Voice Teachers React to Aretha Franklin’s "Natural Woman" at the Kennedy Center

Chorus Studio’s voice teachers react to Aretha Franklin’s epic performance at the Kennedy Center to honour Carole King. We discuss her range (at 73 years old!), tonal choices and what it might feel like to sing for the Obamas.
Go to bit.ly/39Ebjrl to sign up for voice lessons, Virtual Pop Choir or perform at the Virtual Open Mic Night at Chorus Studio!
Instagram: / thechorusstudio
Facebook: / thechorusstudio

[@janice234]

Sorry, but this is the kind of performance you don't talk over. Aretha is a legend.

[@dougleclaire9424]

Agreed

[@GoogleUser-hp8qe]

This ABSOLUTELY has to be THE GREATEST live performance of a solo artist of ALL TIME!!

[@Coachgrapefruit]

Vocal performance, I agree!

[@Nonrelatable_t]

It has to be.👑

[@artistaroundtheblock2047]

Thank you, yes!!

[@chrisandrews12]

I can tear up when I hear the first words she sings in this video. You said "I wonder what it was like for her to sing during the civil rights movement." As a white man, I can only guess, but I would say that you are HEARING the civil rights movement in her voice just now. All that she has seen and been through. Those 73 years of living in the skin she was given in a place where she was marginalized and relegated. The voice and music that argues that "I will not be marginalized and relegated" with such power and knowing. We wonder where that sort of magic comes from. Certainly, much of it is God given talent. Bit it's what you do with that and how your life informs your performances that makes for that sound that we all hear and marvel at. At 73, not only did she still have it, I think she was better than ever. A richness and assuredness that only come with experience. On those first few notes, that voice barrels through like a freight train, carrying all that she is and all that she has to say. Great review!

[@Lakeshore14]

Outstanding performance by the Queen. Keep in mind, at this time, she was battling cancer. She was amazing. R.I.P. ❤️🇨🇦

[@msj7872]

I got so emotional watching this I can't imagine what it must have been like to be there.

[@myfavoritedream2149]

Effortless. A total badass. Aretha.❤

[@evelynwashere13]

Aretha was a Queen, no doubt! I teared up and was like Carol too 😢😍😍😍😍😍

[@gqg741]

Love that: She had nothing to prove but to serve music. ❤️ #RIPQUEENARETHA

[@ThomFoolery1]

This was great! Aretha was out of this world. Nice one guys. 🙂👍

[@JD.Knight]

Makes me cry every time. So powerful. You should do Heart - Stairway to heaven at the Kennedy honours. I think its on par with this.

[@TheNYHITTINGACADEMY]

JUST THE GREATEST SINGER WHO HAS EVER LIVED, EVERYONE ELSE YOU CAN FIGHT FOR 2ND PLACE

[@TheCertainView]

She was amazing... Every song she sang has htat great impact...

[@dramac333]

I think the gentleman sitting behind Carole was one of President Obama's Secret Service agents. Aretha, of course, was the queen. Have you ever reacted to Pentatonix? They are an astonishingly good a capella group. Their cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah has been viewed well over half a billion - yes, with a B - times. Their full catalog of videos is closing in on 6 billion views.

[@PracticalContrarian]

This live performance by Aretha, Hearts live Kennedy Center performance of "Stairway To Heaven" and Disturbed performing "The Sound Of Silence" live on Conan O'Brian are three of my favorite performances of all time.

[@t.lucalake8963]

Keep in mind, the LATE/GREAT/LEGENDARY Aretha Franklin, was also battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer at that time. Only to pass away from the disease three years later. Carole King's facial expressions and hand gestures were priceless.

[@rhondaserges5136]

Aretha at any age was a force ..

[@faznout]

You all should react to the 1998 Diva's Live performance of Aretha singing Natural Woman live with Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Carole King, Mariah Carey, and Gloria Estefan.

[@roseunderwood6298]

This was an amazing performance and you guys were great with your comments and were very humble. Appreciate you thanks. The Flower 🌹

[@PapaEli-pz8ff]

I remember hearing Aretha sing when was on the Columbia records label. I think the song was"Take a look" (It's worth listening to) She was also singing and performing Jazz in nightclub settings. Signing with Atlantic records really new doors for her artistry. I was in my teens at the time.

