Divas need seasoning.

It takes experience and character – not to mention a notable set of pipes – to earn that hallowed title.

So VH1 had its work cut out when it decided to cast a decidedly younger set of singers to lead Thursday night’s “Divas” concert, which it cablecast live from the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Instead of old-school divas – Mariah/Whitney/Celine – Thursday night’s main singers all clocked in under age 30.

The newbies included Jennifer Hudson, on the promising end, and Miley Cyrus, on the less so.

In between were such divas-in-training as Leona Lewis, Adele, Jordin Sparks and Kelly Clarkson.

Wisely, VH1 started out by setting the bar as low as possible.

Host Paula Abdul opened the night with a medley of her ’90s hits, dancing ably but taking only the most glancing interest in her microphone.

In this context, apparently, lip-syncing doesn’t disqualify you for diva-dom.

Neither does an “American Idol” connection.

More than half the singers Thursday night had one – including Sparks, Clarkson, Hudson and – in the British equivalent – Lewis.

Given the fact that “American Idol” prizes the accessible, rather than the aloof, it’s no wonder that none of last night’s singers had the necessary attitude.

To make up for that, Clarkson tried to mature her act by donning an evening gown for perhaps the first time.

But her take on the ballad “Already Gone” sounded more like something from a bar maid than a grand dame.

Sparks had fun with her dance song “S.O.S.,” but the beat overwhelmed her singing.

And while Lewis had the right bearing and the proper vocal power, her timbre lacks a singer’s most important trait: character.

Faring far better were Adele and Hudson.

The one-named British singer brought a pained dignity to her ballad, while Hudson has the elevated bearing, the commanding vocal power and the troubled back story she’ll need to go the distance.

A host of older singers showed up for some duets – including Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge – but they didn’t argue any better for their generation of would-be divas.

No matter the age, it seems, all one needs to be a diva in the land of VH1 is to miss a Y chromosome.

(source)