In 2017, Aretha Franklin released her final LP A Brand New Me: Aretha Franklin With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, pairing the Queen of Soul’s vocals with new arrangements from the Royal Philharmonic. A Brand New Me: Aretha Franklin With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra features new renditions of “Think”, “Respect”, “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)”, and “Angel”, along with Franklin’s versions of “A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)” and “Let It Be.”
“There is nothing more exciting than that incredible voice taking you on an emotional roller coaster ride through her amazing repertoire of songs,” explained co-producer Nick Patrick in a statement via Rolling Stone. “To have the opportunity to work with that voice on this project has been the greatest honor and to hear a symphony orchestra wrapped around those performances is breathtaking.”
Listen to the 2017 version of Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits below:
Thank you for everything, Aretha, you are truly missed.