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The Spinoff
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
The top 20 moments from the DIVA exhibition at Auckland Museum, ranked
Bow down bitches, the true divas are in town. This week in attention economy news, JoJo Siwa is threatening to release her cover of 'Bette Davis Eyes' on Spotify. In the short video she's already released, she sounds like she's swallowed three packets of cigs and auto tuned the raspy result. She looks like she wants to fuck around and find out what being a tradwife is. Turning what I assume are her own Bette Davis eyes towards the camera as several strands of pearls threaten to engulf her head, it's clear her Gene Simmons, Karma era is over. This is what everyone is talking about right now. Next week, it will be something else. In 2025, new viral obsessions are spawned, devoured and pronounced dead within 24 hours. The average human attention span is about eight seconds, which is a perfect capsule for everyone's six seconds of fame. Everything is new, yet nothing truly is. We've never been more immersed in celebrity gossip, commentary, and access. We've also never been so context-poor and so deprived of enduring cultural meaning. Meeting this moment is DIVA, an exhibition developed by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, currently housed at Auckland Museum until October. It's the perfect example of what a museum exhibition should be in 2025. It is accessible and relevant, brimming with pop culture references and real-life spectacle you just can't experience during your daily scrolls. It presents serious hypotheses about gender, the tension between attention and exposure and the true meaning of genius and celebrity. Most importantly, it reminds us that we all stand on the shoulders of giants and that cultural connective tissue binds our past to our present. It's also a welcome boon for the museum. Two of its most popular attractions have been closed indefinitely due to the detection of asbestos, adding another item to Wayne Brown's 'Fix Auckland' list. Here are the top 20 moments ranked according to historical significance, pop culture heft and spectacle, with a few subjective calls based on when I cried, gasped and flamed with joy. 20. Exit through the gift shop The museum and gallery trick of forcing you to leave through the gift shop at the end of an exhibition might be one of my all-time favourite retail strategies. I always end up buying something. DIVA is no different. Nobody needs a $300 pair of diamante-studded glasses from Elton John's line of eyewear, but did I stop and try them on? Yes. Will I be back to purchase some prints of Nina Simone, Grace Jones, and Benny and the Jets era Elton? Absolutely. My love of retail strategy is also niche, hence the lower ranking. To be clear, the rare gems are located in the exhibition, not the shop. 19. Barbra and the purple extravaganza from Funny Girl It's the dress and the coat. So much chiffon. 18. Finding your own diva There's a red carpet and many spots for posing. I did mine in the gift shop, you do you hunny diva child. 17. The full arc of Maria Callas Two of Callas's most iconic costumes are displayed together – her blue dress from her 1952 London debut in Norma and the red gown from her final stage performance in Tosca (1965). Diva is an Italian word, and the exhibition explores its origin, weaponisation and reclamation. None of that is possible without homage being paid to the ultimate opera diva. 16. The moment you realise you're tripping the audio Moving through the exhibition, you wear a pair of pretty chic and futuristic headphones. Audio experiences at museums and galleries are pretty common these days, but a few minutes into DIVA, you realise the audio you hear along the way is being triggered by your movement through the space. There's nothing like hearing 'Pynk' by Janelle Monáe while staring deep into the folds of her vulva (pants). 15. The moment you realise you could be tripping Björk gown. The end. 14. The wall quotes So many, all good. Collect the set. Get them tattooed. 13. The early showgirl cossies The mannequins have hips! 12. Grace Jones's breastplate First created by Issey Miyake for his 1980 Autumn-Winter collection, it looks like liquid hard-moulded to the body. Various iterations of the Miyake breastplate have been worn by Grace Jones during her career, including in this recording of her performing 'I Need A Man'. 11. Nina makes me cry The selected photos and audio combine to capture a significant portion of Nina Simone's power, anger and legacy. 10. Marilyn Monroe's fringed black dress Worn when she played Sugar Kane in Some Like It Hot (1959), this was Marilyn at the peak of her powers. Funny, vulnerable and pre the disastrous and tragic rekindling of relations with the Kennedys. 9. The Pierce, Davis, Garland triptych Next to a Mildred Pierce costume is a poster for All About Eve, another all-time great film starring another diva, Bette Davis. If we're talking about 'Bette Davis Eyes', I recommend staring into the real ones (as Margot Channing) instead of JoJo Siwa's. Drag queen Charles Busch once described fictional divas Norma Desmond and Margo Channing as 'powerful women fighting for their rights in a straight man's world' and the exhibition's rich recounting of the way Hollywood regarded and treated 'difficult women' is useful set up for the reclamation of the term explored in the exhibition's later stages. 