When Aretha Franklin walked onstage to sing her timeless hit “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” at the Kennedy Center, from the first note everyone knew they were about to see a legendary performance. The Queen of Soul began performing the hit in front of the song’s co-writer, Carole King, and the 73-year-old sounded better than ever. Franklin began by blowing a kiss to King, and it was clear that King was deeply affected by watching her song performed in her honor.
King wasn’t the only one, as then-President Barack Obama was seen wiping away tears at 0:55. Franklin at first played piano and sang with a whole lot of feeling, before stepping away from the piano in time for the vocal climax. The Music Man readers will definitely want to tune in from 2:45 onward, where Franklin takes the song to the next level with some powerhouse runs that just keep getting better and better with each line.
Franklin’s performance was a smash hit on YouTube, where it drew 38 million views across multiple uploads. Numerous fans named it as her greatest performance and added comments such as “I’ve listened to this over and over and I will have to say that I believe this is the best performance of any song I have ever heard in my entire 57 years on this earth. It is indescribably great!” and “The moment she opens her mouth and hits that first note, you know you’re about to listen to a legend.”
Franklin’s Kennedy Center performance made such a big impact that it was acclaimed worldwide in outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Rolling Stone. Attendees clearly knew they were seeing a special moment, as when Franklin reached the song’s climax, they gave her a mid-song standing ovation. The Queen of Soul has given many memorable performances of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” over the years, and one of The Music Man’s favorites is her old school television performance of the hit.
The Queen of Soul’s appearance at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors is especially notable, as it marked one of her few returns to the stage in her later years. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2010, and made only very occasional performances following the diagnosis. Franklin passed due to complications related to her cancer battle on August 16, 2018. Her Kennedy Center appearance is considered by many to be her most notable late career performance, along with her performance at President Obama’s inauguration in 2009.