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MARIAH SIZZLES ON STAGE WITH JAY-Z AT NEW YORK GIG

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25 AUGUST 2006

Her outfit left little to the imagination but then Mariah Carey has always known how to put on a show. Wednesday night's concert in New York's Madison Square Garden proved that the diva with the big voice is well and truly back in the spotlight as she hit her famous high notes while wearing a revealing black bikini, stiletto heels and a sheer cape.

Performing to a sell-out crowd, Mimi had called in a few favours from her hip hop pals including Diddy and Trey Lorenz. Beyonce's rapper boyfriend Jay-Z, 36, was the biggest surprise guest of the evening and received deafening applause as he joined Mariah on stage for her hit Heartbreaker.

The powerful chanteuse is enjoying her return to acclaim after the release of last year's album The Emancipation Of Mimi put her back on top. Now a fully fledged hip hop artist she still enjoys her big ballad numbers such as Hero.

But she brought her song Fly Like A Bird to a stop when the Reverend Clarence Keaton, who was meant to be putting in an appearance for the gospel choir-backed number, failed to turn up to deliver a mini-sermon. "I'm not trying to be a diva, but we went over this," she said to her crew. "He's not here? Maybe he didn't like my first outfit?" she joked. Fortunately the errant priest was found and the show went on. She has two further gigs lined up for Friday and Sunday in Connecticut and New Jersey.