10 Greatest MTV Unplugged Episodes

The idea of having Mariah Carey perform an Unplugged set feels pretty silly when you look at it on paper. Considering her blown out production and absolute powerhouse of a voice both on record and the live stage, why the hell would you want to tone something like that down? Whereas this kind of thing should have been a disaster, Mariah stripped everything down and somehow made something even more beautiful.

Compared to the lavish production that we had gotten used to on record, these songs feel a whole lot more intimate during this session, as Mariah plays to her more downtempo material. While only reaching for those euphoric high notes every now and again, the sound of tracks like Vision of Love and Emotions are much more emotional in this setting, as if you're getting a peek into the process of Mariah and her band inhabiting these songs.

Even during the proper performance, Carey's rendition of the Motown classic I'll Be There managed to go over well, going so far as to be released as a successful single a few months after it aired. For as much as people might like to slag off Mariah Carey as a diva these days, this performance is proof enough of her musical power. It might be different instruments at play...but the same transcendent experience.