Friday, January 24, 2014 3:38pm ET by  
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Patti LaBelle: 'These little heifers who can't sing are being called divas'

Grammy Award-winning singer Patti LaBelle has slammed the use of the term 'diva' to describe anyone with genuine talent because it now means something incredibly different.

Speaking to Pridesource, the icon explained that she no longer wants to be identified as a diva because the term has come to mean something very different in today's society, which she doesn't like: 

"That word is used so loosely that I don't even consider myself a diva. I always considered myself a woman who sings her heart out and who gives 120 percent. 'Diva' is a word that I wouldn't wanna call myself because it's so loosely used. It's not cute anymore." 

When asked if the word has a negative connotation now, she admitted: "Yeah, because all these little heifers who can't sing are called divas! It doesn't mean anything to me and probably to some of the other ladies who have been doing it for as long as I have: Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick. You know, I'm speaking for me -- I don't know if they like to be called divas -- but I know I wouldn't call them divas, because it's not in good company."

LaBelle added: "Now you can look up to them, but you might not see what you wanna see. A hot mess! People who are doing it and doing it with about 40 people onstage with them to hide their pitifulness -- that's not a word, but you know what I mean."

 

 

 

 

 

Watch footage of LaBelle performing last year below: