There have been bitter recriminations after Mariah Carey’s televised New Year’s Eve performance went wrong.
The pop star’s live appearance in New York’s Times Square was beset by problems as she complained of sound difficulties and struggled to sing.
Her representative told Billboard the producers \u00ab\u00a0set her up to fail\u00a0\u00bb.
But Dick Clark Productions said any suggestion it would \u00ab\u00a0compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd\u00a0\u00bb.
Carey was live on ABC just before midnight and began with Auld Lang Syne, but hit trouble during her 1991 hit Emotions.
Complaining that she could not hear, she did not sing for much of the track and her dancers led her through an awkward stage routine.
She told the crowd: \u00ab\u00a0I want a holiday, too. Can I not have one? I’m trying to be a good sport here. \u00a0\u00bb
The problems continued during her next song, the 2005 hit We Belong Together. She lowered her microphone but could still be heard singing on a pre-recorded track.
\u00ab\u00a0It just don’t get any better,\u00a0\u00bb she said at the end of the song.
Her spokesperson Nicole Perna told Billboard: \u00ab\u00a0She was not ‘winging’ this moment and took it very seriously. A shame that production set her up to fail. \u00a0\u00bb
Carey told the production crew that her earpiece was not working in advance, Ms Perna said.
\u00ab\u00a0They told her it would be fine once she was on stage,\u00a0\u00bb she explained. \u00ab\u00a0However, that was not the case and they were again told that her earpiece was not working. Instead of endeavouring to fix the issue so that Mariah could perform, they went live. \u00a0\u00bb
Carey went on stage but was \u00ab\u00a0flying blind\u00a0\u00bb, Ms Perna said. Referring to the backing vocal track, she said, \u00ab\u00a0it is not uncommon for artists to sing to track during certain live performances\u00a0\u00bb.
She added: \u00ab\u00a0Any allegations that she planned to lip sync are just adding insult to injury. \u00a0\u00bb
However, production company Dick Clark Productions (DCP) said: \u00ab\u00a0As the premier producer of live television events for nearly 50 years, we pride ourselves on our reputation and long-standing relationships with artists.
\u00ab\u00a0To suggest that DCP, as producer of music shows including the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and Academy of Country Music Awards, would ever intentionally compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd. \u00a0\u00bb
It said technical errors could occur with live television in \u00ab\u00a0very rare instances\u00a0\u00bb but that an initial investigation indicated it had no involvement in the problems during Carey’s performance.
\u00ab\u00a0We want to be clear that we have the utmost respect for Ms Carey as an artist and acknowledge her tremendous accomplishments in the industry,\u00a0\u00bb it added.
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