The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, will release her first record in three years on Sept. 30.
Multiple outlets are reporting via a Showbiz 411 post that Franklin's vocal work is already done, but Babyface, Andre 3000 and other producers are working with recording kingpin Clive Davis to finish the mixes. The legendary soul singer also covered a version of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" for her upcoming release, which will be her 39th studio effort.
"And with all respect to Adele, which Aretha gives, this version of the song is jaw dropping," Showbiz 411's Roger Friedman writes about the track. "It swings and rocks. Adele, mind you, is learning about this right here. None of the writers or singers whom Aretha has covered got advance word."
The entire album is actually a tribute record to famous divas, according to Friedman, who was invited by Davis to listen to the mixes, and will include "Teach Me Tonight" by Phoebe Snow, "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight, "No One" by Alicia Keys, "People" by Barbra Streisand, "I'm Every Woman" by Whitney Houston/Chaka Khan, "At Last" by Etta James, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor and a Supremes cover.
Franklin will appear on The Late Show With David Letterman on Sept. 29 to announce the album and perform the cover version of Adele's hit.
In 2011, Franklin released Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love, which peaked at 54 on the charts, according to Billboard. Last spring, Franklin told Rolling Stone that she doesn't have plans to retire anytime soon. "Why should I? I'm doing what I love and people love to hear us do it. I'll always do it."
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