When it comes to divas, pop icons, stars, whatever your moniker of choice for women who sell out stadium tours thanks to the sheer power of their pipes, there’s a marked generational divide.
It’s neither good nor bad, but it’s apparent in every facet of these singers. If you’re going by the gospel of VH1’s Divas Live (and what other gospel would you go by?), it begins with the Mariah’s, the Gloria’s, the Shaniah’s, the Celine’s. Then we had Britney and Christina and their ilk. And now the mills (millennials, that is) worship at the alters of Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus.
These women are as different as they are alike, but there is a bit of a pattern when it comes to these Next Gen divas—a sort of magic formula that, if properly followed, will lead to the path of pop icon-ness. One needs talent and grace, sure, but those traits alone aren’t going to propel you to NG status. You’ll need to follow these eight steps instead.
1. Star in a children’s television show. We would say you need to get your start on the Disney Channel, but we like to believe that being a Next Gen diva is an equal opportunity gig. Equal meaning that Freeform totally counts, too. You’ll need these wholesome beginnings to both 1) introduce the world to your unique talents and 2) provide a persona for you to shed later. When the public could become fascinated by a pop icon who has only ever been a pop icon, or a pop icon who is desperately trying to turn over a new leaf and convince America that she is no longer that star of the children’s television show, who do you think seems more interesting?
2. Shade your past. We lied, there is a third reason why you should start out by starring in a children’s television show: So that you can subsequently throw shade all over it. You’ll never want to come out and say that it was dumb or trite or that you were forced into those stupid song-and-dance routine and that even stupider wig, but heavy allusions to the matter should do just fine. Start quite subtly, by dropping hints during interviews or appearances, and then graduate to offering up disturbing anecdotes whenever possible.
3. Act out a little bit. You’ve earned it; you were on that crappy kid’s show, after all! This shouldn’t be anything serious, of course, simply some good old fashioned living on the edge. Give a risqué performance, date a bad boy, lick a donut.
4. Give a public apology. You gave a risqué performance/dated a bad boy/licked a donut after all! Now is the time to show your fans how much you’ve grown, how empathetic you are, and how much you’ve learned to not lick donuts. The mills today choose Instagram as their preferred public apology venue, but feel free to issue yours on a talk show or even Snapchat.
5. Have a super public relationship. This can be separate from the aforementioned bad boy, but it needs to be very public. Tip the paparazzi off whenever you step out in Los Angeles. Vacation on public beaches and in large cities. Definitely, definitely post pictures of yourselves on Instagram. And don’t forget the heart emoji!
6. Give back to your fans. You wouldn’t be where you are without them. You owe them everything. You’re in this together. Except for all those times when you’re alone onstage, you always have your fans. Show them gratitude by hosting meet and greets and answering their letters and hanging out with them for a day in exchange for large charitable donations. And we hate to beat a dead horse here, but don’t forget to Instagram about it! Your adoring public will never find out how much you appreciate them if you don’t communicate it through social media.
7. Pick a charitable cause that is near and dear to your heart. Every Next Gen Diva needs an issue of choice. It can be whatever you’re passionate about—disease, animals, legalizing marijuana—just make sure you’re constantly reminding people of it.
8. Debut a new look at least once a year. We’re talking makeovers, people. Or makeunders, depending on what you’re transforming from. Regardless, no Next Gen pop icon can continue to wear the same hair or makeup or clothes day in and day out and expect to still be popular. Get creative!
