Mariah Carey appeared during Robin Hood and iHeart Radio’s Heroes of New York event on Tuesday night (Dec. 1) to perform a special medley of her hit “Hero,” “Joy to the World” and David Bowie’s “Heroes.”
“Seven months ago, New York had its back against the wall. Our neighbors needed help, and Robin Hood reached out to us for our support. New Yorkers answered the call and stepped up,” the superstar said in her introduction, before dedicating her number to “the thousands of heroes in New York who did their part to help put our city back on the road to full recovery.”
From there, Carey launched into the hook of Bowie’s classic 1977 single before seamlessly transitioning into her own, similarly named, smash released 17 years later during her Music Box era.
“No nothing could tear us away/ We could be heroes just for one day/ We could be heroes just for one day/ And then a hero comes along/ With the strength to carry on/ And you cast your fears aside/ And you know you/ So when you feel like hope is gone/ Look inside you and be strong/ And you’ll finally see the truth That a hero lies in, a hero lies in you/ That a hero lies in you,” Carey sang from her home studio.
Finally, the star closed out the medley with a passionate, melisma-filled take on “Joy to the World” while backed by a virtual choir.
The one-hour special also featured appearances by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Andy Cohen, Jon Stewart, Kelly Ripa and more, with a special performance of “Smile” by Tony Bennett.
Watch the Elusive Chanteuse belt out her medley for New York’s frontline workers below.
