Aretha Franklin Expresses Interest in Joining 'American Idol'

An idol in her own right, Aretha Franklin has put her name in the running to sit behind the judges’ table on Fox’s American Idol. CNN reports that in response to an emailed query, Franklin said that she is interested in taking one of the spots left vacant by Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler who announced they would not be returning to Idol next season.

After seeing Franklin perform a riveting 90-minute set at the ESSENCE Music Festival last week, there’s no doubt that the Queen of Soul would offer valuable insight and inspiration to the hopeful contestants. Franklin says she has “long been a fan of the show.” 

As if having one legend join the lineup wouldn’t be enough, Franklin hinted that she’d also be interested in bringing vocal powerhouse Patti LaBelle along with her.

There’s no word from Fox Network on the possibility of Franklin or LaBelle participating in the show next season.

Who would you like to see as a judge on the next season of American Idol?