We Belong Together - Live Performances

Live Performances

Due to its continued chart success, Carey performed "We Belong Together" on several live televised performances and included it on the set-lists of all of her tours following its release. In the United Kingdom, Carey filmed a two-part appearance on the British music program Top of the Pops, performing "It's Like That", "We Belong Together", and "Shake It Off". Additional European and Asian appearances included an interview on the French talk show Le Grand Journal, and a performance of "We Belong Together" on both Music Station and Riponggi Hills in Japan. After returning to the United States for a string of televised performances, Carey launched the release of the album on Good Morning America, in the form of a five-piece outdoor concert. The concert, taking place in Times Square and featuring the largest crowd in the plaza since the 2004 New Year's Eve celebration, featured the first three singles from the album, as well as "Fly Like a Bird" and "Make It Happen" (1991). The following week, she performed "We Belong Together" at the 2005 BET Awards, with an additional appearance at the annual VH1 Save the Music special, filmed live on April 17 from the Beacon Theatre. Throughout May, Carey appeared on several US television programs, performing "We Belong Together" on the Late Show with David Letterman (May 5), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (May 11), and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (May 13), which included a performance of "It's Like That". As June approached, Carey made an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show (May 24), featuring a live rendition of "We Belong Together". She appeared on stage wearing a long blue evening gown, and featured a four piece band, as well as three background vocalists. Eleven days later on June 4, she performed at the annual Macy's Fourth of July Parade, singing "America the Beautiful" and "We Belong Together".

The following week, Carey made a live appearance at the 2005 annual MTV Movie Awards. The recital aired on television in black and white format, with Carey wearing a red Armani Privé and sporting a retro curled hairstyle, appearing in color. She performed "We Belong Together" on a white runway-styled stage with four male and female dancers. Following the stateside promotion of the album, Carey traveled to the United Kingdom on July 2, 2005 for a benefit concert held in Hyde Park, London titled Live 8. The televised event was watched by over 9.6 million British citizens and held a live audience of over 200,000. Carey performed a three song set-list, opening with "We Belong Together" and "Make It Happen", and followed by "Hero", which featured a live choir of African children. On August 3, USA Today announced that Carey would be added to the roster of performers at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, held on the 28th of the month. The ceremony was held at the American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami Beach Florida, with Carey's performance taking place at the National Hotel in South Beach. Apart from The Killers, she was the only performer to tape their appearance from an undisclosed location in Miami. After being introduced by Eva Longoria, Carey appeared on a long stage in the hotel's courtyard, with Dupri opening the song in a nearby cabana. After performing "Shake It Off" and the official remix version of "We Belong Together", Carey made her way into the shallow pool, followed by Dupri and the back-up dancers. Following the awards ceremony, Carey once again took to Europe, being featured as a head-lining performer at the 2005 Fashion Rocks, held in Monaco. Following her introduction by Donatella Versace, Carey performed the Peter Rauhofer Remix for "We Belong Together" on a suspended rafter, while wearing a metallic Versace gown. Carey played a similarly-choreographed performance of the song's Peter Rauhofer Remix at the German Bambi Awards, held in October 2005. Two months later, she celebrated the new year on television, placing as the featured performer at the Times Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve in New York. The special, titled Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, aired on ABC at 10 pm on December 31, and featured Carey on stage wearing a short sparkling dress, and performing a selection of the album's singles.

At the 48th Grammy Awards, held on February 8, 2006, Carey was nominated for eight awards—the most she had ever received in one night. That night, Carey returned to the Grammy stage for the first time since 1996. Her performance opened with a pre-taped video in which she discussed the importance of God and religion in her life. Carey then came to the stage, dressed in a white Chanel gown, and sang a shortened version of "We Belong Together". Next, Carey's pastor Clarence Keaton read a Bible passage to open Carey's performance of "Fly Like a Bird", as he did in the studio recording of the song. Midway through the song, a black temporary wall was removed, revealing a large choir who joined Carey for the song's gospel climax. The performance earned the night's only standing ovation, prompting Teri Hatcher, who was presenting the next award, to exclaim, "It's like we've all just been saved!" Carey's performance earned rave reviews from critics. Gary Susman from Entertainment Weekly called Carey the "comeback queen", noting that her voice "soar into the rafters like only Carey's can." Carey included "We Belong Together" on both succeeding tours following its release, the Adventures of Mimi and Angels Advocate Tours. On the former, the song was featured as the encore number, with Carey re-entering the arenas in a form fitting beige evening gown. Backed by three background vocalists, Trey Lorenz, Sherry Tatum, and MaryAnn Tatum, Carey began the song as confetti dropped the arena rafters. According to Jennifer Vineyard from MTV News, the performance was "a major accomplishment", and the highlight of the show, and found Carey re-connect with the audience in ways that she was unable throughout most of the show. Similarly, during her Angel's Advocate Tour, the song was placed as one of the final numbers on the set-list. Dressed in a black Herve Leger gown, Carey introduced the song as the Billboard's "song of the decade", and thanked the audience for making it her 16th number-one single in the United States. Following the song's completion, Carey exited the arena for a few moments, before returning to perform "Hero" as the encore.