The pop star performed a Reputation tour show in the Queen of Soul’s hometown of Detroit and paid tribute to Aretha.
Taylor Swift is paying tribute to Aretha Franklin.
The pop star performed a Reputation tour show in the Queen of Soul’s hometown of Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday where she honored the legendary singer, who died earlier this month at the age of 76 from pancreatic cancer.
«Detroit, last week we lost an irreplaceable force: Aretha Franklin,» Swift said to the sold-out crowd at Ford Field. «She did so much for music, she did so much for women’s rights, she did so much for civil rights. She was one of those people where no matter what you say, no matter what glowing, positive things you said about her, it would be an understatement.»
«Words could never, ever describe how many things she did in her lifetime that made our world a better place,» she continued. «And this is her home.»
Swift’s speech came about 45 minutes into her set, and was followed up with a moment of silence for Franklin. A concertgoer tells ET that Swift asked her crew to turn the house lights down for the tribute, and that aside from a few shout-outs to Swift, it was quiet for a solid minute.
Earlier in the day, fans of Franklin’s flocked to Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History to pay their final respects to the late singer. Once doors closed, members of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority hosted a memorial service of their own as a way to commemorate Franklin, who was initiated as an honorary member in June 1992, The Detroit News reports.
Day two of public viewings are happening Wednesday, with a funeral for friends and family at Greater Grace Temple on Friday.
ET confirmed on Tuesday that Ariana Grande will be performing at the «Queen of Soul’s» Celebration of Life, with additional performances by stars like Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Jennifer Holliday and Franklin’s son, Edward.
Franklin’s family asked Grande, 24, to be part of the funeral service after they were moved by her performance of «(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman» on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, according to The Associated Press .
