Chaka Khan, the Queen of Funk, is set to release a new album titled 'Chakzilla' in September, co-written with Australian pop star Sia. The 10-track record blends soul, funk, dance-pop, and upbeat R&B, and includes collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Lenny Kravitz.
Chaka Khan Praises Sia as a Genius
Working with Sia, known for hits like 'Chandelier' and 'Titanium,' has been a joy for Khan. She said of Sia: 'That's my baby. She's my goddaughter. She really is. She is a genius. I couldn't have written those lyrics better myself.' Khan even performed her iconic anthem 'I'm Every Woman' with Sia during her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
Seamless Collaboration
Khan described the collaboration as effortless. 'So easy, I'm just freaking out,' she told The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service/BBC Sounds. 'There were times with Rufus when it was that easy. It was all mine and I was writing the words and I was doing the music.' Impressed by Sia's sophistication, Khan asked how she knew so much, to which Sia replied, 'Well, I've been listening to you since I was born.'
Early Life and Career
Born Yvette Marie Stevens, Khan grew up in a bohemian but cash-strapped family on Chicago's South Side. She was given the African name Chaka at age 13 by a Yoruba priest. The eldest of five children, her parents were artists, and her grandmother introduced her to Billie Holiday records and jazz. At 13, she formed a girl band, the Crystalettes, with her sister Yvonne. She quit school to sing and joined Rufus at 18, singing on their first self-titled album at age 20.
Never Intimidated
Khan said she never felt intimidated being so young in the music industry. 'No, never. For them more than me. I knew why I was there. I knew why I was on this earth.' With 13 Grammy awards, she believes singing fulfills God's purpose. 'That's what God gave me, along with a whole schpiel, because he said 'you're down here. I'm sending you down to sing and to say something.''
Personal Life and Challenges
Married three times, Khan is currently single and enjoying life. She is glad to have been born before social media invaded stars' lives. 'There's something to be said for mystique and there is none of that anymore.' She has been open about past addictions to heroin, alcohol, and painkillers. Prince's 2016 death from a fentanyl overdose served as a wake-up call, leading her and her sister to enter intensive drug rehab. Cocaine use was also a factor in Whitney Houston's death in 2012. Khan said of Houston: 'She was an honest, amazing singer and they only come once in a blue moon. And I miss her more than almost anybody.'
Family and Current Life
Khan's son Damien was arrested for the fatal shooting of aspiring rapper Christopher Bailey at her LA home in 2024 but was acquitted in 2026. In 2011, she gained guardianship of her granddaughter Daija. Khan now lives on an estate in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, which she bought in 2023. She says: 'I live in the country. I've got a lake. I've got land, I've got chickens, I've got horses, I've got family. I've got what I want. I've found my peace.' She is a great grandmother to Caiiya and Mackenzie.
