The Diving Miss M makes her grand debut in Las Vegas on Friday February 20. She will be performing nightly in the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. It’s no secret that she’s taking the place of another (recently retired) diva, Celine Dion, whose 5-years at Caesars Palace led to sold-out performances up until the very end. However, there is no doubt that Bette Midler will be equally profitable as she brings with her a huge following of devoted fans.

“The stage is so enormous there's a terror that you might not be able to fill it all by your lonesome, you know, a little person in high heels,” said Midler in a recent interview with Reuters.com.

Bette Midler was born in Patterson, New Jersey. She was the daughter of humble parents, a painter and a seamstress. Midler grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii where her family was one of the only Jewish families in a primarily Asian area. After working as an extra on the film Hawaii, she moved to New York City to further pursue her career. She appeared on small stages in New York throughout the 1960’s. In 1969 she performed on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof. Her sister came to the city to see her perform and was tragically hit and killed by a taxi cab. Throughout the 1970’s Midler performed in gay bathhouses in New York with piano accompanist and friend, Barry Manilow. Manilow later produced her first album, The Diving Miss M. The two have remanded close friends ever since and it has been rumored that he was the one to talk Midler into performing in Vegas.

Midler took her talents to the big screen and was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in The Rose. She later went on to perform in comedic roles in films like Down and out in Beverly Hills. However, one of her most famous performances was in the drama Beaches. She has won four Grammy Awards, one was for her performance singing “Wind Beneath My Wings,” which was also the theme from Beaches. Midler has performed on television in several guest appearances and she was even given her own show, Bette, in 2000 but the show was quickly canceled. She has since toured the country singing for thousands of devoted fans. Another memorable performance included Midler singing to Johnny Carson on his last episode of The Tonight Show. Midler sang “One for My Baby” and she later received an Emmy Award for this now-famous performance.

This isn’t Midler’s first time in Vegas. She was actually married to fellow performer, Martin Von Haselberg in a chapel in Las Vegas. Von Haselberg and Bette ended up having a child togethter. Their daught is currently a student at Yale University.

On February 20, Midler will take the infamous stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. She will be replacing another favorite diva, Celine Dion, who sold out shows up until her very last performance. Midler is aware that she has some big shoes to fill but she is optimistic, as she is known for having some of the most devoted fans in the business.

"Get ready Vegas 'cause here I come!" Midler said in a public statement. "Caesars Palace will never be the same and to all those critics who have accused me of being 'tacky,' 'too much' and 'over the top,' I say, you ain't seen nuthin' yet!"