Olympic Opening Ceremony features Mariah Carey performance (with mixed reviews)

The Milano Cortina Olympics in San Siro kicked off with a kaleidoscope of brightly coloured costumes, all the operatic grandeur you’d expect out of Italy and a treat for the ears — by way of Mariah Carey singing the highest of high notes at the opening ceremony .

Carey performed two songs, the first of which was the 1958 Italian classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare).” This was followed by a hit of her own, “Nothing is Impossible,” from her 2025 album “Here for It All.”

The highly anticipated performance, which featured her iconic whistle tone, delighted a roaring stadium crowd of thousands. However, online voices have been left to question whether her singing was live or pre-recorded, as some note her stiffness and others point to her patented whistle tone sounding a bit too pristine.

While we may not get an answer to that debate (at least not immediately) — here’s a look back at the acts that opened the event, which got off to a (literal) flying start.