STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Aretha Franklin Covers Adele for Diva Classics Album

The Queen of Soul remakes "Rolling in the Deep" plus songs from Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys and others for upcoming LP.

(Photo: AP Photo/RCA Records)

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is paying R-E-S-P-E-C-T to all the divas out there with her latest album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.

Franklin will be releasing her first cover album on Oct. 21 singing classics from some of music's legendary female songstresses, such as Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia," Barbra Streisand's "People" and Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman."

But the Queen isn’t only saluting soulful veterans; she’s also paying homage to contemporary stars with her covers of Alicia Keys's, “No One” and Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

The album, which features production from Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and André 3000, also reunites Franklin with long-time collaborator Clive Davis. Other songs on the 10-track album include The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On," Dinah Washington's "Teach Me Tonight" and a version of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" blending in Destiny Child's "Survivor."

Although Great Diva Classics will lead with Franklin’s version of Etta James’s  “At Last," “Rolling in the Deep” will serve as the first official single off the album, available for digital download on iTunes on Monday (Sept. 29). On the same date, Franklin, 72, will hit the Late Night With David Letterman stage to perform the song. The full album will be released on Oct. 21.

BET.com is your #1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.