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The adoration of female singers appears to be something of a cyclical phenomenon. In the mid-nineteenth century, prima donnas were celebrated and revered in operas of the bel canto ("beautiful singing") style, which showcased their vocal abilities. When the bet canto operas were revived, featuring soprano Maria Callas, in the mid-twentieth century, diva worship resurfaced. Now, the millennium has brought diva deification to popular music. Supplanting the sometimes derogatory term from its classical roots, the music video channel VH1 used the star power of five female pop singers to help raise money for the venerable "Save the Music" campaign.
The result was the concert VH1 Divas Live (1998), favoring single-name monikers on the marquee: Celine, Gloria, Aretha, Shania, Marian. Thanks to the event's success, VH1 staged another extravaganza the following year, albeit with some stars of more dubious vocal talent (Cher) and diva-worthy status (diva-in-training Brandy). The kitschy inclusion of Elton John aside, these concerts reveal the overwhelming popularity of diva adoration.
For the most part, the divos seem to be overlooked. With the exception of pretty-boy pop stars like Latin sensation Ricky Martin, male singers seem to be finding their success in "boy bands" such as the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, and 98°. Meanwhile, their female teenaged counterparts, former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera and the ubiquitous Britney Spears, stand alone in recycling the vapid, bubblegum pop popularized in the previous decade by Debbie Gibson. In the realm of country music, there are also teen idols, like LeAnn Rimes and Lila McCann, but lately female artists with crossover or mainstream pop appeal are stealing the spotlight, as evidenced by Shania Twain and Faith Hill. In both genres, fans seem eager to place their chosen divas singly on their pop pedestal for "divafication."
For the purposes of this discussion, the new brand of divas will be delineated by three different designations. The first category is comprised of Prima Divas, singers in the true tradition of the operatic prima donna who are recognized primarily for sheer vocal talent, however wisely or inanely utilized. The prototype for this group is "the voice," Barbra Streisand, whose "vocal chops" cannot be disputed regardless of whether you love her or hate her.
In the second category are the late-twentieth-century innovators, the female...