opportunity. Her work exemplifies the values at the heart of MusiCares: creating systems of care that lift people up and ensure music professionals and communities can thrive. Honoring her as Person of the Year celebrates both her incredible musical legacy and her dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.”
Carey, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022, is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 19 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles (18 self-penned), more than any solo artist in history. Her memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2025/10/21/mariah-carey-will-be-the-2026-musicares-person-of-the-year/
