POP Mariah Carey Wembley Arena Lisa Verrico

IF PROOF were needed that sex sells, Mariah Carey would be a Class A exhibit. Since shelving her sugary image for skintight clothes and raunchy videos, the 29-year-old New Yorker has sailed past Whitney Houston to become the world's most successful female recording artist. To date, she has sold more than 80 million albums, topped the US singles chart 14 times and amassed a personal fortune said to be £200 million. Despite her fondness for bare flesh, Carey is an old-style , high-maintenance diva at heart. Her constant craving for attention may be tough on her 40-strong entourage, but it's great for the fans. This one-off show at Wembley Arena — her first UK gig for four years — was a chance for Carey to show off in spectacular style for over two hours. The entertainment began with a loud crack of thunder , and what looked like a waterfall cascading from the stage. Against a pink sunset, Carey rose up from a hole in the floor in a tight backless dress with a neckline that

plunged to her waist. Even Carey looked worried. 'This is a new outfit," she explained . "It 's precarious. I have to be very careful." Backed by three video screens, four soul singers and a funky, five-piece band, Carey launched into her uptempo hit Emotions, followed by the bajlad My All from her album Butterfly. The sound was crystal clear ] and her multi-octave voice in: fine form. Whenever she hit a high note, the audience cheered. Teddy bears were thrown on stage and , if she took time out to talk, there were screams of "I love you". More a lavish cabaret than