Do Divas Have Talent or H'wood to Thank?

March 14, 2008 — -- Every few years, in some serendipitous way, the powers that be (better known as those who control the music biz) align the perfect combination of talent, beauty, charisma and style in a way that seems almost effortless … and a diva is born.

Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand: talented performers are born but divas like these are created and the process is anything but effortless. It takes a team of experts getting together to create a strategy. They invest a lot of money and put countless hours into promoting their protégée.

In these days of pop culture explosions, it takes more than a Svengali-like Henry Higgins and an amiable muse like Liza Doolittle. Elocution lessons and a pretty frock are just the tip of the iceberg, although these are two very important pieces of the puzzle.

Just look at early interviews of Mary J. Blige and Rihanna before they polished the rough edges to become ravishing jewels, iconic with style that defines their essence. Blige blasts an edgy maturity and a depth in her voice that transcends other artists that have long since become "where-are-they-nows?"

Rihanna is one of the newest members of the diva club. With countless awards, magazine covers and a Cover Girl makeup contract, she is one of the few African American singers consistently covered in the fashion pages of the tabloids. She's a fashion fave for designers and Hollywood is sure to be calling next.

As one rises to the next level, another diva gets groomed to go into the fame machine. "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell discovered the next big thing on British TV talent fest "X Factor": Leona Lewis. The singer is bound to be big. Her father is Guyanese and her mother is Welsh. Her tawny features are as mesmerizing as her sultry and stirring voice.

Cowell saw big business with this diva du jour, so he quickly enlisted the master who created the career of the legendary Whitney Houston, the soulful Alicia Keys and "Idol" finalist/Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson — the incomparable Clive Davis.