Diva Confidential 

By Karen Cobb

2018 marks my 20^th year performing weekly shows for the gay community of Southern California. I have had the honor to be part of some fond moments with a fun-loving LGBT community since I started in 1998. The question I get asked the most when I tell people what I do is “How did a straight black Diva get started performing in predominately gay bars.”  Well, I love the answer to this question and here it is…  

It was a chance meeting with the Iconic Raja in the late 90’s during a training we were attending. I was sitting next to him and we hit it off. I boasted to him about what a wonderful singer and entertainer I was. He must have been impressed with my confidence because without hearing a note Raja invited me to be a guest performer at his weekly drag show at OZZ Supper Club. I didn’t think twice, but maybe I should have. This performance could have wrecked me, especially if the crowd didn’t like a real girl singing live in a drag show, you can see the irony of that picture.

So, I did what a Diva does – I dressed in my best diva gear with lots of bling and even more cleavage. If I failed at least I would look FABULOUS doing it!  I strutted down the stairs onto the stage while the music filled the air, surrounded by a packed house ready to be entertained. Once I started singing I knew I was at home. The energy was electric and exciting to the point I could barely hear the music over the crowd’s roaring applause. I looked around me and it was raining money. The dollars covered the dance floor like a Persian rug. When the song ended, I continued to be immersed in a feeling of love and acceptance from the amazing crowd.

Once I left the stage, the manger offered me a substitute gig singing in the Cabaret for the incredible piano player, Rudy De La Mor. After I accepted the show at OZZ I was given show residencies at numerous clubs over the years –  Paradise, Blame it on Midnight, Velvet Lounge, Main Street and the Boom Boom Room. I had the honor to sing with the Orange County Gay Men’s Choir, performed at Long Beach Pride and did an impromptu Diva battle with Jennifer Hudson. I have to admit that she won that battle but what an incredible singer to lose to. (View the performance with Ms. Hudson on KarenCobb.com.)  Singing in clubs encouraged me to produce three award winning albums of on my own original music that are available on YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.

Relationships were fostered with some well known and talented performers… Gennine Francis, Rebecca Clark and Diva Denise to name a few. I was blessed that I’ve shared the stage with these Divas. Along with the Divas in the clubs there were brilliant piano players, such as: Saif, Barry Craig, Mona Caywood, Rudy De La Mor and Paula Prince to name a few. And of course, the Drag Queens!  All these talented folk fill the nightclubs and piano bars with an atmosphere that has grown to be a signature of the gay club culture in Southern California.

What I’ve taken away from these 20 years, is the love and pride I feel when I see faces in the crowd go from being a club kid, to professionals in the community, married with a family of their own.  It has been a blast being part of the local gay culture as a singer, performer and host. Working in the gay bars has been like having thousands of big brothers and sisters that only want to see you happy. Well, they achieved their goal – I am happy and I send a BIG THANK YOU to Raja and all the wonderful bar owners and patrons for supporting me over the years.  I look forward to another 20 years of love and good times!

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