Kwaku Alston, Photographer, New York

Description

This vertical portrait features actress Cynthia Erivo portraying Aretha Franklin for the National Geographic series Genius Aretha. She is positioned centrally with her arms crossed, wearing a high-necked, long-sleeved dress densely covered in intricate beadwork and crystal embellishments. Her dark hair is styled in a short, voluminous vintage bob, complemented by dangling jeweled earrings that catch the light. The subject is backlit against a bright white seamless background, creating a strong glowing halo effect around her silhouette. Promotional text overlay reads 'ALL HAIL THE QUEEN', 'Genius Aretha', 'MARCH 2021', alongside credits referencing executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and creator Suzan-Lori Parks. The image was captured by photographer Kwaku Alston.