Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle, born Patricia Louise Holte way back in '44—yeah, she’s Philly royalty—didn’t just stumble into stardom. She pretty much bulldozed her way in. She kicked things off in the early ‘60s fronting Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, which, honestly, sounds like a Motown fever dream, but with way more attitude. Fast-forward to the ‘70s, and boom: they’re Labelle now, and suddenly “Lady Marmalade” is all over the radio, making parents blush and teenagers obsessed. That song? Iconic. You can’t talk about disco, glam, or basically anything sparkly and wild from the era without bringing up Patti and her crew. But Patti wasn’t sticking around in a group forever. Nope. She dipped out in ‘76 and dropped her solo debut, and—surprise, surprise—it crushed. She didn’t just fade into the background, either. We’re talking about a woman who’s been selling out concerts and topping charts for five decades. Over 50 million records sold? Not too shabby. And she didn’t just stay in her lane, either. Patti hopped onto TV and movie screens, showing off just as much flair and fire as she did onstage. Let’s be real: you don’t get called a legend for nothing. Patti LaBelle basically wrote the blueprint for diva energy long before it was cool.