Mariah Carey performs onstage during New Year's Eve 2017 in Times Square at Times Square on December 31, 2016 in New York City. (Photo : Getty Images/ Theo Wargo)
Dick Clark Productions has released a statement to answer Mariah Carey's accusations that the company was responsible for her troubled performance on Dec. 31, 2016 in New York City. The singer blamed the production company for the technical problem, claiming that the company set her up to fail.
Before Carey's performance on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest," she reportedly informed the staff of the Dick Clark Productions that there was an issue with her earpiece. Her initial performance "Auld Lang Syne" was very good, but it wilted with "Emotion" and "We Belong Together."
"As the premier producer of live television events for nearly 50 years, we pride ourselves on our reputation and long-standing relationships with artists," Dick Clark Productions told Deadline.
"To suggest that dcp, as producer of music shows including the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, New Year's Rockin' Eve and Academy of Country Music Awards, would ever intentionally compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd."
Dick Clark Productions' statement was released after Carey's representative Nicole Perna accused the production company for the singer's failed performance. Immediately after the incident, Perna released a statement to Billboard, saying that the "Without You" songstress is not "winging" the event and even prepared the night before and a few hours before her scheduled performance.
Perna added that Carey was professional and committed to perform despite the sound problem. She defended the singer that she performed "flying blind," while adding that accusing Carey of planning to do a lip sync was too much.
An insider close to Dick Clark Productions had a completely different story. The source told the publication that Carey avoided the rehearsal, and she used a body double on the day of the event to practice. There was also no technical issue contrary to what Carey's camp was saying.
There are also rumors that Carey's side is accusing the production company of sabotaging in order for the event to get high ratings. A Dick Clark Productions' source insisted that there is no basis for the allegations. Watch Carey's performance here:
