THE BBC programme The Voice not only got Letitia George’s voice heard it as she said’ gave me self belief’.

This new found self belief meant she realised she wanted to be on stage singing and entertaining people and on February 21, Letitia will be entraining the audience at the Brewhouse in Taunton in the music show Respect to Aretha.

The Aretha in question is of course Aretha Franklin who had hits with ‘A Natural Woman’, ‘Say a Little Prayer’, ‘Chain of Fools, ‘Until You Came Back to Me’, I Never Love a Man and ‘Respect’.

The aim of the show is not for Letitia to be a tribute act, rather it is a show dedicated to the music of Aretha Franklin-The Queen of Soul.

As Letitia said: “I am not going out to be an Aretha Franklin tribute act, nobody can be Aretha Franklin.

“For me it is all about the music and I hope people like and enjoy the songs as much as me.”

The music for Letitia started when she was four/five years.

When she was at primary school, she was cast as an angel in a nativity play and she had to go on stage to sing.

She said: “I remember being so scared my teacher gave me a friendly nudge in the back and I fell off the front of the stage.”

After this she went to secondary school and then college and university where she enjoyed theatre and performing arts.

Letitia wanted to go onto to drama school but it cost so much she decided she did not need the debut and decided she would concentrate on earning a living and do singing as a sideline.

It was while singing an an open mic event she was scouted and asked if she would like to take part in The Voice.

She explained it was not a show she had ever wanted to go on but decided to at least accept the offer of doing the audition.

Letitia said: “I had a brilliant audition and in the end made it all the way to one of the battles but after that I lost out.

“But It was a great experience and it gave me a lot of self belief.

“I knew then I wanted to try and make a career out of being a singer.

“I think what it gave me was a platform to be able to share my talent with the world.

“I do not want to famous, it just want to enjoy being a singer.

“I had tried to continue working in restaurant as a manager but found it increasingly difficult.

“I would start a shift at 5am then leave at 5pm go and do a show in the evening and start work early the next day.

“I was dead on my feet. It was not going to work so I had to give up work and concentrate on singing.

“This gave me a fresh start, a clean slate. I did and do everything myself when booking venues and have no agent.

“I am very grateful for all the opportunities I have been given.

“I always give it my all when I perform as it is all about the performance.

“I would like to see the same if I am going to a show so I want to give as much love as I can through the show.”

Letitia explained she always got nervous before a show and did not mind this feeling as once she got n stage then she was fine.

She admitted if the nervous ever left her she would call it a day”

Letitia does have a dream.

Her dream is to one day appear in The Lion King (the musical).

She has auditioned twice but still has dreams of playing Rafiki in the musical.

For now she is focussed on singing in Respect to Aretha at The Brewhouse in Taunton.

Life-long Aretha Franklin fan and power-house vocalist, Letitia George stars in this heartfelt and uplifting dedication to the Queen of Soul.

Whilst Letitia George will always be remembered for her breath-taking performances on series four of The Voice, she has gone on to forge an enviable reputation as one of the most passionate and hardworking soul singers around.

Aretha’s sad passing has inspired Letitia and her outstanding backing band to attempt the seemingly impossible.

Very few singers could ever do justice to the Aretha Franklin songbook… but Letitia George manages to capture the very spirit.

You can catch the spirit as Respect to Aretha will be at The Brewhouse on February 21, at 7.30pm.

Ticket Prices: Full Price from £23.50.

You can buy tickets for the show online at thebrewhouse.net or by calling the box office on 01823 283244.