[@christhomas5761]

You guys are great and Yes I agree with you that Aretha is way beyond being rated.

[@vm7497]

You all did a beautiful beautiful job! It's appreciated the way you all We're just honest and true about what you heard and felt. So many reviewers try to too act like they find something that she did wrong or that's not as good as somebody current. Ridiculous! The lady is not looking for respect. Doesn't necessarily stand on she deserves respect. She has RESPECT!! World Wide!! Thanks!!

[@mikelombard21]

Can you please react to her singing "Change is gonna come" live? Its so amazing. And she mixes it up alot from the original which is my favorite song ever.

[@mikelombard21]

Just finished the video and great reaction! You have to all react to Change is gonna come.

[@edwardhaines3035]

Love u guys!

[@dwlr94]

This is what Aretha does. An absolute masterpiece of a voice. The One And Only…The Forever Queen of Soul. 09.17.2023

[@EyeTunz]

Why do I cry every time but the reactors don't?

[@zanealberto7741]

Awesomeness x100=Aretha Franklin ! Don’t rate her,,she better than that ! You guys are hilarious 💙💙💙💙😘😘😘😘😘zane

[@subliminalstealthhh]

Absolutely the GOAT of all GOATs. Can you react to Mariah Carey’s we belong together/ fly like a bird Grammys performance

[@nichollojaybuselak1641]

Please do a reaction to The Voice, Ms. WHITNEY HOUSTON!❤🙏

[@markdrinkwater1508]

Er, please no.

[@OPedroVilaNova]

Only one voice in the story can shock me as much in grandeur, as pressure, reach and strength as Aretha...the legendary Patti LaBelle! Both are unbelievable, but Patti is illogical!

[@markdrinkwater1508]

Patti's voice is big, but sharp and notoriously pitchy when she tries for too much, Patti's voice lacks beauty, it is quite an ugly sound and it's absurd to compare it to Aretha's pitch-perfect celestially toned sound which was a thing of beauty, the most beautiful sound ever to come out of a human throat.

[@BrandonCM4]

This song was released in 1967

[@okay5045]

Did you react to Miss Aretha Franklin Nusum Dorma at the Grammys

[@waynesimpson4081]

Poor George Lucas; he's just the "other" KC Honoree next to Carol King in this clip.

[@jimk9860]

Please react to Shoshana Bean singing Make it Rain, live at the Ace Hotel.

[@Dstyle77]

This kind of singing comes from the Soul. From the pain of the Descendants of Black American Slaves. Something you just can't teach.

[@isaacdelgado7252]

I definitely would like to you guys react to Mariah's Carey performance of "We Belong Together/ Fly like a bird" at the 2006 grammys. It's going to blow your minds ✨

[@donaldstenico5266]

That performance was what I considered just short of Biblical.

[@konverteriskontas9091]

That guy begind obama is his guard

[@jayduplessis7698]

You're wrong in your comment that "she had nothing to prove"... Not long before this performance Beyoncé controversially called Tina Turner "the Queen of Soul" (controversial because Tina is known as the Queen of Rock and everyone knows Aretha is the Queen of Soul). Aretha was asked about this at the time and she clearly wasn't happy with it. THEN came this performance... and it was obvious to me (when I watched this performance at the time) that she was reminding everyone who the real Queen of Soul was. Because she was already sick and really didn't need to do this appearance. You can still see that she meant business from the moment she walks onto the stage. Her attitude screams "hold my purse, Beyoncé"...

[@jjwsvtk9987]

can you guys maybe watch a performance called hold me thight by the south korean group called bts

[@hookedoutdoors1236]

Sia reaction now.

[@88pjtink]

No. All art is not totally subjective. Like the great Muddy Waters (I think) used to say, "there ain't but two kinds of music; good music, and bad music".

[@donaldgraham487]

I'd prefer tht you stop te video raher than talking over te artist

[@uwescholer8791]

Really, every two seconds a f…….. comment? That’s ridiculous 👎👎👎👎👎