# Divas... Talented women musicians... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175 "2015-03-04T04:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/1 "2015-03-04T04:26:52Z")
A few of my favorite Divas: Diana Ross, Adele, Gloria Estefan, Patsy Cline, Rihanna. I Love them all. Who are your favortie Divas? PS- Here is Linda ROnstadt in her early Diva life: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_qqvdOwoN-Y/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH4A4AC4AOKAgwIABABGEsgUyhlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAXmFVwckTnQX-pNDi4ycGgOjlAGA "Linda Ronstadt - Blue Bayou") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qqvdOwoN-Y) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/2 "2015-03-04T07:10:19Z")
[Jackie Evancho](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bJa0yuTVRs) [Eleftheria Arvanitaki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_gRR2NomMI&list=PLD7E64C50F83E4C33&index=10) [Georgia Dagaki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w91CLw2gkDI&list=PLHtBaO_ZTyRXdSzwQr6FpA9kZ9ixQI36d) And many more. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/3 "2015-03-04T14:21:39Z")
[Kesha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesha) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/4 "2015-03-04T14:24:14Z")
Natalie Merchant ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/5 "2015-03-04T15:25:43Z")
::holds up microphone, horizontally:: Aretha Franklin ::drops microphone:: ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/6 "2015-03-04T15:29:57Z")
Niki Minaj, Beyonce ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/7 "2015-03-04T15:31:13Z")
Pink. I love her so. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/8 "2015-03-04T16:27:52Z")
To me, '“diva” is a subset of talented female musicians that would not include Kesha and Natalie Merchant (thought I think they are both talented). My favorites that fit my idea of diva would be Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson and maybe Taylor Swift. All time favorite who I would not consider a diva: Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders). ---
**Author:** ![kareen21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@kareen21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kareen21)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/9 "2015-03-04T16:34:48Z")
My Diva is Gloria Estefan. A veteran artist that legend forever… ---
**Author:** ![gracefulfatsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@gracefulfatsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracefulfatsheba)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/10 "2015-03-04T16:37:04Z")
Oh, where to begin? Diana Ross (first and foremost, I love her music), Donna Summer, Stephanie Mills, Dottie West, Whitney Houston, Ethel Waters, Josephine Baker, Brenda Lee! I also like some of the pop and R&B divas whose voices may not quite measure up to the aforementioned, but are still great entertainers: Madonna, Rihanna, Ciara, Jody Watley, etc. Luke, if you like Patsy Cline, you should check out Dottie West. She was a 60s country singer and friend of Patsy Cline that had a Bob Mackie diva makeover in the late 1970s and came back with a lot of verve and gusto. She also died tragically like Patsy. One of her best songs is “Are You Happy, Baby?” ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/11 "2015-03-04T16:47:22Z")
Not a diva, but I can’t think of a more talented female musician than **Joni Mitchell**. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/12 "2015-03-04T16:56:02Z")
Somebody who has genuine talent underneath all the hype: Christina Aguilera. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/13 "2015-03-04T20:14:21Z")
Anne Lennox. The late and great Teena Marie My favorite female rockstars are Wendy and Lisa. A lot of people don’t know that they have accomplished a lot completely independent of Prince. I love their music. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/14 "2015-03-04T20:36:55Z")
I was thinking of Kathleen Battle, or Kiri Te Kanawa, both for their stupendous vocal talent and their reputed difficult behavior backstage. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/15 "2015-03-04T23:05:06Z")
[Mylene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgNfHcG-XOA&index=28&list=PL7751B3139CDF0185)[Farmer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtt0hWOIMzc) ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/16 "2015-03-04T23:16:16Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Anne Lennox. > The late and great Teena Marie > > My favorite female rockstars are Wendy and Lisa. A lot of people don’t know that they have accomplished a lot completely independent of Prince. I love their music. I agree with Annie Lennox. Incredible voice. I love Roberta Flack and Carole King. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/17 "2015-03-04T23:30:46Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > To me, '“diva” is a subset of talented female musicians Agreed. I’m not sure the OP meant to imply that “talented female musician” was synonymous with"diva," but I’m glad you made it specific. The term “diva” originally applied to female opera stars, and I still think of a diva as someone who has a sort of operatic quality to her performance (i.e. she can really belt out a song; she has a great vocal “instrument” and masterful control over it). > [@Honey](#): > > I agree with Annie Lennox. If the [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diva) is to be believed, the modern usage of the term “diva” owes a lot to Annie Lennox using the word as an album title. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/18 "2015-03-05T02:47:41Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > I was thinking of Kathleen Battle, or Kiri Te Kanawa, both for their stupendous vocal talent and their reputed difficult behavior backstage. This. The word “diva” conjures up a mode of behavior, not merely a level of talent/accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/19 "2015-03-05T17:44:03Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > I was thinking of Kathleen Battle, or Kiri Te Kanawa, both for their stupendous vocal talent and their reputed difficult behavior backstage. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > This. The word “diva” conjures up a mode of behavior, not merely a level of talent/accomplishment. I think “diva” implies a certain confidence (perhaps even arrogance) stage presence, and an ability to always be the center of focus, but doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with off-stage behavior. If Kathy Battle or Dame Kiri are divas, it’s because of their domination of the spotlight in performance, not any extra curriculars. Plenty of perfectly pleasant divas out there too. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175/20 "2015-03-06T18:35:38Z")
[Elina Garanca & Anna Netrebko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u0M4CMq7uI). Wonderful. Not ‘difficult’ at all as far as I am aware. [Habanera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGFUKsv1epk)! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/divas-talented-women-musicians/714175.md?page=2)