We’ve been calling women divas for years, but we still can’t agree on what the word actually means or who qualifies. In this episode, Christiana sits down with music journalist Gerrick Kennedy, co-author of Brandy's new memoir, Phases, to do the impossible: rank the greatest divas across the 90s, 2000s, and 2010s and unpack what really earns someone the title. Together, they debate the diva status of icons like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga, while making the case for a few overlooked sleeper divas along the way. By the end, it becomes clear that defining a diva is a lot harder than it sounds.Gerrick’s book with Brandy: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/phases-brandy?variant=44324080779298 Gerrick’s book on Whitney Houston: https://gerrickkennedy.com/whitneyhouston Follow Gerrick on InstagramFollow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now!Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected]If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices