[title]
No, this isn’t a sweet, sweet fantasy (baby): pop’s savviest diva has just announced that she’s helming a three-night Royal Albert Hall residency in May. Carey’s trio of London shows form part of her world tour in support of latest album ‘Caution’, so you can expect a set list that mixes greatest hits with recent meme-making tracks such as ‘GTFO’ and ‘A No No’.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 8 at 9am from livenation.co.uk, but in the meantime, here are some reasons Mimi was born to own the grand Kensington venue.
1. She’s bound to complement its opulent decor.
Eric Clapton has gigged at the Royal Albert Hall so often he says it’s like ‘playing in my front room’. Mariah Carey probably doesn’t have something as mundane as a front room, but the RAH’s red and gold interior definitely suits her personal aesthetic. Like Mariah, it’s majestic, glitzy and thinks ‘low-key’ is a Marvel character.
2. It’s a venue that provides a great sense of occasion.
Mariah’s last couple of UK tours have been Christmas shows heavier on festive classics than her signature pop-R&B bops. But this time, her team is promising ‘a greatest hits show with new material from her [very good 2018] album “Caution”’. It’s easy to forget how many fantastic bangers Mariah has written and sung over the years; era-defining tunes like ‘Fantasy’, ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘We Belong Together’ will sparkle in this historic setting.
3. The RAH and Mariah are both kinda timeless.
Mariah recently tweeted: ‘I don’t get this ten-year challenge, time is not something I acknowledge.’ Like the RAH, she’s an unshakeable icon whose mere presence is strangely comforting in these choppy, uncertain times.
4. Her mighty five-octave vocal range will fill the venue to its famous glass domed roof.
Expect to get goosebumps when La Carey really lets rip at the climax of ‘Vision of Love’.
5. The Royal Albert Hall is nice and close to her favourite hotel.
In 2016, Mariah tested fans’ patience by arriving a little late to a gig in Leeds, just hours after tweeting: ‘I hate leaving this fabulous bed at the Corinthia London.’ Fortunately, the Royal Albert Hall is just 2.5 miles away from her beloved luxury Whitehall hotel, so Mariah won’t have to cut short her lie-in.
Mariah Carey plays the Royal Albert Hall on May 25-27.
Check out more great gigs taking place in London here.