Aretha Franklin is retiring this year

At 74, Aretha Franklin is planning to retire this year, she told Detroit TV station WDIV Local 4, the city’s NBC affiliate.

The singer says she will make one more album, with several tracks produced by Stevie Wonder, and will otherwise limit herself to “some select things, many one a month, for six months out of the year”, as she devotes more time to her grandchildren. She also says 2017 will be her “last year in concert.”

“I will be recording, but this will be my last year in concert. This is it,” she said.

On Thursday, a representative for Franklin confirmed her remarks made to WDIV.

Franklin, whose many hits include Respect and Think, added that she did not want to do “just nothing.” But she said that she is otherwise “very satisfied” with her career. —AP