"Aretha" is a song by British singer-songwriter Rumer. Produced by award-winning UK TV and musical composer Steve Brown, it is the second single to be released from her debut album '' Seasons of My Soul''. A music video was made for the song and was added to YouTube on 6 October 2010. The song has been added to the

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...

A-List.

Background

In an interview with

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she was asked to describe her single:

"It's a very soulful ballad about a little girl who goes to school listening to
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
on her headphones. She's having trouble at school and her mother's suffering from mental illness and she hasn't got anyone to talk to, but Aretha Franklin comes to life and encourages her and speaks to her through her imagination."

She was also asked why she chose

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

"She's the Queen of Soul! If you're going to write about somebody who embodies the spirit of music itself you go to the top of the list - and there she is! Her voice is probably the closest you get to God. There's an incredible amount of passion and heartbreak in her voice as she's lost a lot of family members. She's just got something in her voice that puts her at the top of the tree and there's no negotiation."

Critical reception

Robert Copsey of ''

'' described some lines as "unnvervingly honest" sung with Rumer's "smouldering tones".

Track listings

Chart performance

"Aretha" debuted on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

at number 72 on 31 October 2010. It also entered the Dutch Singles Chart at number 47 on 19 March 2011.

Release history

References

{{authority control 2010 singles Rumer (musician) songs 2010 songs Atlantic Records singles Songs written by Rumer (musician) Aretha Franklin