Jennifer Hudson Covers Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’

Jennifer Hudson recently performed in Washington, D.C. in honor of comedian Tina Fey. The singer put her thunderous vocals on display when she did renditions of James Brown’s ‘It’s A Man’s World’ and Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’. Check out the performances below:

Although Hudson was vocally stunning in every way, there seemed to be something from that performance. She didn’t utilise the stage or engage the audience in the way that someone like Fantasia or even her idol, Whitney Houston, would have done. Still, it’s great to hear a singer who can actually do what they they are supposed to do – sing. I respect that.

Thoughts?

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  1. CURLY SUE November 15, 2010

    JENNIFER NEVER HAD ANY STAGE PRESENCE MS TRENT, BUT SHE CAN BELT NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT

  2. True Diva November 15, 2010

    She had confidence & attitude. Thats all she needed for a song like this! & by the way she looks beautiful! Her body, the hair, makeup, dress, accesories, everything… she looks like a “Diva” on her way to the top.

  3. hffd November 15, 2010

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  4. Dave November 15, 2010

    YASS JEN! But, yeah she has no stage presence.

  5. royalkev November 15, 2010

    Sounds like noise! … She’s has no ability to draw you in. She’s loud and rushes her songs everytime I hear her singing.

  6. Hmmm November 15, 2010

    I stopped after a couple of seconds. Couldnt take the screaming in the beginning.

  7. TheOne November 15, 2010

    @ROYALKEV
    Spectacular performance!
    That’s “noise” Bey could never make. #StayMad

  8. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ Theone, your right Bey doesn’t make noise! ooops!

  9. TheOne November 15, 2010

    @royalkev
    Because she can’t at all! #FAIL

  10. stan November 15, 2010

    she just… shouts.

  11. TheOne November 15, 2010

    @Stan , you mad too?

  12. Whatever November 15, 2010

    She has no stage presence just like Mariah

  13. TheOne November 15, 2010

    @WHATEVER

    It doesn’t matter. They are the best singers of their generations! Boaw!

  14. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @The One, right again! Beyonce is a singer, not everyone with a powerful voice(i.e. J Hud) has that ability, talent, know – how. Beyonce wouldn’t dare sit in the studio, or perform on stage and only make noise.

  15. TheOne November 15, 2010

    @ROYALKEV

    You got that right. Bey is nothing without prancing around a stage. Her voice alone doesn’t command attention. Bey is a singer, while Jenn is a vocalist. There’s a BIG difference!

  16. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @The One, your right again! Bey’s voice alone doesn’t command attention… her beauty, showmanship and dynamic flare commands it as well. J Hud is a vocalist – just not a very good one!

  17. SparkD November 15, 2010

    Shut up you idiots! It’s about Jennifer!

    Jennifer is no where near her prime, and that’s a threat to all the greatest, if a “great” singer has not peaked yet. Awsome performance.

  18. Honesty November 15, 2010

    She did good. It was nothing astounding but it was typical jhud however any of you perceive that to be. But I have to agree with some of the others she is really a one trick pony who hasn’t learn how to hone or master her talents but since her gift is so amazing she gets away with alot especially prerforming. She is just loud tho. I liked her version of a mans world better than christina aguilera’s tho. Even tho they both just screamed thud voice is more pleasing

  19. SparkD November 15, 2010

    oops…awesome

  20. norma November 15, 2010

    Stage presence Just to have a jhud up there is stage presence enough. The young lady was incredible. I love her, and she looked stunning.

  21. Spunkypoop November 15, 2010

    The truth of the matter is j. HUD yells from here to Alabama. She rarely takes her time to just sang. She looks amazingly in shape but she look like beyonce with that lace front. lol.

  22. the kiddz November 15, 2010

    @TheOne

    “Bey is a singer, while Jenn is a vocalist. There’s a BIG difference”

    So would you say that Jhud is a better singer than Ella Fitzgerald? Anyone who studies the human voice knows that a singer is FAR GREATER than a vocalist. Jhud sounds like a fog-horn, and she only has two volumes loud and louder.

  23. Truth Seeker November 15, 2010

    Actually she didnt OWN it. Check any old Aretha rendition and jhud is kinda off. Sounds karaoke. Here’s a kool collaborative effort at an early 90’s Clive Davis Pre-Grammy party of RESPECT. Just hearing Gladys Knight and Natalie Cole sing the opening versus you realizes how much the current singers suck. Jhud can sing, but she aint gonna be a legend. She sings in the gospel vibratto in all of the songs and it gets kinda lame.

