Aretha Franklin dazzled crowds as she gave a rare performance at Sir Elton John's charity gala on Tuesday evening. Dressed in an embellished off-white gown, the singing superstar, 75, showed off her dramatic weight loss whilst stunning the audience with her vocals. Sir John's annual AIDS Foundation star-studded gala was held in celebration of the charity's 25th anniversary. The glamourous event attracted a host of A-list names, including Neil Patrick Harris, Billy Joel, Sting and Sheryl Crow.
Aretha Franklin performed at Sir Elton John's charity gala in New York on Tuesday
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Aretha, dubbed "Queen of Soul," showcased hits including I Say a Little Prayer and Freeway. She announced in February that she would be retiring next year amid speculation over her drastic transformation. The iconic singer recently revealed that she will be moving from her current home of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, to a place in Detroit. "From time to time I would sing, and of course, I would have special artists come in to perform for the city that people in Detroit like - Detroit favourites," she told Per the Detroit Free Press.
The singer showcased hits including I Say a Little Prayer and Freeway
At the time of her retiring announcement, Aretha told WDIV Local 4: "I am retiring this year. I will be recording, but this will be my last year in concert. This is it." She added: "I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from and where it is now. I'll be pretty much satisfied, but I'm not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing. That wouldn't be good either."