Story highlights Mariah Carey's team claims Dick Clark Productions, the production company behind ABC's New Year's Eve special, 'set her up to fail'

Dick Clark Productions is firing back, calling the claims 'absurd' and 'defamatory'

(CNN) Mariah Carey's botched New Year's Eve performance is turning into an even bigger controversy.

Carey's team is blaming Dick Clark Productions, the production company behind the annual "New Year's Rockin' Eve" special on ABC, saying the company "set her up to fail." And Dick Clark Productions is firing back.

"As the premier producer of live television events for nearly 50 years, we pride ourselves on our reputation and long-standing relationships with artists. To suggest that DCP, as producer of music shows including the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, New Year's Rockin' Eve and Academy of Country Music Awards, would ever intentionally compromise the success of any artist is defamatory, outrageous and frankly absurd," Dick Clark Productions said in a statement provided to CNN.

The statement continued: "In very rare instances there are of course technical errors that can occur with live television, however, an initial investigation has indicated that [Dick Clark Productions] had no involvement in the challenges associated with Ms. Carey's New Year's Eve performance. We want to be clear that we have the utmost respect for Ms. Carey as an artist and acknowledge her tremendous accomplishments in the industry."

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