    RESPECT collab – Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Pebbles, Bebe Winans, Bobby Brown, etc. Aretha sings from the audience at 4:05 and takes pics with Whitney at the end.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_LFsjo4aZ4

  24. the kiddz November 15, 2010

    @TheOne

    “Bey is nothing without prancing around a stage”

    That’s why she’s done an amazing tribute to Barbra Streisand (The World’s Greatest Diva). Something Jhud would have ruined with her horrible technique. If Jennifer’s voice was a person, that would amount to abuse on the highest level! My goodness, it’s like she tries to will it to do things it obviously does not want to do, even on her records. Folks that is NOT soul! That is a hot self-indulgent shrieking mess

  25. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ The Kiddz, Preach! *** Checking out Ella now, her scatting is ridiculous!

  26. the kiddz November 15, 2010

    @Royalkev

    Haha! Ella is amazing. The only women who can compete with her are Aretha and Barbra. The original Trinity! And don’t you just hate it when stans try and drag your gravatar pic into the post. You didn’t mention Bee AT ALL, but foghorn stan thought they were being smart.

  27. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ The kiddz, exactly! … Whenever any Bey stan shares an opinion that isn’t favorable about another artist, were instantly dubbed as haters and it becomes all about Beyonce. When it’s just a matter of that particular artist not being up to par. Since, she was brought up though – ofcourse I was going to put things into it’s proper perspective. People can’t stand honesty these days!

  28. Dave November 15, 2010

    I agree w/ @Royalkev she doesn’t have the ability to draw you in with her vocals. Jen does not build up a song, she just belts. Besides her extremely high belting range, there isn’t too much special about her vocals. Some artist can just open their mouths & not belt a word & already have you. Jen doesn’t have that ability. But, I don’t necessarily agree it was just noise. If it was it was some good as noise because she really sang that & put confidence in it. But, anything else other than that she left me looking for & seeing/hearing something missing. I will say that.

  29. ~aMaZiNG.Lee~ November 15, 2010

    @Royal Kev and @The Kiddz

    Jennifer Hudson = Criminally OVERRATED.

  30. Kio November 15, 2010

    All you Beyounce p**** lickers are just mad that Jenn got the vocals on lock!!! Sorry you t***** wannabes but Jenn is clearly a better singer!!!!! Wearing a 45 pound wig does not make you the supreme queen!!

  31. Dilla November 15, 2010

    I’m not a Beyonce or J-hud fan but, Beyonce (a vocalist) knows how to project her voice while controlling it beautifully in the process. I have to agree that Jennifer ( a singer) bleeds my eardrums with her hog calling, therefore, I could never get into her music or performances pass dreamgirls. Jennifer does look amazing though.

  32. Kio November 15, 2010

    Oh yeah Beyonce is not going to always be the La Mor La Diva forever she is going to get old, all you kids born in like i guess 92 are going to hope on the next best thing when it come, people want a new singer, new talent!!! Beyonce is a very vain, and self absorbed b**** to want anybody to shine, just with all her power, money, fame, still this b**** ain’t got one Oscar for her horrid ass acting!! I swear people in your age group for f*** stupid!!! It is official, people born in the 90’s f****** suck!! YOu have no taste in music, you all just jump on band wagons, you have no souls you useless whores!!

  33. Keesha November 15, 2010

    Wait, I know there isn’t a stan of a certain artist in here talking about the vocal ability of Jennifer Hudson. I must be imagining this. Jennifer can sing, it’s just that people who are used to mediocre (even if that) singers don’t know what real singing is. Remember the song that Jennifer Hudson remade, “I’m Telling You,” originally sung by Jennifer Holiday? Now that is REAL singing. Of course Jennifer Holiday sung it better than JHud.

  34. Daniel November 15, 2010

    Kelly clarkson sang this loads better on american idol

  35. SparkD November 15, 2010

    Kelly screams sometimes.

    Again, Jennifer will get better because she’s loads better than on American Idol.

    Jennifer isn’t at her prime, other “young divas” are, so Jennifer is still a major threat vocally.

    Even Fantasia is improving since she has a coach.

  36. THEONE November 15, 2010

    @the kiddz @Royalkev

    First of all who said I was a stan? A real singer such as Jennifer doesn’t have those. Yall are just mad that Jenn sings better than Beyonce. Jenn already drowned Bey out at the Oscars. She ain’t ready for Jenn. Point. Blank. Period.

    @~aMaZiNG.Lee~

    Actually, Bey is the one that’s overrated. Her voice lacks soul, emotion, and power. She can’t write her own songs. Ciara can dance better than her. Alicia, Chrisette, Jenn, X-Tina, etc. all sing better than her. It’s a fact, Beyonce is mediocre in everything she does. That’s why she works so hard. She has to do that to stay relevant.

