Mariah Carey, 54, and boyfriend Bryan Tanaka, 40, set breakup rumors flying after he’s absent from the start of her Christmas tour
Mariah Carey’s die-hard fans are wondering if the iconic diva and her younger boyfriend Bryan Tanaka have gone their separate ways.
The 54-year-old singer and the 40-year-old backup dancer sparked rumors of a breakup after her concert on Wednesday night at the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in Highland, California.
Bryan regularly showed off his dance moves during her shows more than a decade ago, but audience members shared on social media that they noticed he was nowhere to be seen.
Others felt that Mariah – who will give her modern holiday classic All I Want For Christmas Is You its awards show debut at the Billboard Music Awards – looked glum, with some complaining about her perceived low-energy performance.
Adding to concerns about a possible rift was Bryan’s total absence from the hitmaker’s Instagram profile since December 2022.
Trouble in paradise? Mariah Carey’s die-hard fans shared their concerns that she and her boyfriend Bryan Tanaka may have split after her Christmas concert on Wednesday
MIA: Eagle-eyed fans noticed he was missing from her dance ensemble, despite being a big part of her tours dating back more than a decade
“We need Bryan Tanaka back!” wrote one person on X (formerly known as Twitter) after reposting a video of Mariah’s casino performance.
She was dressed in a sparkling red sequined bodysuit that highlighted her legs and featured plump shoulders and gold epaulettes.
There was no sight of her friend when she started singing the introduction to her eternal Christmas hit All I Want For Christmas Is You.
As she sang, she moved to the front of the stage taking small, robotic steps and barely moving her upper body.
She also didn’t appear to be smiling as widely as in some previous performances, with some moments in the clip even revealing a tense expression.
“I don’t see Bryan Tanaka. Where is he?’ added another concerned fan in response to a wider-angle clip that showed more of her backup dance ensemble.
“She looks depressed, like something is going on behind the scenes…” another fan speculated.
Mariah’s last Instagram post with Bryan appears to be from December 26, when the two beaming lovebirds posed cheek-to-cheek to celebrate Boxing Day.
She also added a sweet photo of her 12-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, who she shares with her ex-husband Nick Cannon.
She and the Wild ‘N Out host were married from 2008 to 2016.
By her side: Tanaka has been dancing on Mariah’s tours since 2006, according to Page Six; seen September 2022 in NYC
The end? Mariah’s last Instagram post with Bryan appears to be from December 26, when the two beaming lovebirds posed cheek-to-cheek to celebrate Boxing Day