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Mariah Carey Sparks Buzz Singing In Italian At Olympics Opening Ceremony

Global music sensation Mariah Carey is turning heads at the Milano Cortina Olympics opening ceremony.
Grant Young|
Mariah Carey at the LA Convention Center on January 30, 2026.
Mariah Carey at the LA Convention Center on January 30, 2026. | IMAGO / WENN

After a wait that has felt like forever, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are finally underway, with the Opening Ceremony taking place on February 6.

There are countless storylines to follow heading into this year's Winter Olympics. Perhaps the most prominent among American sports fans is that iconic skier Lindsey Vonn is competing on a fully torn ACL, which has earned her endless respect.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States.
Lindsey Vonn of the United States. | Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images

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While there are plenty of existing stars for fans to follow this year, one beautiful aspect of the Olympics is that it provides a global platform for up-and-coming athletes to earn a household name and cement themselves in the history books of their respective sports.

Whether it will be Chloe Kim reclaiming her Olympic throne or a newer name like Alysa Liu stealing headlines, there's sure to be something extraordinary to come over the next 16 days.

Chloe Kim (USA) celebrates winning the gold medal.
Chloe Kim (USA) celebrates winning the gold medal. | Danielle Parhizkaran-Imagn Images

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Mariah Carey Wows Crowd Singing In Italian At Olympics Opening Ceremony

The person making the most waves during the Opening Ceremony is 56-year-old global music sensation Mariah Carey.

Carey wowed the crowd on opening night, performed in Italian for the first time in her iconic career, singing Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu, dipinto di Blu” (better known internationally as “Volare”) to the Italian crowd.

Mariah Carey performs at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter games.
Mariah Carey performs at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter games. | IMAGO / Belga

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Many viewers did not realize that Carey could sing in Italian, which made this already remarkable performance that much more impressive.

Ultimately, the Olympics are about the extraordinary athletes who are performing. But the fact that a global icon like Carey is setting the stage for them and bringing attention to this event makes it all the more meaningful.

Mariah Carey.
Mariah Carey. | IMAGO / WENN

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the Athlete Lifestyle, Women’s Basketball, the New York Mets, the Baltimore Orioles, the Chicago Cubs, and boxing for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years.

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