Recently Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, sat down with The Wall Street Journal to talk about her new album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.
The album, which was the highest debut of Frankin’s career on the Billboard charts, includes ten song covers such as People by Barbara Streisand, Rolling in the Deep by Adele, and Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight.
In the interview Franklin was asked about auto-tune and responded by saying, “What is auto-tune? I don’t even know what auto-tune is.” After it was explained to her, the 72-year-old gave her outright opinion on the recent technology. “Oh, please. That’s ridiculous.”
Because her new album is about divas, interviewer Christopher John Farley mentioned some recent pop divas to get Franklin’s reaction. The results weren’t always flattering.
When Taylor Swift was mentioned, all Franklin had to say was “Okay. Great gowns, beautiful gowns.”
Same goes for Nicki Minaj. “Nicki Minaj,” she said. “Hmm. I’m gonna pass on that one.”
As far as Adele goes, Franklin said that she is a “good singer” and that she liked Rolling in the Deep from the first time she heart it. “I like that melody and I like that song.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Franklin has publicly dissed another female performer. In March at the White House’s Women of Soul concert, Franklin entered the room to a standing ovation and, when passing singer Patti LaBelle, did not take the hand that was offered to her but instead glared at the other soul singer. Another report said that LaBelle later punched Franklin.
Franklin dismissed the rumors with a laugh.
“I’ve never heard anything crazier, regarding myself and Patti,” Franklin said in a statement. “ Patti and I are cool and we always have been. I enjoyed her at the White House. Classic Patti.”
LaBelle also chimed in, saying, “A lot of times, when people are singing, they don’t see anybody. I didn’t feel any negativity at all. She is the most wonderful woman in the world, and there is no one like her, and I pray for her every day.”
Beyonce was another object of Franklin’s disdain after the 33-year-old called Tina Turner, not Franklin, “the queen.”
“I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce,” Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist. “However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy.”
Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics was released on October 17.