The 8-episode Genius: Aretha about the life and career of Aretha Franklin will start on National Geographic in Africa on 30 June.

by Thinus Ferreira

The next 8-episode season of the anthology series Genius on National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) entitled Genius: Aretha and which will elucidate the life of the singer Aretha Franklin, will start on Wednesday 30 June at 21:00 in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa, with a special double-episode event, followed by a weekly single-episode broadcast thereafter.

Genius: Aretha as an authorised, scripted series, premiered and ended its run last week in the United States on National Geographic, meaning that South African viewers will see it three months later.

Cynthia Erivo portrays Aretha in the title role as the Queen of Soul, with Courtney B. Vance as CL Franklin.

Genius: Aretha explores Aretha Franklin’s life and career and the impact that the civil rights champion and singer has had on music and culture around the world.

Genius: Aretha features many of Franklin’s biggest recordings and hit songs from the comprehensive Warner Music catalogue.

The season also features a number of well-known personalities who crossed paths with Aretha Franklin, including Dinah Washington, King Curtis, Clara Ward, Art Tatum, Reverend James Cleveland, Sydney Pollack, Angela Davis, Martin Luther King Jr, Curtis Mayfield and George Michael.

"Aretha Franklin’s voice was just one part of the incredible legacy she left behind, adding to her civil rights advocacy and her true musical genius, and so much more," says Evert van der Veer, vice president, Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company Africa, in a statement.

"National Geographic’s commitment to going deeper, pushing boundaries and going further is embodied in this definitive and awe-inspiring series, which we are thrilled to be bringing to viewers and fans across the continent this June."

Genius: Aretha is produced by 20th Television and Imagine Entertainment,with the season that is once again executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Suzan-Lori Parks is the showrunner, executive producer and lead writer, while Anthony Hemingway is also executive producer and serves as director.

The April 2021 edition of the National Geographic magazine that is available now has a beautiful 26-page section from page 112, with various article just about Aretha Franklin to coincide with the release of Genius: Aretha. 

Really fascinating long-read articles in the April issue of National Geographic range from "The Genius of Aretha" to "The Queen of Charts" and covers her entire biography, career and is filled with striking details like: "Aretha never had a music lesson", and even the making of the TV show.

"While everyone who listens to Western popular music knows the sound of her voice, very few people know her story - know the pain she suffered through, know the difficulties of her childhood, know that her mother died at a young age, know she didn't just burst onto the scene and find her sound," says Suzan-Lori Parks.

ALSO READ: National Geographic unveils Genius: Aretha trailer at the Winter TCA 2021, announces a set of upcoming and newly-commissioned natural history series and films.

National Geographic scraps Mary Shelley and makes soul singer Aretha Franklin the subject of the third season of its docu-drama series, Genius.

The upcoming third season of the scripted docu-drama series, Genius on National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220 / Cell C black 262) will now be about Aretha Franklin, America's "Queen of Soul" and no longer Mary Shelley.

Aretha Franklin (76) died in August 2018. National Geographic made the announcement on Sunday evening in America during its slot at the Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour in Pasadena, California.

Suzan-Lori Parks will be the executive producer and showrunner of the project from Imagine Television and Fox 21 TV Studios, with Ken Biller who was executive producer and showrunner on the first two seasons who will return as executive producer.

Imagine Entertainment has partnered with Warner Music for the third season, which will again be executive produced by Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Francie Calfo; Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane from MWM Studios; and Sam Sokolow from EUE/Sokolow.

Imagine Entertainment's Anna Culp will serve as producer alongside Peter Afterman.

National Geographic renewed Genius in April 2018 for a third season with pressure for the upcoming season's subject to be a woman, with the author Mary Shelley initially revealed to follow after Albert Einstein and the second season's look at the life of painter Pablo Picasso.

National Geographic says a look at the life of Mary Shelley remains in consideration for a possible future season.

The third season of Genius covering Aretha Franklin will include several of her biggest recordings and hit songs from the Warner Music catalog including I Never Loved a Man, Chain of Fools, Don't Play That Song, Since You’ve Been Gone, and Baby I Love You, including several of her performances like I Knew You Were Waiting for Me, Freeway of Love, and Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.

Filming of the third season of Genius will start this winter and will be broadcast on National Geographic in early-2020.

"Aretha Franklin had the ability to empower generations through her iconic music, and I'm excited to finally be able to tell her story, a career passion of mine," says Brian Grazer.

"All through her life she used her voice to elevate people and the causes she believed in, especially the women’s and civil rights movements."

"You can hear the hopes and sorrows of a divided nation in her soulful voice, penetrating and motivating people at their core in a deeply emotional way. She cut through the pain of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination to help heal and unite America with her music and, in the process, ushered in the post-gospel era of rhythm and blues. We're so grateful she shared her genius with the world."

Warner Music Group says  it is "honoured to be partnering with Ron, Brian, and the team at Imagine, along with Clive Davis, to tell the story of Aretha's genius".