Watch 'Glee' Star Amber Riley's Incredible Aretha Franklin Tribute From 'CMT Smashing Glass'
The performance was one of a slate of tributes to iconic women singers.
Glee alum Amber Riley saluted Aretha Franklin with a roof-raising performance of the Queen of Soul's Otis Redding-penned classic "Respect," on CMT Smashing Glass. The special aired on Nov. 15 and was a tribute to legendary women artists Patti LaBelle, Tanya Tucker, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Sinead O'Connor.
Riley appeared alongside artists such as Ledisi, Mickey Guyton, Sheryl Crow, and The War & Treaty, who also joined in on the celebration. This isn't the first time Riley has performed songs from Franklin's iconic catalog. In fact, she performed a memorable rendition of Franklin's signature song, "Ain't No Way," on a previous episode of Glee.
In 2019, Riley participated in a series of live concerts called RESPECT – The Aretha Franklin Songbook. Three special shows were held around Aretha's 77th birthday in March 2019, and a 60-date UK tour launched on Sept. 15. Over 24 of Aretha's greatest hits were performed while a series of links and videos narrated her life story.
Riley said concerning the show, "I'm really excited to be involved in this project. Aretha Franklin has always been an idol of mine, and I've been singing her songs for as long as I can remember! Her songbook includes some incredible tracks, a legacy of musical anthems that will never be matched, and a divine talent that makes her a true icon. I can't wait to get started and pay tribute to the one and only Queen of Soul."
Speaking of "Respect," the Olivier winner spoke with xoNecole in May about not being worried about people seeing her as humble and preferring to be respected instead. "I think you should be a person that's easy to work with, but in the moments where I have to ruffle feathers and make waves, I'm not shying away from that anymore."
"You can do it in love, you don't have to be nasty about it, but I had to finally be comfortable with the fact that setting boundaries around my life – in whatever aspect, whether that's personal or business – people are not going to like it. Some people are not going to have nice things to say about you, and you gotta be okay with it," she says.
In that interview, she also discussed working on the follow-up to her independently released debut EP, 2020's Riley, and how her new project reflects who she is. "I am so much more comfortable as a writer, and I know who I am as an artist now. I'm evolving as a human being, in general, so I'm way more vulnerable in my music. I'm way more willing to talk about whatever is on my mind. I don't stop myself from saying what it is I want to say," she says.