Leave it to Divas

Sydney Star Observer Were there some personal favourites among the track selections?

Paulini Curuenavuli I love the Weather Girls and their version of It’s Raining Men. I’m also a huge Barbra Streisand fan.

Kate DeAraugo A huge Streisand fan. Huge.

PC Woman In Love is a beautiful song. There are so many songs on there that we love that were performed by people who we look up to.

SSO There are some pretty camp moments on the album.

KD Really? You think?

SSOYou’ve got a Babs cover. You’ve got It’s Raining Men. Is the album the unofficial soundtrack for next year’s Mardi Gras?

PC We hope so.

KD I did the Mardi Gras for the first time last year and it was the best night of my life. I reckon I ran the parade route at least four times because I was running beside the float.

SSO Can we look forward to a Young Divas performance at next year’s Mardi Gras party?

PC We’d love to. It would be great to do those songs there.

SSO Why do you think the gay community has embraced you?

KD I don’t know. Ask them.

PC It’s something I’ve always thought about. When we have our concerts and we see a group of gay boys, they’re just rocking out. They give off a great vibe.

KD I asked some gay fans what it was they liked about us. They said it was because we are comfortable in our skins and we’re down-to-earth. People feel like they can walk up and have a conversation with us. We’re not untouchable.

SSO You also performed at the Drag Industry Variety Awards this year. What was that like?

PC It was amazing. It was the first time we’ve made an entrance like that. [The quartet came up through the floor at the Star City Showroom.] I went to the same music school as Trevor Ashley, so to see him all dressed up [as drag alter ego Cleo Coup?was hilarious.

KD I was more pissed off with the drag queens’ make-up. I always look at them and think, Why can’t my make-up look like that?

SSO Young Divas involves four big personalities working together. Are there ever any disputes?

KD It gets chaotic.

PC It does. But the thing is we’re not really all loud, are we?

KD Ricki-Lee [Coulter] and I are the loudest most of the time. But when Paulini decides to be loud, she’s got some volume in her. And it’s not like Emily [Williams] is a quiet one.

The good thing about it is that, whatever happens, whether we fight or if someone gets in the way, we lay it out on the table. You can’t expect four girls to be around each other that much and there not be some kind of issue sometimes.

SSO Do you get frustrated at having to share the stage with three other performers?

KD We’re all confident in our own careers and we don’t get jealous. When we’re together we’re together and when we’re on our own we’re on our own.

SSO You’re all former Australian Idol contestants. Is there a concern you’re still being associated with the show?

PC I guess there always is, isn’t there?

KD There is and there isn’t. Some people have a negative vibe about Idol and it’s sad because it’s not a negative thing. You look at the ARIA charts and what people from Idol have achieved. People do look at us and think it’s just another Idol thing, but that’s not what it’s about for us.

SSO Do you get concerned doing solo work and Young Divas that one will overshadow the other?

PC I released my second album [Superwoman] just before the Young Divas’ first single and I think that did affect my album and my single. You’ve just got to get on with it. I’m so happy that I’m part of this because it’s so big and so successful.

SSO Can we expect a follow-up album with more contemporary material?

KD Is that what you’d like?

SSO Absolutely. Well, maybe.

KD We don’t know. We’ll see how we go with this one.

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The album Young Divas is out now.