Carey: Tipped to bounce back

He said: "There are several major music labels who have been going after her since the rumours started.

"My sense is we'll be talking in earnest very shortly."

The announcement that EMI had dropped the singer came after a turbulent 2001 for Carey.

She suffering an emotional breakdown which led her to check into a clinic to recover. The singer was placed in psychiatric care in August after suffering from "extreme exhaustion".

Her first major film, also called Glitter, was postponed until she was well enough to promote it.

But bad reviews ensured it did not recoup its money at the box office.

'Good name'

The movie, which cost $22m (�15.4m) to make, made just $4m (�2.8m) back in its US run.

Allen Kovac, chief executive officer of independent label Left Bank Organization, said Carey would bounce back.

"She's still a good name and a currency, but she needs someone with a rolodex of producers and songwriters (to collaborate), somebody like a Clive Davis or Tommy Mottola."

It was Mottola who discovered Carey as an 18-year-old waitress.

The couple married and he helped her become one of the biggest selling singers in recent history.

However after the break-up of the marriage, she quit his label Sony for EMI's Virgin.

Fan base

If Carey does bounce back, she would not be the first star dropped from that label to go on to further success.

Shaggy was dropped by Virgin after two albums, before being picked up by MCA Records.

His album Hotshot was one of the biggest selling CDs in the world last year.

Music lawyer Kenneth Freundlich said Carey's fan-base would carry her through.

He said: "She's been through all the turns, has a lot of money and a tremendous fan base. She should just tap into that.

"The fans will excuse the bad movies and the breakdown, but the corporations won't."

Shaggy went onto great success after being dropped

One bright note for Carey this year is the praise being given for her latest movie role in the mafia-comedy Wisegirls.

Variety magazine said she showed "charm and relaxed assurance" for her part as a waitress caught up with the mob.

She is also due to sing at the American Football Superbowl in February.

It is one of the biggest annual events on US TV with more than 80 million people due to tune in.