"Diva" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

. The song was written and produced by Knowles, Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford, and Sean Garrett for the singer's third studio album '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). It was released as the album's third overall single in the United States alongside the third international single "

Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...

". "Diva" is an R&B song, which is set in a hip hop

groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...

, and carries a stuttering beat. Its lyrics deliver messages of independence and female empowerment. The song boasts a beat and a

bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...

similar to those of another Bangladesh 2008 production, "

A Milli "A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne. The song was released February 13, 2008, as the second official single from his sixth album ''Tha Carter III''. Background The original version leaked earl ...

" by American rapper,

Lil' Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

; critics coined "Diva" as a "female companion" to the latter. "Diva" received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who had polarized opinions concerning its affiliation with "A Milli". Despite being released to rhythmic and urban radios only in the US, the song peaked at number 19 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, topped the US

Hot Dance Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...

chart, and attained a peak position of number three on the US

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart. "Diva" was certified gold by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

(RIAA), denoting shipment of 500,000 copies. Although it was only officially released in the US, the song appeared on the singles charts in Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...

for "Diva" was directed by

Melina Matsoukas Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her " We Found Love" and "Formation" music video ...

. It shows the singer and backup dancers in a warehouse, and presents a choreography similar to that of her previous single "

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album, ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a Single (music), single on October 13, 2008, as a A-side ...

" (2008). Beyoncé also appears in different

Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...

couture pieces. The video received mixed response from critics, who were not pleased by its concept as they believed it portrayed Beyoncé's

alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", "doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a different ...

Sasha Fierce ineffectively. It was ranked at number 13 on

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...

's ''Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009'' countdown. Although Beyoncé did not perform the song in any televised appearances, it was a part of her

set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...

on the I Am... World Tour (2009–10) and her revue show, Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live (2012).

Background and release

"Diva" was written and produced by

, Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford, and Sean Garrett. According to an interview that Bangladesh gave with ''

Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...

'', the song was originally intended to be included on the track-listing of his own

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

after choosing a female artist to contribute vocals to "Diva". However, he decided to play the song to American R&B singer

Keyshia Cole Keyshia Myeshia Cole Johnson; born October 15, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Cole began her career as a backing vocalist for MC Hammer. After signing with A&M Records ...

, who liked the beat, but not the whole track. She eventually declined to record the song, but later said she would sing the song, however, by this time Beyoncé also wanted it for her then upcoming album. Bangladesh ultimately gave "Diva" to Beyoncé and composed another song for Cole. About one month after the release of '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'', American R&B singer

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...

, who was working on her third studio album, ''

Fantasy Ride ''Fantasy Ride'' is the third studio album by American singer Ciara, first released on May 3, 2009, by Jive Records, LaFace Records and Sony Music Entertainment. The album was recorded between 2007 and 2009. Ciara was executive producer on the a ...

'' (2009), remixed "Diva", which was supposed to be included on her ''Fantasy Ride Mixtape''. " Ego" and "

" were initially planned for simultaneous release in the US, following the 2008 dual

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

s "

If I Were a Boy "If I Were a Boy" is a song written by BC Jean and Toby Gad and originally performed by Jean in 2008. The song gained international attention the same year in a version by the American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album '' I Am... Sa ...

" and "

". However, the release of "Ego" was scrapped and replaced with "Diva", which was taken from a different disc of ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' to "Halo"; the intention was to demonstrate the concept that Beyoncé has conflicting personalities. "Diva" added to

urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban conte ...

radio and

rhythmic contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...

radios playlists,Rhythmic – Week Of: January 20, 2009

Radio and Records ''Radio & Records'' (''R&R'') was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister ...

. Retrieved 2010-12-09. while "Halo" was sent to

contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...

on January 20, 2009.Top 40 – Week Of: January 20, 2009
Radio and Records. Retrieved 2010-12-09. In Germany, "Diva" was featured as the B-side to "Halo" single. Upon its release, contemporary music critics noted many similarities between Beyoncé's "Diva" and

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...

