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While discussing the role, Erivo shared that she once even had the opportunity to meet Franklin.

\"She came to see 'The Color Purple' and after the show I met her, and as I was walking towards her, she sings the last line of the song I usually sing, 'I'm Here.' She was just really funny and sweet,\" Erivo said. The actress added that she felt \"elated and totally baffled and amazed that she was there\" in the moment.

While filming the National Geographic series, Erivo said she was also working on her new album, so some of her new music was influenced by the late singer.

\"I think learning about the intricacies and how she felt about music, the choices she would make in music sort of influenced the way I was using my voice, the way I would hear the instruments, the way I would hear the music on her songs and the decisions I would make for the songs on the album,\" Erivo explained.

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The Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner also previously spoke to The Associated Press about Franklin's impact on her.

\"She means the world to me,\" Erivo said. \"As a singer, I truly believe that my job is to communicate and tell the stories that sometimes are difficult for people to tell for themselves ... Aretha did that with her eyes closed. She had a wonderful way of communicating the things that she had been through, through song.\"

\"Genius: Aretha\" premieres Sunday, March 21, at 9/8c on National Geographic.

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