TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Aretha is retiring: Singer plans 1 more album

News Desk (Associated Press)
New York, United States
Fri, February 10, 2017 Published on Feb. 10, 2017 Published on 2017-02-10T16:53:10+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
In this April 29, 2016 file photo, Aretha Franklin performs at the International Jazz Day Concert on the South Lawn of the White House of the Washington. Franklin is planning to retire this year. The singer says she has one more album planned, with several tracks produced by Stevie Wonder, and will otherwise limit herself to “some select things” as she devotes more time to her grandchildren. In this April 29, 2016 file photo, Aretha Franklin performs at the International Jazz Day Concert on the South Lawn of the White House of the Washington. Franklin is planning to retire this year. The singer says she has one more album planned, with several tracks produced by Stevie Wonder, and will otherwise limit herself to “some select things” as she devotes more time to her grandchildren. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

At 74, the Queen of Soul has decided to take it a little easier.

Aretha Franklin is planning to retire this year, she told Detroit TV station WDIV Local 4, the city's NBC affiliate. The singer says she will make one more album, with several tracks produced by Stevie Wonder, and will otherwise limit herself to "some select things, many one a month, for six months out of the year" as she devotes more time to her grandchildren. She also says 2017 will be her "last year in concert."

"''This will be my last year," Franklin said. "I will be recording, but this will be my last year in concert. This is it."

A crab-shaped plate reveals coconut jelly, aloe vera and melon. Cancer’s sweetness in edible form.

From The Weekender

Zodiac on a plate: Dining through the stars at 71st Omakase

From blooming flowers to rabbit hunts, this 12-course omakase brings the zodiac to life, literally one dish at a time.

Read on The Weekender

On Thursday, a representative for Franklin confirmed her remarks made to WDIV.

Franklin, whose many hits include "Respect" and "Think," added that she did not want to do "just nothing." But she said that she is otherwise "very satisfied" with her career and is ready to step back. She has had health problems in recent years, including surgery in 2010 for undisclosed reasons that left many fearing her life was in danger.

"I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from, and where it is now," Franklin said.

Her presumed last album would be a kind of homecoming. Franklin and Wonder, a fellow Detroit hero, have known each other for decades. In the 1970s, she had a hit with a cover of "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)," which Wonder helped write.

Read also: James Corden says he won't sing as Grammy host

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.