Aretha Franklin Has Been Empowering Women Since Before You Were Born

Happy birthday, Aretha Franklin! The Queen of Soul turns 75 today. Beginning her singing career as a gospel singer at her father’s church, Aretha embarked on her dream of being signed to a record label at the age of 18. After having her share of ups and downs over the course of her career, Aretha established herself as a living legend, winning a total of 18 Grammys. She has sold over 75 million record worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. After 57 years of soulful songwriting and singing, Aretha continues to inspire us with her wisdom and empowering lyrics, it’s no wonder we still find ourselves belting out R-E-S-P-E-C-T every now and then. To get a dose of Aretha inspiration, here are some of her most empowering words. Read more: We’ve got nothing but R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Aretha Franklin 7 Times Carrie Underwood's Faith Was Inspiring Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.