's 2008 song "

"; both feature a similar beat produced by Bangladesh. In an interview with MySpace, Beyoncé agreed that "Diva" is the woman's equivalent to "A Milli". However, she stated that it was not consciously. "Diva" eventually became known as the feminine companion to "A Milli".

Composition and lyrical interpretation

"Diva" is an R&B and hip hop song, which is composed in a moderate

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

in the key of

E major E major (or the key of E) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor. Its enharmonic equiva ...

. It carries a stuttering beat, which is accompanied by a slow-rolling and heavy

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

-pumping

with a jerky rhythm. The song marks a change of direction for Beyoncé; she raps in

cadences In Western musical theory, a cadence (Latin ''cadentia'', "a falling") is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don Michael Randel (19 ...

over a

Roland TR-808 The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 808, is a drum machine manufactured by the Roland Corporation between 1980 and 1983. It was one of the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms instead of using preset patte ...

machine, kick drums, and fewer instruments than her usual tracks. As stated by Andy Kellman of

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

, "Diva" aurally resembles Beyoncé's own 2006 songs " Freakum Dress" and "

Ring the Alarm "Ring the Alarm" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Knowles, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, and Sean Garrett. Columbia Records released "Ring the Alarm" as the second sin ...

". Spence D. of

IGN Music ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

further compared its hip hop composition to

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

's earlier songs. Adam Mattera of ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'' noted "Diva" could be "a perfect independent women anthem"; its lyrics reflect a message of courage and determination. Similarly, ''

Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With i ...

''s Joey Guerra called the song an "ode to female fabulousness". "Diva" features Beyoncé as the female protagonist speaking about being a diva. Chipmunked vocal samples and overdubs aplenty make up the song's foundation. According to Nick Levine of

Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...

, Beyoncé's

Sasha Fierce also salutes her earning power and proclaims herself as the "number one diva in the game". "Diva" begins with metallic kick drum complemented by Beyoncé's robotic sly vocal stutters as she sings: "I'm a, I'm a, a diva". She then starts the first verse, chanting the dictionary definition of a diva. She references her millions of dollars, and raps, "I done got so sick and filthy with benjis, I can't spend it", channeling her alter ego. After repeating the introductory lines, Beyoncé employs breathy drawls and robotic shouts to chant the

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

, where the lines, "Now diva is a female version of a hustla. Of a hustla. Of a, of a hustla", are looped. In the second verse, she finds love in the club, where she warns "Better have a six-pack in the cooler ... If you ain’t gettin money, then you ain't got nothin for me", and asks, "Where yo Boss at?" After singing the third verse and the chorus for the third time, Beyoncé adopts her initial chipmunked vocals to end the song, chanting, "I'm a, I'm a, a diva".

Critical reception

The song received mixed to positive reviews, with critics either praising or criticizing it being a female companion to "A Milli." Matos Michaelangelo of '' The A.V. Club'' said that "Diva" is a flagrant attempt to write a female version of "A Milli". Leah Greenblat of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'' wrote that "Diva" can make a good feminine companion to "A Milli" thanks to their use of similar music instruments." Noting its similarity to "A Milli", Andy Kellman of Allmusic picked out "Diva" as one of the three standout tracks from the album. J. Freedom du Lac of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

'' chose it as one of the best songs on ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'', calling it a "fun, ndtuneless, gender-twisting play". Colin McGuire of

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

picked "Diva" as the highlight of the album, noting its "Lil Wayne-inspired beat" and describing it as "cheeky". He further wrote it shows the singer's "impeccable street side... with enough attitude to make it work".McGuire, Colin. (2009-02-09
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''

. Retrieved on 2009-11-11.

Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the '' Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busine ...

of ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' commented that the "menacing rhythm and chanted vocals" on "Diva", mark the album's biggest departure. Adam Mazmanian of ''

The Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughou ...

