An Unforgettable Christmas Tour Moment When Mariah Carey Signed Rihanna’s Breast on Stage

25 July 2025

Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty; Kevin Winter/Getty Rihanna (left); Mariah Carey (right)

In a season of intimate holiday performances, Mariah Carey delivered one of the most memorable tour moments of the year during the final show of her Christmas Time tour at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center last December when Rihanna, seated in the front row, made an unforgettable request. Mariah shared the story during her July 24 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live revealing that Rihanna asked her to autograph her breast and that she did so with good humor and grace.

Carey recounted how she had returned to the audience to greet fans during her performance of “Always Be My Baby.” Through her microphone she heard someone shout “Mariah Carey is signing my tit, y’all.” Suddenly she found herself face to face with Rihanna, who had asked for a Sharpie. Amused and obliging, Carey accepted and wrote her own name onto Rihanna’s upper breast in red ink, a moment that electrified the crowd and became instant legend.

The interaction captured the essence of the festive concert and highlighted the playful camaraderie between two international pop icons. Carey described the moment as hilarious, steadying her diva reputation as she descended into the audience to meet Rihanna face to face. She then revealed that Rihanna jokingly vowed to tattoo the autograph though Carey admitted she doubts the tattoo ever actually happened.

Even months later the anecdote remains vivid. Carey’s appearance on the late-night show brought fresh attention to a story that blended fan devotion, celebrity spontaneity, and sheer holiday cheer. Rihanna’s declaration that the moment was “iconic” has since become a headline in itself, emblematic of the modern pop culture landscape where live performances are often punctuated by viral surprises.

Fans and media followed the story with fascination. A video posted by Hollywood Unlocked’s Jason Lee captured the moment as it unfolded: Rihanna stood in the front row alongside A$AP Rocky, waved excitedly at the stage, and told Jehovah she needed the autograph of her idol. Carey descended, asked what to sign, and patiently penned her name on the spot while the audience erupted with joy. The two stars embraced afterward, sharing a hug before Carey returned to the stage to close the show.

Mariah shared that she heard Rihanna was in attendance but did not expect to see her right in the front row. That realization prompted a funny moment of humility as the singer accepted that she was, for once, putting her diva image aside to meet a fan she truly admires And yet that authenticity only enhanced the holiday magic of the concert reminding fans of Mariah’s enduring appeal as both a performer and a person.

Looking ahead, Carey hinted at future Christmas performances and even teased the possibility of releasing her once-lost grunge album, though she claimed the autograph tattoo is likely more myth than reality. But regardless of whether the ink ever materialized, the story of that evening stands on its own: an elevated moment of fandom and frivolity made iconic by the artists’ willingness to lean into the unexpected.

Mariah Carey remains known as the Queen of Christmas a title she has earned over three decades. Yet that title doesn’t prevent her from sharing candid, spontaneous moments that show her heart within the spectacle. Rihanna’s autograph request turned into something deeply human: two artists connecting beyond stage and celebrity, even if just for a second in a sharply lit arena drenched in holiday glow.

As Carey retold the story seven months later, it resonated not only as a viral anecdote but as a testament to her lasting impact on pop culture. In that single signature, she gifted Rihanna and the audience a snapshot of pure devotion, celebrity generosity, and holiday warmth that fans continue to celebrate.