Ariana Grande is an amazing singer and no one can take that away from her. With the musical lineup for Aretha Franklin’s funeral, it’s obvious she wouldn’t have been asked to participate if she couldn’t hold her own. So, you can probably guess how her performance turned out when she approached the pulpit at the “Queen of Soul’s” funeral.
Ariana’s Tribute to Aretha Franklin:
Earlier today, Ariana Grande performed Aretha Franklin’s hit 1968 record “Natural Woman” as funeral goers celebrated the life of the Queen. Dressed in black for the occasion, the young singer hit every note with precision and nailed the performance. Fans of the late legendary singer were pleased and based on the round of applause, funeral goers were also pleased.
Check out the video:
Based on the video, it’s obvious Ariana did an awesome job, right? Well, the performance was great, but there was one major distraction most fans and viewers couldn’t help but notice: her dress. Although the “Side To Side” singer was dressed in black like most funeral goers, it just wasn’t enough for her to blend in without being criticized.
Not So Fast:
Almost immediately after approaching the pulpit, eyes were locked on Ariana Grande’s dress and Aretha fans everywhere flooded social media with comments. Although it’s a Friday and clearly a work day for most people, Ariana’s dress wasn’t lost on Aretha’s fans.
Since people everywhere are live-streaming the service all over the world, social media users quickly began sharing reactions to Ariana’s dress. From Facebook and Twitter to YouTube and Instagram, the comments have been pouring in and people can’t help but look at the situation through the eyes of an old school church lady or deaconess.
In a nutshell, Ariana’s short black number just wasn’t church-appropriate. We all know Aretha Franklin is as old school as they come, so you can probably imagine what people have to say. The comments have been relentless.
One person wrote, “Ariana Grande dress was too short. This is a church. She was singing in front of old men with ‘past women’ issues in that dress.”
Many others have also agreed, but some of the other comments weren’t so delicately delivered.
“Did no one bother telling @ArianaGrande she was performing at a funeral? Good lord half her a** hanging out of that dress…. #ArethaFranklin,” another person said.
Check out some of the comments on social media:
Poor Bill Clinton and Al Sharpton. How are they supposed to look sad at Aretha Franklin‘s funeral when Ariana Grande is wearing a short cut dress at the ceremony. Bad taste AG.
— Bryan (@Bryan8023214) August 31, 2018
https://twitter.com/MangoQuueen/status/1035593180790616064
I thought to myself also that maybe Ariana Grande could have at least wear a dress that covered her knees & after the funeral, she can bare it all, just NOT at the #QueenOfSoul's funeral where everyone is focusing on Ms Aretha Franklin's life & achievements. May Aretha r.i.p.
— LLeigh_Laura 🌀 🌊 (@LeighNYC_Laura) August 31, 2018
https://twitter.com/dakotaiamm/status/1035564679177924608
https://twitter.com/soulUtionsTim/status/1035565558102540288
Aretha’s Big Day:
The latest news follows a string of reports about Aretha Franklin’s highly publicized funeral. For those who don’t know, the massive funeral service paying homage to the Queen of Soul began at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3:00 p.m. today. Aretha Franklin has more than 40 participants for her service and the event is being televised and live-streamed on more than 10 different networks. Based on the notoriety Aretha Franklin has received, it’s just a reminder of how loved and respected she was by so many.
Today is a day of honor to a legendary singer that can never be replaced. But regardless of what day it is, social media doesn’t sleep at all which is why people wasted no time draggin’ Ariana. With the scathing comments from Aretha Franklin’s funeral, Ariana Grande will probably think twice about dressing for occasions like this.
