Aretha Franklin turned out her light on August 16, 2018 - 41 years after King Elvis - and her close friend Candi Staton is truly indebted to her. It is through singing Do Right Man, Do Right Women in a shabby room in Alabama that her future husband Clarence Carter introduced her to Rick Hall, of the eponymous label. In 2018, Staton now has thirty records to her credit including her latest release Unstoppable, which opens with Confidence. While the album sometimes veers into pop-disco territory (Stand Up, Love Is You), other soul gems come to recall the grandeur of one of the bosses of Southern soul, like the excellent ballad - despite its kitsch choirs - Revolution Of Change and its 70's flavour. Candi also includes two covers: People Have The Power by Patti Smith and (What's so Funny'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding by Nick Lowe. © Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz