Fans and celebrities are currently mourning the loss of Aretha Franklin, who passed away Thursday (August 16) in Detroit, the city she calls home. The music icon’s legacy is untouchable, with 18 Grammys to her name, along with hundreds of enduring hits, including “Chain of Fools,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and the ubiquitous “Respect.” The tributes to Franklin that fans are posting on social media are touching, but even more poignant is reading some of the singer’s own words. Throughout her career, Franklin has dropped plenty of wisdom, either in concert or interviews. Below, read nine of her most inspired quotes, some of which date back to the 1960s, when Franklin officially earned her forever title, the Queen of Soul.
On Thursday morning Aretha Franklin‘s publicist confirmed that she passed away in her Detroit home at the age of 76. “Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute,” reads a statement from her family, according to the Associated Press. “In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds.”
The Franklin family’s statement continued, “We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters, and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha, and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
Immediately after the news broke, countless celebrities took to social media to pay their respects to the singer and 18-time Grammy winner. Among these mourning fans are plenty of Franklin’s fellow musicians, from a wide variety of genres: John Legend, Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, and several others. Along with messages encouraging Franklin to “rest in power,” many of these musicians and other celebrities shared links to her most popular songs, as well as memories of meeting Franklin in person or seeing her perform. “I’m sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin,” Diana Ross wrote, while Streisand posted a photo of herself and Franklin in 2012, captioned, “It’s difficult to conceive of a world without her. Not only was she a uniquely brilliant singer, but her commitment to civil rights made an indelible impact on the world.”
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, passed away on Thursday, August 16, at 76 years old in her Detroit home. Franklin was—and still is—a soul music tour-de-force who remained a staple on the charts and radio for more than six decades, accumulating 18 Grammy Awards along the way. Her legacy is untouchable and will live on forever.
That legacy, of course, includes her vast catalog of hits, which have been covered by just about every singer you can think of—from Britney Spears to Jennifer Hudson to Kelly Clarkson. Several of these women have cited Franklin as one of their biggest inspirations, and these tributes are no doubt a hat-tip to her. The Internet has dozens of videos from music’s biggest stars covering Franklin, but here are 18 you should watch immediately. They run the gamut in terms of sound and scope: Some of these covers were performed in stadiums with thousands of people watching, while others are selfie videos. Both are powerful and honor Franklin’s discography in different ways. Listen to them for yourself, below:
