August Arts
Soprano performs Aretha Franklin’s hits
Nova Y. Payton’s first exposure to musical legend Aretha Franklin was as a child, when her mother would sing along to Franklin’s songs on the record player. The first song she remembers hearing was Franklin’s powerful 1967 cover of Otis Reddings’ “Respect.”
By Luke Sanelli August 7, 2026 3 min read
Nova Y. Payton’s first exposure to musical legend Aretha Franklin was as a child, when her mother would sing along to Franklin’s songs on the record player. The first song she remembers hearing was Franklin’s powerful 1967 cover of Otis Reddings’ “Respect.”
“\[Franklin’s music\] always felt like church to me,” Payton, 46, said. “Her voice always just screams church,…
