Diana Ross waited more than half a century into her career to book her first Hawaii concerts, but once she got here, it was love at first sight … for both the Supreme Diva and her adoring audience.

The crowd at Blaisdell Arena on Friday night was amped from the opening notes of “I’m Coming Out,” and took it to another level when they realized she was making her grand entrance … from the back of the arena. Ross strutted down the aisle and up onto the stage, owning the place immediately.

The superstar kept that energy up, and most members of the audience tried to match it, staying on their feet even as she opted for lesser known songs before taking the arena to frenzy with four straight No. 1s from her days leading the Supremes — “Come See About Me,” “Baby Love,” “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.” 

That run included some of the show’s best use of the background screen, on which images were projected throughout. The audience was treated to some great Supremes archive footage, including Ross and her bandmates playing table tennis.

Ross then showed some mercy, calming the crowd with “Touch Me in the Morning,” the first solo No. 1 she would perform on this evening. By the end of her set, she had managed to hit on all her post-Supremes chart-toppers, including sharing the spotlight with backup singer Lamont Van Hook on “Endless Love,” the ballad she and Lionel Richie kept atop the charts for two solid months in 1981.

Van Hook’s breathy tenor worked well in Richie’s place and Ross knew it, letting him step all the way out of the shadows for a few minutes in the spotlight. 

That was a recurring theme in her Honolulu opener, as Ross — decidedly un-diva-like — went to great lengths to give each member of her 12-person band (four horns, three backup singers, two percussionists plus piano, guitar and bass guitar players) some time to shine, repeatedly calling them out by name as they soloed. She was generous in sharing the stage during this generous 105-minute show. This polished crew helped out by vamping during Ross’ SIX costume changes.

That’s no error. That number is triple-checked. 

Ross did not let down fans expecting glamour, with outfits running the gamut from lavishly flowing to audaciously glitzy, coordinated in nearly every color of the rainbow. She even cooled herself off with hand fans in three different colors (black, blue and hot pink, for those who must know such things) and of course sported an explosion of curls. 

As much as Ross shared with her band, she also gave of herself to her audience. The lights were up more than at most concerts, as Ross bantered playfully even with individual fans. (“C’mon girl, let me see that!” she implored one dancing fan as she shimmied along.) The peak came during “Upside Down,” when she called two audience members up to the stage individually to dance with her before sending them off with hugs they are surely bragging about to every living relative.

Ross’ performance was not merely about showmanship, though. Even at age 71, she has the voice to fill any venue she graces with her presence. Her vocals are as pure and self-assured as they were 40 to 50 years ago.

One unexpected highlight was a gorgeously torchy cover of Billie Holiday’s “Don’t Explain,” from Ross’ Oscar-nominated turn as Lady Day in “Lady Sings the Blues.”

Ross ended her main set with her take on Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” which has become a staple of Ross’ live shows.

She returned to the stage quickly for an encore, telling the crowd, “I am happy to be here with you,” before launching into “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)”  — “wave your hands in the air, everyone!” — and a reprise of “I Will Survive.”

Ross left the stage and the crowd headed for the exits, only to have to reverse course when Ross and her band came back for one final encore. Before she could even start singing “If We Hold On Together,” the audience launched into a chant:

“We! Love! You!”

Ross tearfully responded, “I love you, too,” and the endless love between this Supreme Diva and the Aloha State was sealed.