In what many are calling one of the worst performances in Winter Olympics history, Mariah Carey's appearance during theBBC's live coverage left viewers baffled and, in some cases, switching off. On Friday, spectators packed the historic San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, for the festivities marking the official start of the Winter Games.

After two large-scale production numbers, the pop singer, 56, took the stage. Wearing a wintery silver-and-white dress, Carey stood under a single spotlight, looking every bit the diva, as she began to sing a version of Domenico Modugno's popular 1950s classic "Nel blu, dipinto di blu", better known as "Volare". As the song progressed, it became clear that Mariah was struggling to stay in sync with the pre-recorded music, leaving many viewers cringing as her lips appeared to not quite match the vocals.

But instead of wrapping up, Carey jumped into her own song, "Nothing Is Impossible," from her upcoming 2025 album Here For It All, and critics quickly took to social media with their thoughts. One user tweeted, "I don't know why #MariahCarey is lip syncing a very bad recording of Volare. And... why?"

"World's biggest selling female artist & Mariah Carey is f*****g miming. Contrast with Celine Dion at Olympics," tweeted another user, drawing attention to the legendary Canadian singer's famously powerful and live performance at the Olympics two years ago.

Another person agreed, writing, "Mariah Carey so obviously lip syncing. Wasn't tryna hide it a single bit. Ruined what has been a decent opening ceremony thus far."

"The worst Olympic performance in history," declared one frustrated viewer. Others were quick to praise the star as they wrote: "Mariah looks INCREDIBLE. Yes Queen!" and a second added: "She is flawless, and those vocals...omg"

In addition to Carey, other well-known performers included Laura Pausini, who sang the Italian national anthem, and Andrea Bocelli, who last performed at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Games in Turin.

The theme of this year's opening ceremony was "Harmony," symbolising the two Italian cities that serve as hosts of the 2026 Games: Milan and the mountain town of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

This year's Winter Olympics will run until the closing ceremony on February 22 with 116 medal events across the 19 days in Italy.