'' felt that the song was influenced by Beyoncé's husband, American rapper

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

as it has a "bad soft-core gangster rap". He also noted that its contains words that could get an "explicit" sticker by the chain stores. Similarly, Daniel Brockman of '' The Phoenix'' remarked that the song is "particularly intriguing" as it progresses through "hard-knockish robbery scenarios" which does not resemble Beyoncé's clean public image. Stacey Anderson of ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...

'' magazine noted that "Diva" places a "startling, sexy snarl over window-rattling bass".Anderson, Stacey (2008-12-08)
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''
. ''

''. Spin Media LLC. Retrieved on 2010-09-10. Christian Hoard of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' noted Beyoncé turns out "modal-sounding hooks" over 808 bass on the song.Hoard, Christian. (2008-11-18
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''
''

''.

Wenner Media Jann Simon Wenner ( ; born January 7, 1946) is an American magazine magnate who is a co-founder of the popular culture magazine ''Rolling Stone'', and former owner of ''Men's Journal'' magazine. He participated in the Free Speech Movement while a ...

. Retrieved on 2009-11-11. ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

''s Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond described Sasha Fierce as "suffer no such identity crisis, brassy, big-headed, confrontational, and witty...", reflected on "Diva".Brew-Hammond, Nana Ekua. (2008-12-17
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''
. ''

''. (

Village Voice Media Village Voice Media or VVM is a newspaper company. It began in 1970 as a weekly alternative newspaper in Phoenix. The company, founded by Michael Lacey (editor) and Jim Larkin (publisher), was then known as New Times Inc. (NTI) and the public ...

). Retrieved on 2009-11-11. James Reed of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' described "Diva" as a "glitchy, bass-heavy thumper with the most ridiculous chorus of the year". Reed nevertheless added that the song is "insanely catchy, but then, when you hear something looped incessantly, no matter how mindless, it's bound to stick". Mariel Concepcion of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' magazine noted that "Diva" is not something new, nevertheless it manages to be a radio-ready dance song. Alex Thornton of

AllHipHop AllHipHop is a hip hop news website founded by Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur in 1998. History The website was founded in 1998 by Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur. In 1997, Watkins registered the allhiphop.com domain to promote the artists on ...

noted that Beyoncé adopts a masculine character on "Diva" and that it is "something decent to bounce to at least". ''The Observer''s Adam Mattera described the song as a potential source of inspiration to

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...

s, however concluded that it can also leave many persons confused and bewildered.Mattera, Adam (2008-11-09)
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''
''

''. (

Guardian Media Group Guardian Media Group plc (GMG) is a British-based mass media company owning various media operations including ''The Guardian'' and ''The Observer''. The group is wholly owned by the Scott Trust Limited, which exists to secure the financial and e ...

). Retrieved on 2010-09-10. Alexis Petridis of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

'', also reviewed the song negatively, stating, "The sonic trickery on the most experimental track, 'Diva', isn't interesting enough to distract you from the absence of a tune." Spence D. of IGN Music, felt that Beyoncé's rapping in the song was a "bad idea" and described the song as "awkward, ndhorribly dated." On ''The Village Voice''s 2009 Pazz & Jop singles list, "Diva" was ranked at number 224. In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady of

E! Online E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUniver ...

placed the song at number nine on their list of ten best Beyoncé's songs.

Chart performance

Initially, "Diva" charted on the ''Billboard''s

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...

chart at number five. For the week ending January 3, 2009, the song debuted on the main US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at number 96, and peaked at number 19 on the issue dated March 7, 2009, becoming Beyoncé's sixteenth top twenty single on the chart. "Diva" reached number one on the US

chart on March 28, 2009, giving Beyoncé her ninth number one on the chart. It peaked at number three on the US

Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

chart from the week ending February 14, 2009 to the week ending March 14, 2009. "Diva" was certified gold by the

(RIAA) on March 12, 2009. As of October, 2012, it had sold 1,037,000 digital downloads in the US. Even though "Diva" was only officially released in the US, it managed to chart in other countries. In Australia, the song debuted at number 47 on March 15, 2009, becoming the fourth single from the ''I Am… Sasha Fierce'' to reach the top fifty of the

ARIA Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

. and peaked at number 40 on April 12, 2009. In New Zealand, "Diva" entered at number 32 on March 30, 2009 and peaked at number 26 for two non-consecutive weeks on April 6, 2009 and April 27, 2009. On the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, "Diva" rose from number 173 to number 73 on the

on May 17, 2009 based on downloads alone. The following week, it peaked at number 72. In the Netherlands, "Diva" debuted at number 94 on the Mega Single Top 100 and peaked at number 73, based on downloads alone.

