Pop superstar Mariah Carey will turn the lights of New York City’s Empire State Building lavender, pink and white this weekend, to promote the release of her latest album.

The singer will flick a switch on a scale model of the iconic tower at a ceremony on Friday - and when the sun goes down in the city, the building will glow her favourite colors.

The city is honouring native New Yorker Carey, whose new LP E=MC2 this week topped the Billboard chart with first week sales of 463,000.

Earlier on Friday, she performed a live free gig for fans in the city’s Times Square, which was broadcast on U.S. TV breakfast show Good Morning America.

It’s proving to be a big year for the 38-year-old; earlier this month she achieved her 18th number one single in America, lifting her above Elvis Presley and just behind the Beatles, who managed 20.