    Don’t be delusional yall!

  37. THEONE November 15, 2010

    @SPARKD

    You said it best. Beyonce was trained by a vocal coach, and she will not get any better than what she is now. Jennifer didn’t and is starting to figure out that you don’t always have to belt high to sound good. She is even using more of her head voice.

  38. Daniel November 15, 2010

    Naw kelly clarkson.. is why better then her!!

  39. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ The One, I preferred Beyonce’s singing over Hudson’s at the Oscars. JHud, did very well with “And I am telling you” in Dream Girls. At the Oscars I think Bey, displayed more versatility. She did the hard “singing” that showed off her range, but again – she was way more graceful and poised. JHud seems like she tries, but it’s forced. I think Beyonce clearly sings with more maturity and I notice Jen’s not always singing in the pockets properly. She’s way too over zealous as a performer. Beyonce knows the art of timing and can insert that power (that Hudson doesn’t use properly) were it belongs. Beyonce is the more artistic artist out of the two and that’s what’s making a difference.

  40. THEONE November 15, 2010

    @royalkev

    Jenn has always stated she prefers to do high belts as that’s where she’s most comfortable atas a singer. She hates singing low even though she can hit very low notes. She can even whistle, but stopped because it was damaging her voice. She don’t want to end up like Mariah. >.<

  41. the kiddz November 15, 2010

    @TheOne

    DEAD @ Jhud can whistle. And it just shows how much you know, becuase whistling doesn’t damage the vocal cords as much as excessive belting; which Mariah did. If whistling was the cause for her vocal decline, then it would be the first thing to go. And she is still the best user of the whistle register.

    Anyway, Jhud clearly couldn’t keep up with Bee at the Oscars. When Bee first arrived on stage, they both let out an F5 note. And Beyonce’s completely ATE hers. Why? Because Beyonce’s voice is much more connected and resonant. And I LOVE when people try to use Bee’s vocal training against her. Isn’t Jhud being trained, right now to correct her awful belting technique. When Jhud can give a performance like this, then you can talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8k4qavdZfg

  42. Crazy_DIVA November 15, 2010

    why u guys are talking abput Bey here damn god!!!

    J.Hud and Bey are really different ppl and genders as well!! so pleas

    OK J.HUD got better vocals then Beyonce but Bey is what we can call a complete pacage!!!
    But i dont know why u guys compare all the female singers to Beyonce!!!!

    Beyonce is Beyonce and the other are THE OTHER!!!!

    Stop Hating on ppl!!! Beyonce is not the only singer in the world!!!! damnnnnnnnnn

  43. the kiddz November 15, 2010

    ^^^^

    Different genders?

  44. blkshephered November 15, 2010

    Correction.

    Respect is NOT Aretha’s song. Aretha Covered Respect from Otis Redding who originally sang And Wrote the song.

    Otis released Respect in 1966, Aretha covered it in 1967. It is NOT her song.

    Same rings true for At Last. Etta James Covered it. made it hers. but she was not the original to release it. I hate when folks claim a song that they did not originally record.

    other Covered songs that ended up being owned by the folks remaking them.

    I will always Love You…written by Dolly Parton and recorded by Dolly. Covered by Whitney Houston who made it her own or at least most folks think it is..it is not.

    Superstar- was recorded by the Carpenters Long before anyone heard of Luther Vandross.

    A house is not a Home- originally recorded by Dionne Warwick..but Luther Vandross’ version every one remembers.

    Aint No Mountain High Enough- Originally recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
    Diana Ross covered it, took it to No.1 and now folks think the song is Hers.

    Hound Dog- Big Mama Thornton…Elvis Presley Covered it..made it his own. most folks think he was the original..he was not.

  45. GROW UP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! November 15, 2010

    R YALL SERIOUS. THAT CHICK CAN SING HER ASS OFF. ENUFF SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    THE BEST U CAN DO IS SHE HAS NO STAGE PRESENTS. WHEN SHE OPENS HER MOUTH THATS ENUFF. SHE IS NOT A POP ARTIST.

    I HAVE SO MUCH FAITH IN MY GIRL BEY. Y R SOME OF FELLOW FANS SO QUICK TO DIS SO MANY FEMALE ARTIST. SMDH

    J. HUD…COME ON SON

  46. GROW UP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! November 15, 2010

    @ROYALKEV

    I KNOW U FEEL LIKE BEY FANS ARE CALLED HATERS UNFAIRLY, BUT I CAN SEE SOME PEOPLES POINTS. BEY FANS RARLEY EVER GIVE OTHERS PROPS. SOME OF US ACT LIKE SHE IS THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND SHE CAN DO NO WRONG. NOW BECAUSE I SAID THAT SOMEONE WILL SAY THAT I AM NOT A REAL STAN. I DONT ALWAYS LIKE BEY ON STAGE AND I STILL LOVE HER. BUT THAT IS RARE. ITS OK TO LOVE BEY AND OTHERS. THEY ALL BRING SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE.