Music video

Background and concept

The accompanying

for "Diva" was shot in

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is a ...

on November 22, 2008, and was directed by

, who worked with Beyoncé for several music videos. The music video is conceptually similar to that for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in the sense that it was filmed in black and white, shows Beyoncé as

Sasha Fierce, who dons her metal glove and performs choreography with two back-up dancers with more formal leotards. Beyoncé wears a

Gareth Pugh Gareth Pugh (born 31 August 1981) is an English fashion designer"Gareth Pugh: Fashion Designer."

design in the video, a custom Brian Lichtenberg bodysuit, as well as a couple of vintage

Haute Couture pieces, including a leather bodice and a reptilia inspired gown. The video for "Diva" premiered on the

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

on December 23, simultaneously with the one for "Halo". It was included on Beyoncé's remix album with videography, '' Above and Beyoncé'' (2009).

Synopsis

The video begins with a dictionary definition of the word "

diva Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is cl ...

", before cutting to a parking lot outside of a warehouse. Beyoncé, wearing a pair of "dangle shades", walks past a car full of mannequin parts into the warehouse. From here, she is accompanied by her two dancers and a variety of high fashion outfits. When she states "Diva's gettin' money..." she waves a fan made of $100 bills. During the bridge to the climax, Beyoncé dances on a single light and then during the climax, she is seen very glossy in another wardrobe choice dancing in robotic movements to the beat with gold punctuating the black and white scene. In one scene, Beyoncé is seen dancing robotically in front of a set of gold-tinted mannequins; while in another, she dances against a wall with two large chains hanging from the ceiling. During the last chorus, Beyoncé is in her last wardrobe change in front of window which is where the paparazzi had taken photos of her. At the end of the song, Beyoncé walks back out to the parking lot. She lights up a cigar and throws the lighter into the car, letting it explode. As she walks away, the intro to " Video Phone" (a track from ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'') plays. The explosion retains its original fiery colors in contrast with the black and white.

Reception

A writer of ''Rolling Stone'' described the video as "quite a hot mess", further comparing the dancers with the ones from the video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". The writer finished the review calling it "a four-minute art-school film unworthy of her Sasha Fierceness". Jennifer Cady of E! Online commented that the video was "all about being gritty and edgy, like strutting around a downtown L.A. warehouse in crazy designer fashion and chewing bubblegum. Hard-core style". Cady further described the dance in the video for "Diva" as "way easier to learn than

he one He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...

in 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)'". However, she chose the

C-3PO C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to assis ...

-inspired

mannequins A mannequin (also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off different fabrics and textiles. P ...

, the lack of Beyoncé's robot hand and the "obnoxious camera work or car explosion" as the worst parts of the video. ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Slezak commented: "The video has the production values of the clearance bin at

Family Dollar Family Dollar Stores, Inc. is an American variety store chain. With over 8,000 locations in all states except Alaska and Hawaii, it was the second largest retailer of its type in the United States until it was acquired by Dollar Tree in 2015 and i ...

, and yet somehow it works." Slezak further described the set as a "trunk full of mannequins, Cylon-y fringed sunglasses, and angry-lady dancing on display in the accompanying video". The video was ranked at number 13 on

Black Entertainment Television Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...

's (BET's) ''Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009'' countdown.

