Darci Lynne Singing Aretha Franklin's "Respect" with Her Mouth Closed Is Herculean
Joined by her sassy yet hysterical puppet Petunia, this "Respect" duet was pure dynamite.
America's Got Talent champion Darci Lynne has done it again. The charming ventriloquist and singer has graced fans with a mind-boggling cover of Aretha Franklin's "Respect," joined by her beloved puppet friend, Petunia.
While she achieved fame at 12 years old as the first ventriloquist to win AGT, Lynne's career has evolved to reflect her many talents, notably her dynamite singing voice. Whether singing a spot-on impression of a Disney classic or belting Broadway-caliber notes, Lynne's a performer to her core, and her fans can't get enough.
She's even taken her many talents on tour, delivering her hilarious bits with her puppet pals and jaw-dropping vocals to the masses. In March 2024, Lynne shared a hilarious update from the road with Petunia, where the pair's duet of "Respect" went hilariously wrong during a sound check.
While the side-eyeing Petunia could probably be more respectful of Lynne, both singers delivered an incredible performance. Lynne's expert puppetry was on full display as Petunia tore down the house. Seriously, how can she sing this well with her mouth closed?
Once Lynne began her solo, Petunia quickly grew perturbed. The puppet was jealous, inspiring her to cut Lynne's verse short.
"No, no, no, turn it off!" Petunia barked at the sound tech, shushing Lynne as her final notes trailed off.
"What?" Lynne asked.
"What are you doing?" Petunia asked. "You're stealing my thunder!"
"OK, we're singing the song together," Lynne reminded Petunia.
"Well, you were flat," Petunia quipped before snapping, "One more time, hit it, Scott!"
Luckily, Lynne works well with the primadonna Petunia. The AGT alum captioned the hilarious post, "Soundcheck with Petunia can get tense."
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Lynne, joined by the ever-sassy Petunia, announced her tour in December 2025. Her run of shows wraps in June.
What to know about Aretha Franklin's "Respect"
Aretha Franklin's "Respect" remains one of the most iconic songs of all time. Originally released as a single in 1963 by Otis Redding, "Respect" was later rewritten, reimagined, and re-recorded by Franklin in 1967. Franklin's version was a smash success, cementing the track as one of her signature songs. "Respect" scored the Queen of Soul her first two Grammy Awards and became an anthem for the feminist and civil rights movements of the '70s.
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Watch the Season 20 premiere of America's Got Talent on Tuesday, May 27 at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
