Of Sirens and Divas
ES, a fellow music lover I met at the Janis Ian concert, asked me if Janis and kdlang are divas. Like me, he’d been to kd’s concert three weekends before, but unlike me, a kdfan of (counting fingers) 16 years, he’s a self-confessed “kd virgin”, having been converted only at that concert.
Before I could say anything, he answered his own question and said they are sirens, not divas.
His observation came to mind this afternoon. I was at my sister’s and was channel hopping when I came upon the tail-end of VH1 Diva Duets on the MTV channel. Believe me when I say not everyone featured in that programme are divas. The ones who are were Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Pattie Labelle. Maybe even Sheila E. But … but … dang, I can’t even remember the names of those I don’t think are divas. And Tom Jones? Where does he fit in?
Anyway, according to ES, Janis and kd are not divas, but sirens. Definition time, courtesy of www.dictionary.com …
| di·va n.
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| Si·ren n.
|
Conclusion? Definitely not divas. Not sirens either. But definitely both of them are in a class of their own - a class where voice reigns and neither depends on anything else to entrance their audiences.
