Barbra Streisand on how she became 'Barbra' after originally wanting boy's name
Barbra Streisand has opened up about why she became 'Barbra' and the reason behind the unique spelling change.
The performer, 81, has enjoyed a decades-long career in the entertainment industry which has included her having taken on various acting roles. She's released numerous albums and performed in Broadway productions too. Now, Barbra has opened up about her award-winning career in her memoir, My Name is Barbra.
As well as sharing details of her stellar career in the entertainment industry, Streisand also talked about how she even came to be known as Barbra as she started out on the music scene. The Woman in Love singer described how she was encouraged to change her name, before settling on a unique way of partly changing her moniker.
READ MORE: Barbra Streisand is 'still hurt' after 'insults' and suggestions to change her appearance
She writes: "I never really liked the name Barbara. When I was a kid playing secretaries with a friend, I called myself Sydney. I liked men's names...Sydney Streisand...that had a nice alliteration." However, after the debate around how to be known, Barbra settled on her own way of identifying herself.
King Charles in the words of his celebrity pals from Lionel Richie to Fergie
Barbra changed the spelling of her name in the early days of her stellar career (Getty Images)Barbra went on to explain how there were also discussions around her surname, how some people suggested she change it to a simpler name, such as 'Sands' however she adds: "Then it occurred to me that I could just take out the middle a in Barbara. Now I'd be Barbra...that was different and unique. I liked the way it looked too...and deep down I would still be the same Barbara Joan Streisand, if you see what I mean."
She also added it was important for her to still be known as the same person to her loved ones, meaning she tried to keep to her original name as much as possible. The change happened right at the beginning of her career, back in 1960, when the then-young and aspiring singer named Barbara, struggling to make ends meet, won a talent contest held at The Lion, a well-known gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York.
Barbara Streisand speaking onstage at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit 2016 at Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel (Getty Images North America)Little did she know that this victory would mark the beginning of an outstanding career, one that would shape the entertainment industry for decades to come.
Upon winning the contest, the talented artist made a life-changing decision – she changed her name from Barbara to Barbra. With this new identity, she embarked on a journey that would lead her to stardom. The Lion, a cosy venue in the heart of Greenwich Village, became the backdrop for Barbra's transformative moments.
Barbra's memoir 'My Name Is Barbra'
Barbra went on to explain how there were also discussions around her surname, how some people suggested she change it to a simpler name (Getty Images for The Dwight D. Opperman Foundation)Barbra recalled how she didn't realise it was a gay bar saying when she first won the contest, she was clueless at the venue's reputation at the time before asking a friend why there were only women there and learning about the place's "unique charm". The Lion's owner, Burke McHugh, reminisced about the buzz surrounding Barbra's performances. saying: "There was definitely a buzz about Barbra. It started that first night at The Lion. A lot of agents came down to see her. Even Noel Coward witnessed her exceptional talent."
'My Name is Barbra' by Barbra Streisand (published by Penguin) is now available to purchase in bookshops and Amazon
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
