There are many words that one can use to describe Diana Ross: legend, icon, artist, actress, inspiration, mother, trailblazer…and the fact that she’s still performing at 80 (she was 78 when she performed on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury) is incredible. As a lover of all things pop culture, she has been a source of admiration for many years.
She was the lead singer of the Motown group, The Supremes, which is still the best-charting female group in history. She launched her solo career in the 1970s and went on to enjoy great critical and commercial success as a solo artist through the 80s and 90s while simultaneously achieving recognition as an actress, starring in films such as Lady Sings The Blues (in which she plays Billie Holiday), Mahogany and The Wiz. Throughout her distinguished career she has racked up several awards and honors, including a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction as a member of The Supremes, a special Tony Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ms Ross performed at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn in a magnificent show, Celebrating Timeless Classics. I thought it was rather apt that she performed at a venue with the word “king” in it because her presence can be described as regal, majestic, distinguished. The show kicked off with a video compilation of some of her many career highlights, with Diana’s narration alternating with some of her biggest hits. She had the audience in the palm of her hand from the minute she glided onto the stage, wearing a fitted satin gown (under the lights, the color was difficult to discern but I thought it looked like a pinkish-fuchsia) and matching cape completed with her signature voluminous sleeves. There were a few additional costume changes, featuring sparkles and feathers and lots and lots of tulle, throughout the show, each one as breathtaking as the preceding one.
I did not keep track of the setlist and for some reason I couldn’t find it anywhere online. However, she performed a selection of her biggest hits as well as some of the tracks from her 25th and most recent studio album, Thank You. Some of the highlights were I’m Coming Out, You Can’t Hurry Love, Take Me Higher, a cover of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive and Theme From Mahogany (Do you know where you're going to?) which led into Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, her first solo hit. She also performed Count On Me as a duet with her daughter, Rhonda Ross, a song that Rhonda wrote for her mother and appears on Thank You.
I will say I was a little disappointed that she didn’t perform two my favorites, Chain Reaction and Stop! In The Name Of Love but, given her extensive and illustrious discography spanning 7 decades, it’s understandable that not everyone’s favorites made the setlist. And she gave us plenty of iconic material to satisfy all fans.
One thing is certain, Diana Ross is a remarkable force whose talent shines as brightly as ever and I was privileged to experience it firsthand.
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