Mariah Carey is one of the best-selling female musical artists ever, and she is nearly inarguably the Queen of Christmas. Her song "All I Want for Christmas is You" is the best-selling Christmas song ever. In digital sales alone, the track has gone platinum 16 times. Her holiday shows are also legendary due to her panache and flamboyance. They are events, not just someone singing a bunch of songs.
But this holiday season, Carey has not been able to perform as much as she had planned. She has been sick. Thankfully, the illness does not appear to be overly dire; she simply has the flu. Still, for those fans who bought tickets and gave them as early Christmas presents, the gift has gone to waste in a few cities.
On December 11, Carey was forced to cancel her gig in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the announcement was made just a few hours before the show was set to begin. After not recovering quickly, she canceled her shows on December 13 in Newark, New Jersey, and on December 15 in Belmont Park, New York.
Mariah Carey's illness causes her to cancel several Christmas concerts
Carey has only one show left on her brief holiday tour. At least for those who live in Newark and Belmont Park, if they have a chance to catch the final concert, they won't have to drive too far. On December 17, the pop diva is scheduled to play at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
While it won't be as nice as seeing her perform live, fans will get a chance to watch the singer on Netflix's NFL Christmas Day coverage. She will present a pre-recorded performance as part of the opening show before the two games the streaming service will feature on Christmas. Even a pre-recorded Christmas song by Carey is going to likely be fantastic.
Plus, the performer will probably be back next Christmas for a brief tour as well. She is a bit like Santa Claus. She gives us gifts at the same time each year, and many look forward to it with great anticipation.