8. All the Bob Mackie There are at least four Bob Mackie for Cher designs in the exhibition, one he did for Liza Minnelli for New York New York and the flame dress he made for Tina Turner. Mackie remains unrivalled in his ability to blend costume with couture. He was also a master of costume sketches, and DIVA includes many of the sketches for the creations you can then see in their full glory. 7. Realising you need to step up the game for your 50th birthday Elton John wore the Sandy Powell design featured in the exhibition to his 50th birthday party. It was so ostentatious and large that he had to be trucked in. If nothing else, it was a good reminder that birthdays should be all about you, and you should step up and into a proper frock. 6. Our very own diva For the Auckland leg of this touring exhibition, Aotearoa's own diva, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, has lent her millennium coat, worn at the New Year's Day performance she participated in as part of a 30-hour live television special broadcast to one billion people worldwide. Contains feathers and cultural touchstones. 5. Whitney makes me cry She was so beautiful and talented. The exhibition includes radiant photos of Houston and the dress she wore to the 1994 Grammy Awards, designed by Marc Bouwer. 4. The dress Joan Crawford wore in Mildred Pierce The 1945 film noir Mildred Pierce is one of my all-time favourite movies. It was one of the first old Hollywood films I watched that made me realise contemporary culture didn't have a monopoly on portraying complicated, complex, and sometimes difficult women. The dress itself, designed by Milo Anderson, was worn by Crawford in the film as she begins running her restaurant. It transitioned her away from plain, housewife garb into more structured and shoulder-padded suiting, marking her changing station and wealth. 3. The size of Prince's feet If you know, you know, but the exhibition contains a pair of Prince's shoes. They confirm Prince's likely origin as a pixie sent from on high to deliver music for the ages while emanating an ambiguous, raw and real sexual power. 2. The vulva pants I would sell an organ (if required) to see Janelle Monáe live. A high-concept fashion icon, the vulva pants worn for the 2018 'Pynk' video were peak vulva-inspired dressing, and frankly, we don't have enough of that. 1. Rihanna as pope Rihanna owns the Met Gala carpet and has done for a decade now. For the 2018 Met Gala, themed 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination', Rihanna wore a papal-inspired outfit designed by John Galliano for Maison Margiela. In my humble opinion, it ranks as one of the best Met Gala themes and one of Rihanna's best looks. We don't often get to see John Galliano's designs beyond our magazines and screens here, so seeing this beaded creation in person was truly the highlight for me. Rihanna's star began rising in 2005, and she remains an enigmatic diva with enduring popularity. My one true pope. My one true diva.
Perth Now
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Barbra Streisand loves being with grandchildren
Barbra Streisand finds it "joyous" to be with her grandchildren. The 83-year-old actress - whose stepson Josh Brolin is dad to Trevor, 37, Eden, 32, Westlyn, six, and four-year-old Chapel and stepdaughter has three-year-old Soli - admitted her latest album, 'The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two', was inspired by the pleasure she takes in being surrounded by family. Barbra - who has son Jason, 58, with ex-husband Elliott Gould and is married to James Brolin - told People magazine:"I had asked my daughter-in-law, who's also a photographer, to bring the children over and take some pictures with me. The kids were walking toward me, and I was standing behind a screen door, and I said, 'Oh Kathryn, take this picture right now.' "The point is, the feeling whenever they're here is just joyous. It's very, very special... "It's wonderful to have family. And that's how The Secret of Life title came — [the secret] is several things, but one of them is family," The album is Barbra's first in almost seven years, and features duets with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Tim McGraw, but the Funny Girl star admitted she wasn't sure she was up to recording after the extensive process of recording the audiobook version of her memoir xx left her "hoarse". She said: "I hadn't sung in a long time so I didn't know if I had a voice left." But Barbra has no plans to give up her career and she still particularly loves recording new music. She said: "As long as I have a voice, I love the privacy of recording. "I love standing there in front of the mic with the music in my ears and singing, and there are more songs I want to sing. And I even have my original list of songs I've wanted to sing [since I was 18 years old]." Barbra began her career when she was 13 years old and she'd advise her younger self to trust her instincts. Asked what she'd have told her younger self, she said: "I'd tell her, 'Believe in yourself, believe in your choices. Believe in what you hear, what you feel.' I did it instinctively."
