Mariah Carey brought more than just her voice to the 2025 MTV VMAs. It turns out, she also brought $10 million worth of diamonds.
The five-time Grammy winner skipped the red carpet but stunned on stage in a champagne-colored silk bathrobe that she quickly swapped for a corseted gold bodysuit, glittering boots, and a jewelry ensemble that became the night’s true talking point.
According to Page Six, Carey wore a 204.38-carat “Rosée Éternelle” diamond necklace and matching chandelier earrings from Levuma, paired with a 72.15-carat diamond cuff from Etho Maria. The total value is reportedly more than $10 million, making her one of the most expensive acts of the evening.
She performed a medley of her greatest hits before accepting the coveted Video Vanguard Award, which is her first Moon Person in more than three decades of nominations.
“I just have one question, what in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?” she joked while accepting the trophy from Ariana Grande. Carey, 56, is now the oldest recipient of the Vanguard Award, joining an elite list of past winners that includes Madonna, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez.
But the diamonds raised a bigger question: why invest so much into an award show performance when artists don’t get paid for winning VMAs? Though it may shock some fans, there’s no monetary prize attached to a Moon Person. Like the Super Bowl halftime show (another famous stage where performers aren’t paid) the value lies in exposure, bragging rights, and career momentum.
Via Depositphotos
Carey’s $10 million jewelry ensemble may look like a liability, but it’s likely a carefully calculated branding play. Such a headline-making moment can boost streaming numbers, send catalogs back up the charts, and even spark new brand deals.
Mariah isn’t alone. Other stars have made headlines with million-dollar looks. Beyoncé has performed in Dubai wearing jewelry valued at over $7 million, Lady Gaga famously wore Tiffany & Co. diamonds worth $5 million to the Oscars, and Jennifer Lopez has been known to step on stage with couture outfits costing six figures.
Carey’s fortune helps explain how she was decked out in diamonds. Her net worth is estimated around $350 million, built from over 200 million albums sold, her Las Vgegas residencies, and evergreen royalties from “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which alone earns her an estimated $3 million per year. With that net worth, Carey can afford to make the VMAs a spectacle.
