Taking a moment to redefine divas

Last weekend, I went home to get my wisdom teeth removed. After the surgery, I made the pain bearable with mass amounts of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, prescription drugs and plenty of time sitting in front of the television.

I happened to flip through the channels and see that the 2009 “VH1 Divas” show was re-airing. Interested, I stayed tuned to see who would be named VH1’s top female performers.

Although I missed the beginning of the show, I knew that Jennifer Hudson and Leona Lewis had performed and was eager to see who would join them.

After a commercial break, one of my favorite female artists, Adele, performed.

I first heard “Chasing Pavements” last year and instantly recognized her as a talented woman with a powerhouse voice.

Yes, I thought, Adele is deserving of this title.

Then came Miley Cyrus.

Um ... excuse me? Since when is this 16-year-old considered a diva?

Yes, she has her own TV show and clothing line, not to mention consistently highly-ranked songs and albums, and I am the first one to admit that I was highly addicted to “Party in the USA” when it first came out.

But a diva? The title seems inappropriate for a Disney star.

Where were Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera?

These females have contributed more to the music and entertainment industry and have demonstrated more versatility in their talent than Cyrus has.

What constitutes a performer as a diva? In the past, we have come to associate the term with negative connotations such as “snobby” and “pretentious.”

However, we must consider its original definition referring to the divine, the godlike.
Personally, I believe women such as Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Beyonce are goddesses in entertainment.

And yes, these women have all been recognized in past VH1 ceremonies. So what changed during the four-year break in airing the Diva concert?

While VH1 reassesses its definition of diva and Cyrus continues to nod her head and move her “hips like yeah,” let us take a moment of silence to acknowledge those forgotten female performers who were denied recognition for their incredible talent.