Ariana GrandecelebratedAretha Franklin’slife on Friday with a powerful tribute.
Grande, 25, performed “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” at the Queen of Soul’s funeral at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
Her husband-to-be,Pete Davidson, watched proudly from the audience as the singer belted out the Goffin-King classic, made famous onFranklin’s 1967 Atlantic Records single.
“She’s an icon herself!” the Bishop said of Grande, after joking that he first assumed her name was a new addition to Taco Bell’s menu.
Paul Sancya/AP/REX/Shutterstock
Before leaving the stage, Grande uttered a heartfelt “We love you, Aretha!” into the microphone.
Gwendolyn Quinn, a Franklin family spokeswoman, previously told theFree Pressof Grande, “Aretha was fond of her.”
She noted that Franklin’s familyappreciated Grande’s tributeto Franklin, whodied on Aug. 16 of pancreatic cancerat age 76, onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonearlier this month, where shebroke downwhile performing “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
Ariana Grande/Instagram
“I met her a few times. We sang at the White House, and she was so sweet, and she was so cute,” Grande toldFallon. “I was like, ‘How are you a real person?’ It’s an honor to have met her, and we’re gonna celebrate her.”
Grande continued, “She called me one time. It was one time only. She called me. She goes, ‘Hi, it’s Aretha.’ And I was like, ‘Franklin?'”
As Grande’s fansspeculatedwhether or not Franklin’s death would overshadow Grande’s release of her new albumSweetener, the young pop star sharedtwo Instagram postsin honor of Franklin. “Forever,” she wrote alongsidea videoof Franklin singing “I Say a Little Prayer.”
Former PresidentBill Clinton,Smokey Robinson,Rev. Jesse Jackson,Cicely Tyson, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder,Clive Davis, and others are expected to speak at the funeral.
source: people.com
