The term “diva” originally referred to talented female opera singers, but now includes female musicians across genres. It means “goddess” and suggests a performer’s voice is divine. Famous divas include Maria Callas and Whitney Houston. The term can have negative connotations, but many true divas are kind and professional.
A diva is an extremely talented woman. The term was originally used to refer to the stars of the operatic world, and now more generally to talk about talented female musicians across all genres. Alas, the name has acquired some negative connotations, and is also used at times to describe difficult women or women who have an inflated opinion of themselves. This is unfortunate, as the extremely talented female performers deserve credit for their hard work and natural skills.
This term is Italian, taken from the Latin, and means “goddess” or “divine”. The use of the term is meant to suggest that a woman is so incredibly talented that her voice in the performance approaches the divine. Divas have historically acquired huge numbers of fans, and their talents are often in high demand.
The first divas were probably notable prima donnas of the opera world. A woman does not become a leading lady without some singing ability, and the best leading lady was being announced as early as the 1880s. Some examples of famous operatic divas include Maria Callas, Nellie Melba, Renee Fleming, Leotyne Price and Joan Sutherland. A diva’s interpretation of a new opera can serve as a benchmark that all singers strive to achieve.
Over time, the term began to spill over into other musical genres as well. Artists like Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Diana Ross. Madonna and Whitney Houston have all been called divas at one time or another, along with numerous other women. Many of these performers are renowned 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 true divas are in fact known for their kind, generous and courteous personalities, as these women are too busy with their professional careers to be petty or difficult to handle. Some have become known for some quirks and unusual expectations from their support staff, however, which may seem a little strange to the general public.
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