I am not American, Black, or a Woman, but I could not fail to be moved by this inspired performance of Aretha Franklin. She was singing (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Carole King and Gerry Goffin at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors.

Moving, because despite the trappings, it appears so spontaneous and genuinely soulful. Aretha starts off simply at the piano, belting out the chords, singing as if not a moment had passed since her original recording back in 1967. Soon she is moving off the rhythm, interpreting, comping and finally testifying, to an audience now on their feet. The 4 minutes seem like an entire concert that builds to a final operatic moment, with the audience in thrall to a true diva.

The atmosphere is heightened by the presence of the songwriter Carole King, who appears both surprised and delighted at this unexpected performance. In the same way the presence of The President and his wife lend the proceedings a gravity and wider meaning, given that back in 1967 America was riven by racial strife, and no-one expected to see a Black President in their lifetime.
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In one sense, to say that the best vocal performance of 2015 is by a 73 year old of a 50 year old song is a sad reflection on contemporary popular music. Where are the truly memorable new songs? What happened to singing with soul, conviction and meaning? We still need more of that…

PS Original High Quality Video withdrawn, hope this one works !