It didn’t take long after arriving Monday in Cape Town with her entourage and children in tow for U.S. legend, diva and performer extraordinaire, Mariah Carey, to be associated with diva-like behavior.
Carey, one of the top-selling music artists of all time, with over 200 million records sold worldwide, is in South Africa for her Sweet Sweet Fantasy tour.
“I’m so excited to be here,” Carey said as she arrived, IndependentOnline reported.
She’s scheduled to perform today in Cape Town; Friday April 29 in Durban, and Sunday and Monday May 1 and May 2 in Johannesburg.
Carey allegedly asked — demanded, some sources said — that Table Mountain be lit up in purple lights during her performance to honor recently dead U.S. musician Prince, TimesLive.
TMG Entertainment verified that the singer did indeed mention purple lights‚ but it was not a demand. “She mentioned that it would be nice if the lights were turned to purple in memory of Prince‚” TimesLive reported. “It wasn’t dramatic. It was an inquiry‚” another source said.
Carey holds a Guinness World Record for hitting the highest note ever produced by a human in the history of recorded music, according to CapeTalk. Her five-octave range helped win her five Grammys, 20 American Music Awards, 21 World Music Awards and 32 Billboard Music Awards.
In August, Carey ranked No. 17 of the 250 bestselling musicians of all time with 64 million units sold, based on data from the Recording Industry of America. The Beatles were No. 1 with 178 million units sold, according to DigitalMusicNews.
Carey fans — known as lambs — proved their love in South Africa, where online ticket seller Viagogo today claimed to have only a few dozen tickets left for performances there, priced from $34 to $187.
At the 55,000-seat Cape Town Stadium, tickets started at $34.78 US. Durban’s 85,000-seat Moses Mabhida Stadium had 11 tickets left on the site starting at $96.02. Johannesburg’s 13,000-seat Ticketpro Dome (formerly the Coca Cola Dome) had just a dozen tickets left on the Viagogo site starting ranging from $117.60 to $187.81.
Carey lambs waited hours in occasional rain for Carey to arrive, IndependentOnline reported.
Jacques Naude said Carey saved his life: “Growing up, I was teased about being gay and overweight and socially secluded,” he said. “I would listen to Mariah’s music and it made me feel better. Her lyrics helped me when I was suicidal. I just want to thank her for that.”
Friends Karl Furlong and Emile van der Heyde waited for two hours at the airport. They said they listened to Carey’s music during their high school days in 2001. “It was about a moment we might never get again, not in this town,” Furlong told IOL.
Dean Hann paid $485.92 for a meet-and-greet and waited in line in the lobby of the One & Only Hotel for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star.
Justin de Vries paid more than $69 for a front row package and unobstructed view of the diva.
“The general public doesn’t get her persona,” De Vries said: “She’s so misunderstood but we, her lambs, get and understand her.”
Tickets went on sale Dec. 17.
On social media, Carey said, “Lambily, it’s been too long!! I’m so excited to be coming to South Africa to perform for you all. I promise we’re going to share the most amazing moments together and I have so many surprises in store for you daahhlings! Can’t wait to see you all in your hometown. Love Mariah xx,” CapeTownMagazine reported.
The South African concerts are expected to feature many of Mariah’s 18 No. 1 hit singles including new and old favorites such as “Hero,” “Fantasy,” “Always Be My Baby,” and “We Belong Together.”
