“Stop right there!”
Is what the great Lionel Richie says when he hears that the 15-year-old Detroit girl named Grace Franklin standing in front of him is the granddaughter of the legendary Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018). THE Aretha Franklin.
Young Grace narrates how close she was to Aretha, even traveling with her grandma being obviously exposed to her music.
Lionel even goes on to share a funny story of how he was once with Aretha, ready to discuss music with the “Queen of Soul” replying instead that she’s got collard greens ready.
Grace can’t seem to grasp the worldwide fame of Aretha as to her, she’s still “grandma”.
And if you haven’t heard any of Aretha Franklin’s songs, don’t waste anytime.
Go on YouTube or wherever it is you listen to music and search for her songs. Really good stuff!
Grace does feel the expectations of many who think she’ll sing like her famous grandmother, but the Detroit teen says she has her own voice and her own style.
Katy Perry and Lionel Richie clear up the whole purse rumor, which Grace clarifies saying that Aretha did carry her purse with her all the time.
Lionel agrees saying that even when it came time to go on stage, Aretha had her purse.
Aretha carried her money.
Grace’s audition? “Killing me softly.”
She goes for it, singing her heart out in front of the Idol judges. Grace isn’t bad, but you can see that she has a lot of maturing to do in terms of her vocal prowess.
Luke Bryan found her audition “sleepy”, Katy Perry remarked that it was “soft.”
So Grace sings another song, this time “Ain’t no way”.
Luke Bryan and Lionel Ritchie said no, with Perry the only one saying yes, asking Grace to trust them on her journey.
Richie did advice Grace to take more time to work on her talent before coming back for another audition.
Katy Perry tried to appeal to Ritchie, saying that Grace has a “stardust” and “sparkle” about her.
“Give her a chance. I am sure Aretha wasn’t Aretha when she walked in the room, but somebody said, ‘Yes, I want to work with you. I want to develop you. You got something,’” Perry said.
Richie remained firm but did get out of his seat to explain his reasons to Grace saying, “Go back and put the shyness behind you and the voice in front of you, you are going to be something amazing,” he said.
NoPixel Clips commented on the video with a witty,
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T Lionel (and Luke), for protecting this vulnerable child! She’ll be back anyway, better and stronger!”
That’s Aretha Franklin’s granddaughter so you can bet she’ll back.
And besides, Bryan and Richie’s comments aren’t just opinions.
They are legitimate advice from two outstanding musicians who know their craft. Grace is a Franklin. That fire in her’s just started.
Check out this soul stirring audition from a legend’s granddaughter below!
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As talented as Aretha’s granddaughter is, Lionel knew she could use a little more experience.
Filling her grandmother’s shoes wouldn’t be a fair goal and that she would need to find her own path.
Aretha herself was the very first woman admitted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
She was an artist whose recordings defined Soul music.
So much so that at the young age of 25 she earned the title “Lady Soul” with the ever famous song “Respect.”
She was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1942 to Barbrara and Franklin.
Her dad was a Baptist minister known as the man with the “Million Dollar Voice.”
He was one of the most respected ministers in the country and Aretha grew up singing in church surrounded by celebrities.
She learned how to play piano by hear and released her first single when she was only 18-years-old.
It reached number 10 on the Billboard charts.
Aretha wanted to be more than a musician but was also a leader in the civil rights movement.
Her song “Respect” helped send a message of peace, justice, and equality.
She accomplished so much in her life and 50 years in show business.
She became one of the most influential singers of all time and used her music as a tool for the truth.
That love and passion for music no doubtedly has influenced her granddaughter in so many ways.
Lionel recognizes how important music is to her and wants her to not try to follow her grandmother’s path, but carve her own.
She certainly has a bright future ahead of her and we can’t wait to see where it leads!
