When I think of Aretha Franklin, her short fringe and teased bouffant of the ‘60s come to mind. I imagine her in a glimmering dress on stage with her long, white gloves and back-up dancers shimmying to the beat. (Clearly, I watch a lot of archival footage on BET.)
But my Aretha isn’t everyone’s Aretha. The Queen of Soul, who passed away on 16th August, had a music career that spanned over 50 years and three generations. In that time, she influenced all the women in my family, including myself. My mom’s Aretha was an activist with an Afro and fist raised against racial injustice, whereas my grandmother was fondest of Aretha’s glamorous side, with her penchant for hats and fur. Throughout her life, her hair and makeup looks were in constant rotation (she had an affinity for wigs), but her powerful voice and place of pride in the Black community sustained.
To honour her life, I called on my matriarchs to share their memories of Aretha — and had my Refinery29 co-workers do the same. Like any Black mother, they all kept it real, recalling the looks they loved and the ones they could do without. The one thing they all agreed on, though, is that Aretha was an original. She didn’t care what anyone thought, and she set trends instead of following them — and that's something we'll always remember.
Meet just a few of the Black women inspired by Aretha, ahead.
Voncie Cruel, 75, Washington, DC
Shown here in 1963.
“She was such a generous person. I remember when Angela Davis went to jail, Aretha Franklin [offered to pay] $250,000 (£195,000) to get her out. She marched for civil rights, she preached education, and she helped the homeless as well. She was an outstanding woman.
"Her most impressive look that I remember is when she sang at the Obama inauguration. The beautiful shawl she had on that day reminded me of how high-class Southern women dressed. Deep down South, you didn’t see a refined Black woman going in the church without a suit and the hat, gloves, and shoes to match. She was a beautiful Black woman.”
Courtesy of Jessica Cruel
Valerie Adams-Cruel, 54, Georgia
Shown here in 2017.
“I have a distinct memory of being in the back of the car on road trips and singing 'Respect,' but we couldn’t sing the ‘sock it to me, sock it to me’ part. [My mom] would get so mad at us for singing that for some reason — I guess it was explicit. When I think of Aretha, I remember her wearing Afros and strong eyeliner a lot, which was inspiring. I remember her as a soul queen with her first pumped.”
Courtesy of Jessica Cruel
Sharon McGregor, 54, New York
Shown here in 1985.
“Aretha Franklin, despite being born into poverty, excelled as a performer. Her songs symbolised female empowerment — in fact, Black people’s empowerment. Her beauty was an inspiration to all Black women. She inspired confidence and encouraged Black women, including myself, to feel beautiful in our own skin. It didn’t matter what size she was or whether she was young or old, she had the same self confidence that was just awe-inspiring.”
Courtesy of Melenie McGregor
Constance Adams, 77, Georgia
Shown here in 1958.
“She was very ladylike. On special occasions, she would wear those costumes; she had her own style. She wasn’t so concerned about what anyone else was wearing at the time. People mimicked her instead of her looking at what someone else does. What I remember most is her music. She had a voice out of this world. You could feel it when she was singing — feel what was in the lyrics.”
Courtesy of Jessica CruelClaudia Williams, 77, Illinois
Shown here in 2014.
“Her songs always could fit my moods at the time. If I was doing housework, I turned her music on. If I was sad, I could listen and relate. If I was glad, I could listen and relate. Even though she sang R&B, she always had that Christian background, and it just made me feel like I was close to her. I remember one time when she came to St. Louis, no one wanted to go [to the concert] with me. So I went by myself and enjoyed it to the utmost.
"She was always her own person. She didn't copy other people and their styles. She had her own flavour, and I admired that about her. Most of the time, I admired her fashion and her look; I really liked it when she had the short hairdos and less eye makeup. Her beauty was her talent.”
Courtesy of @badfatblackgirl
Starlene Williams, 59, New York
Shown here in 1981.
"Aretha was the First Lady of Soul. Coming from five older brothers and sisters, I was forced to listen to her music. Her music inspired me to dance. I taught all of my older siblings how to dance and stay in rhythm to the ballads she sang. She was so natural: her natural Afro, no makeup — flawless! She was naturally pretty inside and out."
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