Live performances

Although Beyoncé did not perform "Diva" on televised appearances, the song was a part of her

on the I Am... World Tour (2009-2010). Eventually, it was included on her 2010 live album, '' I Am... World Tour'' as the twelfth song. The performance of "Diva" during her I Am... World Tour features Beyoncé performing the song while being backed up by six dancers (four of which are golden mannequins). She sports a leopard print glow-in-the-dark leotard, black trenchcoat, leopard print stockings, high heels and leopard-print sunglasses. She would remove the trenchcoat during the performance. The song was also included on the setlist for her

Formation World Tour The Formation World Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer Beyoncé in support of her sixth studio album, ''Lemonade'' (2016). The all-stadium tour was announced following her guest appearance at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. T ...

(2016), as the fifteenth song performed each night. Alice Jones of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' felt that "she sings her heart out" during the electro hook of "Diva". In May 2012, Beyoncé performed "Diva" during her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, United States'

entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousa ...

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...

and spa, Revel. Maura Johnston of ''The Village Voice'' noted that the song was one of the "dancefloor-fillers" performed during the revue. Rebecca Thomas writing for MTV News, noted that Beyoncé transformed in Sasha Fierce for the performance of the song. On October 7, 2012, Beyoncé appeared at Jay-Z's concert at the

Barclays Center Barclays Center is a multi-purpose list of indoor arenas, indoor arena in the New York City Boroughs of New York City, borough of Brooklyn. The arena is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New York Liberty o ...

and performed "Diva", "Crazy in Love" and "Young Forever". Beyonce has also preformed this song during her co-headling

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and On the Run II tours with her husband

, as a mash-up with his "

Clique A clique ( AusE, CanE, or ), in the social sciences, is a group of individuals who interact with one another and share similar interests. Interacting with cliques is part of normative social development regardless of gender, ethnicity, or popular ...

Cover versions

In 2008,

recorded a remix of "Diva" for a mixtape of her album ''

'' (2009).

Alex Newell Alex Eugene Newell (born August 20, 1992) is an American actor and singer. They are known for their role as Unique Adams on the Fox musical series '' Glee'' and Mo on '' Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist''. Newell also starred as Asaka in the Broadw ...

Heather Morris Heather Elizabeth Morris (born February 1, 1987) is an American actress, dancer, singer, and model. She played the role of Brittany S. Pierce in the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. Early life Morris was born in Thousand Oaks, Califor ...

Jenna Ushkowitz Jenna Noelle Ushkowitz (; born April 28, 1986) (born Min Ji []) is a South Korean-born American actress, singer, producer and podcast host. She is known for her performances in Broadway musicals such as ''The King and I'' and '' Waitress (musica ...

and

Darren Criss Darren Everett Criss (born February 5, 1987) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He rose to fame starring on the television series '' Glee'' (2010–2015) and received Emmy and Golden Globe acting awards for his leading role as spree ...

covered the song in the eponymous episode of the fourth season of the American television series '' Glee'' which aired on February 7, 2013. In a review of the episode, Daniel Sperling of the website Digital Spy, described the performance of the song as one of the "plenty of fierce moments" adding that it was "posy, ndpouty".

Credits and personnel

*Beyoncé Knowles –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

, producer,

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, ...

*Kory Aaron – producer assistant *Jim Caruana – recorder *Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford – writer, producer * Sean Garrett – writer, producer *Matt Green –

mixer Mixer may refer to: Electronics * DJ mixer, a type of audio mixing console used by disc jockeys * Electronic mixer, electrical circuit for adding signal voltages * Frequency mixer, electrical circuit that creates new frequencies from two signals ...

assistant *Michael Miller – producer assistant *

Mark "Spike" Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran ...

– mixer *Miles Walker – producer Source:

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

External links

Beyoncé's Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diva (Beyonce song) 2008 songs 2009 singles American hip hop songs Beyoncé songs Black-and-white music videos Music videos directed by Melina Matsoukas Song recordings produced by Bangladesh (record producer) Song recordings produced by Beyoncé Songs with feminist themes Songs written by Bangladesh (record producer) Songs written by Beyoncé Songs written by Sean Garrett