Public image of Mariah Carey

Throughout her career, American singer Mariah Carey has received recognition as a cultural and public figure. Her public image has undergone transformations, subsequently receiving press coverage.

Initially emerging in the early 1990s with a polished and controlled image under the influence of her then-husband Tommy Mottola, Carey later embraced a more liberated persona following their separation and the release of Butterfly (1997). Throughout the early 2000s, Carey's public image was faced with media scrutiny after her much-publicized breakdown during the promotion of her 2001 film Glitter. She made a musical comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). During the 2010s, Carey faced heavy media attention for her celebrity life before making another smaller musical comeback with Caution (2018). Her music has also inspired several viral challenges on TikTok.

Throughout her career, Carey has maintained having and embracing a signature diva persona, and has also been called a pop icon, gay icon and a fashion icon. She been praised for her ability to throw shade and has had publicised feuds with Eminem and Jennifer Lopez. She has been credited for starting the trend of wearing low-rise jeans in the early 2000s and her outfits have been the subject of polarizing reviews and reactions. Carey has also contributed heavily to several social media memes, being the (often unintentional) originator and inspiration for various memes including "I don't know her" and "skinny legend".

Carey has also been dubbed the "Queen of Christmas" for her impact as a holiday icon and her popular Christmas music, and has since become synonymous with the Christmas season. Her 1994 song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a Christmas standard and has won Carey several awards, honors. Since 2014, she has toured every holiday season, earning various achievements over the years. She has also hosted Christmas specials (television and film). Every year since 2019, Carey has posted a video on social media on November 1 to ring in the Christmas season, coining the popular Christmas phrase "It's Time".