Vocal sensation Mariah Carey will be honoured with a special prize at the forthcoming Broadcast Music International (BMI) Urban Awards.

The 'Touch My Body' superstar is set to be presented with the coveted title of BMI Icon for her "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers" at the ceremony, which will take place at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California on September 7. 

A BMI spokesperson explained in an official statement why she is the perfect recipient: "Mariah Carey is one of the most prolifically successful songwriters of the last several decades in any genre of music."

Carey has been spending time in the studio recently and took to social networking site Twitter earlier this month to tell her 7.5 million followers that she's been working with producer Rodney Jerkins:

"In the studio with RJ-yeaah, having a nice time! Tonight was a stone winner with the massively talented @RodneyJerkins."