Aretha Franklin’s Granddaughter: ‘Always Remember That God Is With You’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Though Aretha Franklin may have died, her legacy lives on.
Last year brought two biopics to screens, with RESPECT and GENIUS: ARETHA, starring Movieguide® Grace Prize® nominee Cynthia Erivo.
Recently, Franklin’s granddaughter made her own on-screen debut with her AMERICAN IDOL audition.
Fifteen-year-old Grace auditioned for the singing contest with “Killing Me Softly with His Song” and “Ain’t No Way,” but did not end up making it onto the next round. Even though she won’t be appearing on the show, this is definitely not the last we’ll see of Grace.
“I feel [my grandmother’s] presence with me any time I perform,” Grace said when asked about Franklin’s influence on her life. “I always think of how she used to prepare in her dressing room and just her words of encouragement whenever me and my siblings ever perform: To always remember that God is with you on stage and whatever happens, you know that you’re great.”
Grace currently performs at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where Franklin got her start as a singer.
The teen will also get the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall with the Detroit Youth Choir later this summer.
Hopefully Grace will cling to the same faith that inspired her grandmother and is evident in movies like GENIUS: ARETHA.
According to the Movieguide® review:
This episode of the GENIUS series on the National Geographic Channel has wonderful gospel singing and preaching. At the same time, it tells all the family dysfunction and the pain involved in trying to succeed in the area of music, especially soul music, which is a new genre. Aretha wants her life to be portrayed as positive and holds on to the Gospel teaching, but around her, people are drinking, smoking dope, having fights, and using foul language. The viewer’s heart goes out to Aretha. Cynthia Erivo, who played Harriet Tubman in the movie HARRIET, does a wonderful job becoming Aretha Franklin. MOVEGUIDE® advises caution for older children for the ARETHA television episode titled “Respect.”
Watch Grace’s full interview here:
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +4