New Directions

Aretha has been recognized as a great diva on more than one occasion by the music video channel VHl. VHl included Aretha in their Divas Live concert in 1998, alongside Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, and Shania Twain. All of the performers were incredible that night, but Aretha brought the house down. She closed the concert with the gospel tune “Testimony.”

Three years later, VHl devoted the Divas Live 2001 concert to Aretha. An unbelievable list of artists performed in honor of Aretha, including Marc Anthony, Nelly Furtado, Jill Scott, the Backstreet Boys, Janet Jackson, and Stevie Wonder. Aretha herself performed gospel tunes, as well as “Think” and “Chain of Fools.” It was another incredible live performance from Aretha, now nearly sixty years old.

Aretha's incredible career continues. In late 2001, she scheduled tour dates in the Midwest and New England. She has plans to write a cookbook. Following the success of her operatic performance at the 1998 Grammys, she has toyed with the idea of recording an album of arias. There is no stopping Aretha Franklin. She's a great woman, a true diva, and a living legend!