Mariah Carey may be her own harshest critic, and she thinks she could have done better in her tribute to Michael Jackson yesterday.
 
Mariah was the first singer to do a song at Michael’s public memorial Tuesday with her rendition of “I’ll Be There.” Given the circumstances of her performance, she did great, but Mariah got on Twitter to apologize for it anyway.
 
“Trying to sing today was basically impossible for me. I could barely keep myself from crying,” she tweeted. “I’m sorry that I wasn't able to pull it together and really do it right, but I was literally choked up when I saw him there in front of me.”
 
Mariah let everyone know that although she was recovering from the ceremony, she was “filled with sadness” at Michael’s loss. But after her quick mea culpa, Mariah ended her message on a positive note.
 
“One thing I know is we will never really have to say goodbye to MJ. His legacy lives on through his music and the millions of people he inspired with his timeless music,” Mimi wrote. “He will be forever in our hearts.”
 
And in keeping with Michael’s spirit, the siren made sure to show her appreciation for her fans all over the world.
 
“I just want to thank all of you who have been supporting me and showing me love for so long. Words cannot express my gratitude,” Mariah stated.
 
To see the whole memorial, or to just watch her tribute, visit MSNBC.com.

-- Sonya Eskridge

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