All hail the queen, Aretha Franklin!
The first teaser trailer for National Geographic's third season of its anthology series, Genius, which spotlights the Queen of Soul, dropped on Friday.
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"You want to take it from the top," Cynthia Erivo says as the iconic singer, as dramatic, glamorous and heartbreaking moments flash across the screen. In one scene, Franklin is seen shoving a man, while another shows her all dolled up and on stage. There are also black-and-white scenes depicting what appears to be her early childhood.
"What kind of music to do you really want to make, Miss Franklin?" asks an off-screen voice, with Franklin replying, "I want to make hits, Mr. Wexler."
Genius: Aretha will premiere over four consecutive nights, beginning Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The eight-part series will explore Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career -- and the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world.
The music icon died from advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type on Aug. 16, 2018, at age 76.
Erivo opened up about what fans can expect from the new series while talking to ET at the Golden Globes last month.
"You'll learn a little bit about her life behind the music -- the thing that made her a genius," she explained. "You'll learn about some of the darkness in her life. You'll learn a lot of music; some music you might not know. I'm singing everything live, so you'll hear all that."
"I've been singing her since I was little and I know her music very well. And it feels like home," she added of the role.
Hear more in the video below.
Genius: Aretha premieres May 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic.
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