How Diana Ross Achieved a Net Worth of $250 Million

Chances are good that people with a broad interest in U.S. music will have heard of Diana Ross. After all, she is one of the most successful singers to have ever emerged from the United States, as shown by the fact that she has earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom plus a slew of other awards and accolades. For that matter, it should be mentioned that sources estimate her current net worth to be around $250 million, which is something that speaks for itself. How did Diana Ross reach her current net worth?

Net Worth	$250 Million
Name	Diana Ross
Age	76
Born	Detroit, Michigan
Birth Date	March 26, 1944
Source of Wealth	American Singer, Actress, and Record Producer
Country	United States

Early Years

Ross was born in Detroit, MI. It is interesting to note that she has said that her mother named her "Diane" rather than "Diana," but a clerical error resulted in her name being "Diana Ross" on her birth certificate. As a result, while Ross is known as "Diana Ross" in a professional context, her friends as well as her family members have continued to call her "Diane" into the present time.

Regardless, Ross was raised in Detroit, MI for the most part. However, her father moved her and the rest of her siblings to Bessemer, AL for a time when she was still at the age of seven, which happened because her mother had contracted tuberculosis. For those who are unfamiliar, tuberculosis is an infectious disease that can be spread by the aerosol droplets that come out whenever someone with the active form either coughs, sneezes, or even so much as speaks, which is a huge problem because just inhaling ten bacteria can be enough to cause an infection. As a result, tuberculosis is likeliest to spread to people who are in close contact with someone with the active form on a frequent basis, thus explaining Ross's father's choice to move the children.

In Bessemer, AL, Ross spent a lot of time with her maternal grandparents, who had a fair amount of influence on her. For instance, her maternal grandfather was a pastor at the Bessemer Baptist Church, which presumably played an important part in why Ross identifies as a Baptist. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that Ross sang for her church choir, which provided her with some of her earliest experience for what would become her career.

With that said, Ross wasn't always set on becoming a singer. Instead, when she was attending Cass Technical High School, she took classes such as tailoring and pattern making, which were meant to help her realizing her dream of becoming a fashion designer. Still, that isn't to say that Ross wasn't interested in music at that point in time, seeing as how she and the rest of the so-called Primettes were already performing when they were still in high school.

Motown and the Supremes

In time, the Primettes managed to secure a contract with Motown so long as they agreed to change their name. Supposedly, Florence Ballard was the one who chose the new name of the Supremes because she was the sole member at the studio when she was approached about the issue, which met with some skepticism from the rest, not least because there was already a group of male singers under the same name. Still, the Supremes stuck. Moreover, the Supremes proceeded to become very popular very fast, so much so that the girl group was Motown's biggest vocal success in the 1960s.

However, that time started coming to a close in the late 1960s. First, Florence Ballard winded up being fired because of a combination of her weight as well as her drinking problems. Second, the Motown executive Berry Gordy drove her to seek a solo career, which had a very notable impact on Ross, as shown by her claim that she winded up developing anorexia nervosa in this time period. Still, Ross's efforts in establishing a solo career proved to be very successful. For proof, look no further than the fact that by the time that Ross left Motown in the early 1980s, she had sufficient star power to secure a $20 million contract over the course of seven years with RCA. Said figure might not sound as impressive in the present when compared to some of the other contracts that interested individuals will have heard about, but in those times, it was the single most expensive recording contract in the music industry.

Other ventures and current news

Based on this, it should come as no surprise to learn that most of Ross's net worth has been built up through her music as well as her music-related activities. In fact, it should be mentioned that she is still bringing in significant sums because of her music in the present time, seeing as how she had a couple of number ones on Billboard's Top Dance Chart in 2018 and 2019. However, it is important to note that Ross has engaged in other revenue-earning activities as well over the course of her long and successful career. One excellent example can be seen in how she has acted in more than one project, with the result that she has secured a Golden Globe, an Oscar nomination, plus other forms of recognition for her efforts. Another excellent example can be seen in how she chose to sell her first perfume called Diamond Diana via HSN in 2017.

Further Considerations

Summed up, it is no wonder that Ross has managed to build up a net worth that is estimated to be around $250 million. Moreover, considering that she remains very much active when it comes to making music as well as performing music, it seems pretty safe to say that said net worth is going to continue rising by considerable bounds in the times to come. Something that speaks volumes about the kind of success as well as the kind of impact on a very wide range of people that Ross has had over the course of her career.