Bishop Charles H. Ellis, III, right, speaks with Ariana Grande after she performed during the funeral service for Aretha Franklin at Greater Grace Temple, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Detroit. Franklin died Aug. 16, 2018 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. (AP)
DETROIT — Ariana Grande belted an Aretha Franklin standard at the Queen of Soul’s homegoing in a black dress so short it got the social media choir going.
As former president Bill Clinton sat behind her with a big smile on his face, Grande appeared nervous as she made her way to the front of Greater Grace Temple, apparently unclear where she was supposed to stand for her performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman.”
She found her footing, though, and made it through, collecting an awkward hug from Bishop Charles H. Ellis III of Greater Grace when she was finished.
On Twitter, Grande’s dress was criticized as too short for church.
“#ArianaGrande don’t know the below the knee rule for the pulpit in the black church. Somebody hand her a lap hanky and a choir robe. Bless her heart,” tweeted one, Tenisha Taylor Bell.
But Grande was supported online by fans and others when she seemed uncomfortable with the way Ellis was touching her on stage as he towered over her. His hand was well above her waist, with the fingers of one hand pressing against one side of her chest. Many people posted close-up images of the moment on Twitter, tagging it #RespectAriana.
An email sent to a church spokesperson for comment was not immediately returned. Nor was an email to a Grande spokesman.