Concert review: Pop diva Mariah Carey a well-oiled machine who breezed through her hits

Mariah Carey Live In Singapore

Arena @ Expo
Oct 8

For some, Mariah Carey is the caring chanteuse of the ballad Hero (1993). To others, she is the cool girl sashaying along to catchy R&B hit Heartbreaker (1999) or the glamorous diva in the allusion-heavy hip-hop number Obsessed (2009).

Very different images and styles, but these are all aspects of the beloved American performer who has become a modern icon of confidence and poise because that famed whistle register can’t be beat.

Interest in the pop star here has been fervent, with netizens uploading clips of her on social media before her Oct 8 sold-out concert at Arena @ Expo. In the last few days, she has been spotted shopping in Orchard Road, particularly at the Etro boutique at Paragon.

Indeed, at her 1½-hour show, the 56-year-old did not have to do much to get the crowd excited.

The performance is part of her The Celebration Of Mimi tour, which started as a residency in Las Vegas in 2024, before travelling to countries such as Brazil, China and Singapore.

Carey’s extensive discography speaks for itself, largely organised chronologically into three distinct periods of her career during the gig. And together, they reminded the 6,600-strong crowd of their idol’s highs and lows.

1990 to 1996: Breakout ballads

When Carey released her self-titled debut album in 1990, she quickly gained fans with heart-breaking love songs such as Vision Of Love. Soon to follow was the gospel-influenced Emotions (1991), which showed off her whistle register. And Without You (1994), with its powerful chorus and soaring notes, has become a staple in singing competitions.

These classics, arguably her biggest, were performed early in the show. Like a well-oiled machine, she breezed through them with her impeccable vocals and flawless execution honed over decades of practice. Her opening outfit, a shiny black mini dress paired with high boots, with her honey-coloured hair worn down, also seemed a nod to her early days.

1997 to 2004: R&B and hip-hop infusion

After splitting from her husband, then chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment Tommy Mottola, in 1997, Carey was free to take creative control and make music she related to more.

Specifically, she was drawn to R&B and hip-hop, and these influences can be seen in her hits from this period. There was the light, airy Honey (1997), Latin music-inspired My All (1997) and hook-filled Heartbreaker (1999).

In a sparkling red dress and silver pumps, she delivered many of these numbers in the middle portion of her show, supported by eight male backup dancers.

While Carey herself did not do much dancing, that did not stop her fans from doing so. And as expected, she did not sing any tracks from her widely panned album Glitter (2001), which reportedly lead to a period of career decline.

2005 to present: Artistic comeback

In 2005, Carey released her 10th album The Emancipation Of Mimi, whose title declared a “release” from her previous personal and commercial setbacks.

Her current tour, launched in 2024, celebrates the 19th anniversary of this work, and many of its hits made the set list. The soulful R&B ballad We Belong Together and uptempo club number It’s Like That were performed towards the end, as if showing the audience how far she has come.

She also made it a point to include four tracks – Play This Song, Type Dangerous, Sugar Sweet and In Your Feelings – from her new album Here For It All, released in September.

In Your Feelings in particular, with its sassy retro vibes, is reminiscent of her older repertoire, as the comeback queen comes full circle.

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said The Celebration Of Mimi tour started as a residency in Las Vegas in 2004. This is incorrect. It started as a residency in Las Vegas in 2024. We are sorry for the error.