  47. ~aMaZiNG.Lee~ November 15, 2010

    @TheOne

    You are of the many people that are vocally ignorant. It’s so difficult to explain to someone like you the components of true vocal ability. Jennifer’s voice is LOUD and LOUD only! She lacks technique, control in particular. Beyonce’s voice is FAR superior to Jennifer’s voice in EVERY way! Alicia better than Beyonce? Christina better than Beyonce? I just can’t with people like you. And then to say Jennifer has a whistle? I CANNOT! You should really do some research on vocal pedagogy. Seriously!

  48. ~aMaZiNG.Lee~ November 15, 2010

    Why do people think that because a Beyonce fan/stan does not particularly like another artist that it’s because they are Beyonce fans? Could it possibly be because that person just doesn’t like that artist or their voice? Is it possible that it has absolutely NOTHING to do with Beyonce? Why does it have to boil down to that person being a Beyonce fan? That’s studid IMO! Not to mention, a Bey fan didn’t bring up Beyonce in this post, it was someone accusing a Bey fan of hating because……they’re a freaking Beyonce fan!

  49. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ Grow up please, I hate that people assume that Bey fans don’t like any other female acts. That’s not true, I think people expect this behavior because she’s compared to every female. I love Whitney, Janet, Brandy , Ciara, Alicia Keys and the late great Aaliyah to name a few. There very different from Bey, but I think their all special in their own way. I don’t have anything against JHud- I liked Spotlight, but I rarely hear her sing that way.

  50. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ Amazing lee, I just read your comment and it looks like were making the same point. I’m glad to see that what I’m saying is already validated.

  51. ~aMaZiNG.Lee~ November 15, 2010

    @Royal Kev

    I’m formerly named Team Weezy BTW. 🙂 So yeah we usually agree on most topics, especially pertaining to Bran Bran.

  52. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ Amazing Lee, I didn’t know you were T.W. , no wonder! …makes total sense now! Your 1 of my favorite allies. 🙂

  53. the kiddz November 15, 2010

    @royalkev

    Hey! What about me? Lol

  54. royalkev November 15, 2010

    @ The Kiddz, ofcourse you are 1 too! That goes without saying! … 🙂

  55. norma November 15, 2010

    Jhud don’t run all around the stage kicking off shoes. That is so country and crazy to me. Jhud has alot of class about herself and image. She does not need to run in the crowd to deliver a song. Jen voice and vocals speaks for itself. People please stop comparing artist. Jennifer Hudson is the best female vocalist in the business today hands down.

  56. lax November 15, 2010

    YOU DUMB ASS NUTTS,,,,,THEY BOTH SOUNDS GREAT JENNIFER COVERS THE GROUND SHE WALKS ON JUST LIKE B DOES AND THERES NOT A DAM THING YOUR HATING ASSES CAN DO BUT TALK SHYT,,,,JENNIFER YOU SOUND GREAT AND THERES NO DEYNING YOU THAT ,,,,THEREFORE YOU KICK THE HATERS IN THEIR ASSES AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND THE TOP OF THE CHARTS,,,,,F THE DUMB,,,,,,,,,,

  57. GROW UP PLEASE!!!!!!!!! November 16, 2010

    Well ok then

  58. Shun November 16, 2010

    That was a wretched, loud, uncontrolled mess.

  59. THEONE November 16, 2010

    @THE KIDDZ
    @~AMAZING.LEE~
    @royalkev

    Use of the whistle register can harm your voice when not used right. In fact, all females and some males have the ability to whistle. It’s just some can access it easier than others. Research would do you alot of good.

    Jenn hasn’t reached her prime yet and will only get better.

  60. cw November 19, 2010

    Lawd that was a boring performance. she still lacks major ability to connect with a song/audience. No kind of personality at all. She still in effie mode. will somebody punch it out of her and while they’re at it, give her a suitable wig with a real side part and not a wig turn to the side to pose as a side part, lol.

    she does look good however.

  61. Tina January 18, 2011

    Well Aretha was never a dancer or anyone that strutted all around the stage, she just sang, and Jennifer’s style on stage is similar to Aretha’s. There are many other singers who don’t dance much on stage which including Diana Ross, Dionne Warrick, Mariah, etc. Sometime the voice is good enough. Great Performance Jennifer!

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