October 28, 2009

A diva is a woman who is extremely talented. She is confident, fashionable and wants to be noticed. The term is Italian, taken from the Latin diva, which means "goddess" or "divine one". The use of the term is meant to suggest that a woman is so incredibly talented that her voice in performance approaches the divine. Divas have historically acquired huge numbers of fans, and their talents are often in high demand.

The term was originally used to refer to stars of the operatic world. A woman does not become a leading lady without some singing skill, and the finest of leading ladies were being heralded as divas as early as the 1880s. A performance by a diva of a new opera can serve as the benchmark which all singers attempt to reach.

Over time, the term began to spill into other musical genres as well. Performers like Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Diana Ross. Madonna, Whitney Houston, Beyonce Knowles, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Tina Turner, Cher, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, and Christina Aguilera have all been called divas at some point or another, along with numerous other women. Many of these divas are famed for their grace and culture as well as their musical talent, and performances by these celebrated singers tend to sell out quickly.

Some people associate large amounts of artistic talent with short tempers and difficult personalities, and this probably explains why the word "diva" is used to describe women who are difficult to deal with. Many actual divas are in fact known for their gentle, generous, courteous personalities, as these women are far too busy with their professional careers to be petty or hard to handle. However, some divas have become known for certain unusual quirks and expectations from their support staff which may seem a bit odd to the general public.

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