Art Miami Week can be a test of endurance. The city of Miami becomes a never-ending artistic playground, with a creative experience at every turn. An almost impossible goal is to see, do and feel everything, everywhere, all at once, but where to start?
You start with the one and only Diana Ross.
An Icon Encounter
There are only a few times in life you can see music royalty in such an intimate setting, and I was about to seize mine. Miss Ross was headlining the opening night of Mirage Factory, a surreal, cinematic installation by artist Alex Prager, in partnership with Capital One and The Cultivist. The work, a recreation of Downtown Los Angeles in its most nostalgic period — the Golden Age of Hollywood — was a wonderful parallel for Ross, who rose to legendary status with The Supremes starting in the early 1960s.
In the main space, draped in thick green curtains that created a dreamlike vibe, I wondered how long it takes a legend to take the stage. The answer: not too long.
After a first course of celery root with beets and granola created by award-winning Chef Dave Beran, someone whispered in my ear: “Move closer, she’s about to come on.” I listened and secured my spot mere inches away from the stage. The room fell into an energized hush.
Ross entered — no, floated — onto the stage, dripping in red and silver sequins. A smile came over her flawless face, lips popping a subtle shade of red, as she lifted the mic and began.
No Filler, All Diana
Image: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images.
As she started singing the first note, I felt an overwhelming sense of awe. With over 100 million records sold, 18 U.S. number-one singles (12 with The Supremes and six solo), and numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, she is truly one of the greatest female performers of all time. She has brought elegance, style and excellence to both stage and screen. Her voice, her unique style, and her commanding presence have paved the way for countless artists who came after her, continuously shaping the journey of a global icon.
And there I was, just inches away from a woman whose looks I’ve recreated for Halloween more times than I can count. The person who tears up at a concert because they’re simply in awe of the performer before them? That was me. I was completely electrified.
The next 30-plus minutes would become a masterclass in how a true star performs. No need for acrobatic stunts or filler lines. From the moment she hit the stage, Miss Ross was a signing machine, one song right into the next, tossing in the occasional “thank you” or “do you remember this one?”
She hit us with the Supremes’ sound, revisiting the dynamic girl group’s top singles, including “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” She took us through her solo era, belting her iconic LGBTQ-positive anthem, “I’m Coming Out.” She gave homage where homage was due, with a rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” And yes, signature hair flips were given throughout.
A Family Affair
An icon isn’t required to let us into her inner circle, but Miss Ross did. One of her backup singers for the night was Rhonda Ross Kendrick, her eldest child, whose father is Motown founder Berry Gordy. With that great lineage, it’s no wonder Kendrick has also become a gifted singer and actress.
As the 30-minute-plus set came to a close, Miss Ross finally spoke beyond the lyrics. “My son is here with me. Evan, come on stage,” she cooed, referring to her son Evan Ross. As he joined her, Miss Ross reached to cradle her children. It’s a moment that will remain etched in my mind, that when you do reach out and touch somebody’s hand, we make this world a better place, if we can.