'We didn't sabotage Mariah' - production company

Dick Clark Productions is hitting back against Mariah Carey's claim it sabotaged her live performance on its 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' special.

In a statement released on Sunday, the production company called such claims "absurd."

"As the premier producer of live television events for nearly 50 years, we pride ourselves on our reputation and long-standing relationships with artistes," it said. "To suggest that dcp (Dick Clark Productions), as producer of music shows including the American Music Awards, ... would ever intentionally compromise the success of any artiste is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd."

Carey's disaster during the annual event in Times Square made international headlines.

The superstar stumbled through her short set, failing to sing for most of it despite a pre-recorded track of her songs playing in the background.

Her representative Nicole Perna blamed technical difficulties, and in an interview with Billboard she said Dick Clark Productions hampered Carey's performance.

Perna said Carey's earpiece wasn't working and she flagged the issue to the production team but was told it would be okay when she got on stage.