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 around Orchard Road, like 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 2004, 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.

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 conservative opening outfit, a shiny black mini dress paired with high boots, with her honey-coloured hair worn down, also seemed a nod to the early days.