Aretha Franklin covers Adele for new album out Oct. 21

As the undisputed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin has contributed countless classics to the great American songbook and collaborated with an endless list of greats.

For her next album, Franklin found inspiration from her fellow pop divas, a title she’s helped define.

“Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics,” will see the singer tackle songs from Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight, Alicia Keys, Dinah Washington, Chaka Khan and Etta James.

On the album, out Oct. 21 through RCA Records, Franklin plays the piano on a version of the Supremes’ classic “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” mashes up Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” with Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” and offers a take on Sinead O’Connor’s signature “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

The lead single is Franklin’s ferocious take on Adele’s megahit “Rolling in the Deep” – it’s dubbed “The Aretha Version” (you can stream it above) – which she effortlessly turns into a sermon with an assault of vocal runs. She also adds in Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s classic “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” at the song’s apex.

Franklin has spent a better part of the year teasing the project, which reunited her with music man Clive Davis. The pair co-produced the album and recruited Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, André 3000, Harvey Mason Jr., Terry Hunter and Eric Kupper to lend production work.

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