Mariah Carey lets five-octave voice do the talking

FIRST came her emancipation, now Mariah Carey has claimed for herself the more lofty title of ‘elusive chanteuse.’ She performed in Sydney last night.

Mariah Carey performing at Qantas credit union arena tonight.

FIRST came her emancipation, now Mariah Carey has claimed for herself the more lofty title of ‘elusive chanteuse.’

It has a ring to it, certainly, even an air of mystery and intrigue.

But there were few left wondering about the other divine Miss M and her vocal talents after her Sydney concert at the Qantas Credit Union Arena last night.

It seems an obvious point to make about one of the highest-selling female artists of her generation, but — plagued by damning viral videos which appeared to capture plenty of off notes on this, her eighth international tour — whether Mariah Carey could actually still sing was hanging in the air more precariously than the singer’s ample bosom.

Giggly ... Mariah Carey had the crowd feeling good with Emotions, tottering around the stage and blowing kisses. Picture: Kristi Miller

But from the first trill of her opening number, her 1995 hit Fantasy, this diva let her five-octave voice do the talking — and her devoted fans returned the favour with screams to give Justin Bieber’s prepubescent followers a run for their pocket money.

Sashaying on stage, her dangerous curves contained — but only just — by a black mesh see-through sequin end gown, she was every inch the dazzling superstar, as advertised (even the obligatory 30 minutes late on stage).

Bouncing swiftly, and literally, into her sexy hit Touch My Body, there was no doubting what Mariah was selling.

This was giggly, flirty, suddenly single again Mariah Carey close to her best, singing the house down, including her banter with the crowd.

“How you feelin’ Sydney ... because I must say I feel good,’ she purred.

Costume change ... Mariah Carey donned a pink gown so tight she had to be carried out to the grand piano. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

She had the crowd feelin’ good with another hit, Emotions, tottering around the stage, blowing kisses and waving like a toddler to the dribbling mosh pit below.

Cue a costume change, because as any diva knows, one can only ‘perspire’ through a maximum of three songs before a lady must take her leave, leave her back-up singers to earn their money, while you go slip into something comfortable.

Well, that was a stretch, with Mariah returning in a shocking pink gown even tighter than the first — so much so she had to be carried out and placed like a hood ornament on the grand piano. As you do.

The crowd lapped it up and Mariah, sensing their solidarity, played up to the sympathetic ears.

“Hey, may as well tell the truth ... I was feelin’ kind of bleak before the show and you have lifted me up. You just want to do the show for some of the people, some of the people who care,” she confided, “so listen to the words and know that it’s real.”

That’s when things hit the first of a few rough patches — ironically, as she kicked into her 1997 song, (Give) My All.

Her low range was all gravel and in parts off-key, but with the confidence only earned over years of finding herself skidding out like this, she reigned her voice back in and headed for higher ground where she knows she can soar.

Budget conscious ... if there was a downside to the concert, it was the cheap production not befitting a performer of her acclaim and status. Picture: Photo Tom Huntley

The other weird bit was when she walked out among the crowd chanting ‘Uh, you’re thirsty’ and urging the audience to join in (this was so mumbled some around me thought she was singing ‘Happy birthday’).

Still, down on the level of her people, albeit protected by a dozen security guards who must scare their breakfast in the morning, she was in her element.

If there was a real downside to this concert, however, it wasn’t her confusing crowd walkabout or those few iffy notes but rather the cheap production around her, not befitting a performer of her acclaim and status. We get that she went hip-hop years ago.

Mariah Carey.

Mariah Carey performs at Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The caged bird during her marriage to Sony supremo Tommy Mottola who, once set free, experimented with the other side of the tracks (even inexplicably and allegedly slumming it with rapper Eminem, who she mocked in her mid-set song, Obsessed).

But even at her craziest, Mariah has always been the perennial pop princess who was bathing in champagne and hosting 24-carat gold parties.

Or so we thought that’s how she lived in her videos.

Either motherhood has made her more budget conscious, or you can blame her rival Beyoncé, for setting the standard for concert production so high Mariah’s offering pales in comparison.

Besides her flashy gowns, the stage was sparse and simply set; her back-up dancers looked like extras from So You Think You Can Dance; and when they weren’t crimping about the place, Bold And The Beautiful-style video montages — starring Carey, of course — played out on the big screen.

And let’s just say they had all the artistic merit of her cinematic debut in box office flop, Glitter.

So yeah, not gold.

Mariah Carey

Sure, there are those who get sick of paying for all the bells and whistles when it’s about distracting from their vocal limits or stage shortcomings.

In Mariah’s case, she certainly doesn’t need to do much to impress than just stand there and hit that dog whistle note she’s made famous.

She did as much when performing her momentous hit, Hero — her vocal, impassioned and inspiring, was more than enough.

But this class act deserves a classier platform than the one she’s brought with her this time around.

We didn’t expect Beyoncé booty-shaking, but a glitter gun and a few more sequins could have helped add that elusive sparkle.

Mariah Carey

Originally published as Mariah Carey lets five-octave voice do the talking