Pop diva Mariah Carey celebrated her 35th birthday in London at the weekend. The star arrived at the capital's fashionable Tantra club for her party which coincided with the launch of her latest album, The Emancipation of Mimi.

"I don't have anniversaries and this is the launch of The Emancipation of Mimi. It's a very happy day for me, I'm very excited," Carey told AFP.

"I love being in London, I have fabulous friends here – it's been extremely exciting."

The curvaceous star made a glamorous entrance at a gold sparkly carpet wearing a white Roberto Cavalli dress with £1 million worth of diamond jewellery.

17 chefs from Harrods store have reportedly spent 18 days to prepare a £5,000 ($9,500) 1.82 metre (6ft) birthday cake statue of the New York diva.

Among the celebrity guests at the bash were Blue boys Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe, Mis-Teeq star Aleesha Dixon and football ace Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Of her new album, Carey said: "It's a good-time album, a good feeling record. It's the first time I've had a great experience making a record from top to bottom."