Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Aretha Franklin Scores 2.2 Mil YouTube Views of Her Adele Cover “Rolling in the Deep”

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Aretha Franklin is not much for social networking. YouTube is foreign to her. But as of late last night, the Queen of Soul has scored more than 2.2 million views of her cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” This includes 1.5 mil of the lyric video and another 750,000 or more of her Letterman appearance from Monday night. Amazon.com has the paid digital download at number 58 and rising fast. And this is all in less than 48 hours.

To commemorate the surprise launch of the single and her new album, Aretha took the stage last night at the 92nd St. Y with record impresario Clive Davis. They were interviewed by the excellent moderator Anthony DeCurtis. In the audience: Valerie Simpson, who co-wrote with her late husband Nick Ashford “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “I’m Every Woman”– both of which are on Aretha “Sings the Classic Diva Songs”– and R&B star Nona Hendryx of Labelle fame.

In front of a packed audience, Davis played cuts from the new album while DeCurtis questioned both of them about their long friendship and collaborations since 1979. Davis, the master showman, walked the audience through the album, explained its provenance, how the songs were chosen, etc. The cheering crowd, which applauded everything, was rapturous about the new songs. We got to hear “Rolling in the Deep,” “I’m Every Woman,” “I Will Survive,” “Midnight Train to Georgia,” and a totally reworked jazz version of Prince (and Sinead O’Connor’s) “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

The best quote of the night: Aretha said, “The music keeps you young.” She cited Adele, Beyonce and Destiny’s Child among her favorites. What makes a singer great? “A passion for the music.”

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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