DIVA TALK: “Diana Ross Turns Vegas Upside Down”
By Louie Ranieri
Staff Writer
The supremely talented Diana Ross performed three nights at the Encore Theater at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. At 82, the legend showed up and showed out performing numerous hits spanning from her time with The Supremes all the way to today.
With Ross starting her career at only 15 years old, this year marks her 67th
year in the music industry and show business. During those 67 years, she has had a hit song where she sang lead at least once every year for 33 consecutive years.
Some of these hits include hits from her time with The Supremes such as “Where Did
Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Back In
My Arms Again,” “Love Child,” and “Reflections,” along with others.
Her solo hits include “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Reach Out and Touch
(Somebody’s Hand),” “Touch Me in The Morning,” “The Boss,” “I’m Coming Out,”
“Upside Down,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” “Endless Love,” “Take Me Higher,” and
many, many others - having one of the most successful music careers in history. She
was named The Female Entertainer of The Century by Billboard Magazine in 1976. She
will hold that title until 2076.
I had the supreme honor of interviewing one of Ms. Ross’ most devoted fans in
the world of Diana Ross, DeMarcio Slaughter. DeMarcio attended all three shows with
seats in the front row that were dead center, in front of the stage! He is no stranger to
attending Ms. Ross’ concerts. DeMarcio stated, “I have been to 311 shows, and
numbers 309-311 happened this past weekend.”
I asked DeMarcio one of my most anticipated questions: “How would you
describe the energy in the room during the opening song?” DeMarcio replied, “Once
they heard the opening bars of ‘I’m Coming Out,’ the audience was like a shaken soda
can ready to explode.”
I then asked, “What was your first thought once she came out on stage?” He
quickly replied, “I thought that she consistently looks good. And she’s 82!”
I personally have seen Ms. Ross eight times in concert, attending a few with DeMarcio along
other fans, and I can say that her beauty truly transcends time.
For my next question, I inquired, “What was your favorite outfit Ms. Ross wore during her time in Vegas?” His response left a beautiful impression of Diana’s graceful aging: “The red ball gown. That's the same dress from the first time I saw her in 1989 on August 16th. It was at the Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre in Denver.”
This response left me in awe - knowing that he still sees the same woman he saw
when he was just a kid. All these years later he is still a massive fan who has been
there for many of Ms. Ross’s major accomplishments and appearances.
And for my last question, I asked him what he would say to Ms. Ross if she were
on our call with us. He replied, “I’d say thank you. Thank you for continued
inspiration. Thank you.” That response truly resonated with me so much.
She is always inspiring and uplifting me every day in different ways. From the lyrics of her songs to the positive mindset she shares, she grounds me, bringing me back to where I am meant and supposed to be.
But on a performance note, Diana Ross conveyed so much love and energy through her performances with many positive reviews on social media. She continues to move with tremendous amounts of grace and glamour. Her voice is velvety and smooth, yet powerful - only getting purer with age. Nothing can compare to the ever-lasting legacy of Diana Ross, even at 82. I personally believe that even at her age, nothing compares to the magic of Ms. Ross. Her music has moved me in ways that nothing else has ever. Even her mindset - I watch her old interviews and listen to what she has said during recordings of concerts from decades ago. I carry the energy I’ve gained through listening and watching her, turning that energy into light, and using that light to guide my way in times of darkness. I had the privilege of going up on stage with Ms. Ross in March of 2025. She gave me a hug, and as we held each other I whispered “Thank you.” She replied, “Thank you. I love you,” following it with a kiss on the check. And when our hug came to an end, I said to her, “You are my light in my times of darkness.” She held my hand, blew me a kiss, and I walked off the stage. Ms. Ross recently teased upcoming tour dates for 2027. Mind you, she just finished her tour on Oct. 4th. She is definitely not showing any signs of slowing down. I can’t wait to be in the presence of music royalty whenever I see her next! She absolutely conquered Las Vegas. I can’t wait to see what she does next!