Powys County Times
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood in Newtown
Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Revel Horwood will be bringing his national tour to Newtown for an evening of music, dance, drama and unforgettable stories. Craig is most famous for being the hit BBC show's longest serving and only remaining original judge after its launch in 2004. The Australian-born star is promising fans a night of 'fab-u-lous' glamour, behind-the-scenes tales from the Strictly set, and big songs from his album, titled 'Revelations: Songs Boys Don't Sing', at The Hafren theatre on May 16, 2026. The undisputed king of the glitter ball released his first album last year which features ' Don't Rain On My Parade ' from Funny Girl, ' On My Own ' from Les Misérables and, amongst many others, ' Little Girls ' from Annie, a song that Craig has sung in many productions playing Miss Hannigan. Craig said: 'Throughout my musical journey, I've had the privilege of performing as both a dancer and a singer in numerous musicals. However, this album holds a special place in my heart as I've had the opportunity to select songs that truly resonate with me. 'Each track on the album is traditionally associated with female singers, which presented a delightful challenge. I embraced this opportunity to record these songs, knowing that it might be my only chance to give them my own interpretation. 'The album is a perfect blend of drama, pathos, romance, and a touch of high camp. I've poured my heart and soul into every note, hoping that you will love each and every song. Tickets go on sale Friday (June 27) from 10am. Regular tickets cost £36, VIP tickets are £54 and Meet and Greet tickets are £85.
Perth Now
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Barbra Streisand pushed her voice to the limit recording audiobook for her memoir
Barbra Streisand's voice was "hoarse" after she recorded the audiobook for her memoir My Name Is Barbra. The 83-year-old star admits that she put her vocals under extreme strain as she recorded the audio version of her 970-page-long autobiography shortly after working on her latest album The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two. Barbra told People magazine: "All the wonderful people that I was going to sing with wanted to sing with me. And they were all so special and I hadn't sung in a very long time. "I didn't know if I had a voice left because after I did that, Jesus, six weeks, six days a week, five hours a day of talking, speaking into a microphone for the book. So I was hoarse." Streisand's latest record is released on Friday (27.06.25) - featuring duets with music titans including Sir Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan - and the legendary singer and actress has vowed to continue making music for as long as her voice permits. The Woman in Love artist said: "As long as I have a voice, I love the privacy of recording. "I love standing there in front of the mic with the music in my ears and singing, and there are more songs I want to sing. And I even have my original list of songs I wanted to sing." Barbra duets with the jazz-pop star Laufey on the song Letter to My 13 Year Old Self and reflected on how she "instinctively" improvised during her musical performances at that age. The Funny Girl actress explained: "The first time you're a teenager, you've moved ahead to another level. Believe in yourself, believe in your choices. Believe in what you hear, what you feel. "I mean, I did it instinctively. You know what I mean? I don't know why I did it. And it's the first time I ever did an improvisation even. I was standing in front of the mic at 13 and what I rehearsed with the guys, the piano player, I did something else. "And I thought, where did that come from? Where did improvisation? Where did I... I don't know. It came out and I liked it. I went, 'Oh, that's interesting.'"
Metro
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Legendary Meet the Parents star wants 'a lot of money' to return for sequel
Barbra Streisand has shared her annoyance over not being paid as much as her male co-stars for her role in Meet the Fockers. The 83-year-old has commanded a huge career spanning decades thanks to her incredible voice as well as her talents in front of the screen, appearing in A Star Is Born, Funny Girl, Yentil and A Star is Born. In 2004, the Tell Him singer shared the screen with Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman and Blythe Danner in the Meet the Parents sequel, appearing as eccentric sex therapist Roz Focker. She reprised her role in the 2010 follow-up but, speaking in a new interview, she declared that she would have to be paid 'a lot of money' to return to the fold once more. When asked if we could see Roz in the upcoming movie alongside fellow musician Ariana Grande – who recently signed onto the project – the EGOT winner didn't mince her words. 'Oh my God. They'd have to pay me a lot of money because I didn't get paid what the other people got paid and so I'm p***ed off,' she told Variety. 'I was in the time when women were getting paid less than the men. The head of Universal was Ron Meyer at the time, and he actually sent me a bonus check. It was very sweet.' Barbra kept tight-lipped over how much she was paid for her scene-stealing stint as Roz, but teased that a string of other acting offers had come her way. 'I get a lot of offers, but they're funny offers,' she continued. 'Well, one was good. It was something that Peter Bogdanovich was going to do and Guillermo del Toro sent it to me, I think. 'It's a subject that I actually love, but I'm not going to tell you. I'm not ready to direct again. I think I've probably had it.' Meet the Parents was first released in October 2000, and followed Ben as Gaylord 'Greg' Focker, a nurse meeting his girlfriend's family for the very first time. His attempts to impress Jack and Dina Byrnes, played by Robert and Blythe respectively, didn't quite go as planned, leading to lie detectors and lost cats. More Trending The original was a huge hit and became the seventh highest-grossing film in 2000 after raking in more than $330million at the global box office, sparking two sequels. The 2004 follow-up focused on the Byrnes family meeting Greg's loved ones for the first time, with Dustin and Barbra joining in the chaos as the head of the Focker crew, while the third centered around the couple raising two young sons. Meet the Parents 4 is currently slated to be released on November 25, 2026. According to reports, it will see the extended family come together when Greg and Pam are introduced to their future daughter-in-law, who 'seems all wrong' for their son. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
