Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953, in Great Lakes, Illinois (often cited as Chicago), is an iconic American singer-songwriter known as the "Queen of Funk."
She formed her first group, the Crystalettes, at age 11 with her sister and drew inspiration from artists like Billie Holiday. In 1969, at 16, she joined the Black Panther Party, adopted the name Chaka Adunne Aduffe Yemoja Hodarhi Karifi, dropped out of high school, and married Hassan Khan in 1970 after running away from home.
Khan joined the funk band Rufus in the early 1970s, leading to hits like "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," "Do You Love What You Feel," and the platinum "Ain't Nobody." The group achieved major success before she transitioned solo while still recording with them into the early 1980s.
Her 1978 debut solo album featured the #1 R&B hit "I'm Every Woman" (later a Whitney Houston hit). Key tracks include "I Feel for You" (a Prince cover with rap, her first crossover smash), "Ain't Nobody," "Through the Fire," and "This Is My Night." Later releases like 2007's Funk This (Grammy for Best R&B Album) and 2019's Hello Happiness marked comebacks; a 2022 single "Woman Like Me" followed, and she entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
Khan has won 10 Grammy Awards, including for "I Feel for You" and collaborations like "Disrespectful" with Mary J. Blige. She debuted in London's West End (Mama, I Want to Sing!, 1995), starred in Stevie Wonder-based Signed, Sealed, Delivered (2002), and took Broadway's Sophia role in The Color Purple (2008).
Married three times—to Hassan Khan (1970s), Richard Holland (1976–1980s, with son Damien), and Doug Rasheed (since 2001, with daughters Indira and Mila)—she has faced personal challenges but remains a "Renaissance woman" in music, production, and philanthropy. Film roles include The Blues Brothers (1980), Mission: Impossible III (2006), and Hollywood Homicide (2003).
Chaka Khan
Written-By – Bunny Sigler, Jane Lumibao
6:39
A2 Slow Dancin'
Written-By – Loz Netto
5:22
A3 Best In The West
Written-By – Dominick Bugatti, Frank Musker
4:00
A4 Got To Be There
Written-By – Elliot Willensky
4:00
Be Bop Medley (5:22)
B1.1 Hot House
Written-By – Tad Dameron
B1.2 East Of Suez (Come On Sailor)
Written-By – Lou Stein
B1.3 Epistrophy (I Want To Play)
Written-By – Thelonious Sphere Monk
B1.4 Yardbird Suite
Written-By – Charlie Parker
B1.5 Con Alma
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
B1.6 Giant Steps
Written-By – John Coltrane
B2 Twisted
Written-By – Colin Campsie, George McFarlane
4:12
B3 So Not To Worry
Written-By – Mark McMillan
4:55
B4 Pass It On (A Sure Thing) (Paso Lo Esta Seguro)
Written-By – Lalomie Washburn, Tony Maiden
4:32
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 92.3729-1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Europe
Released: 1982
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Eighties Soul, Disco
Destiny
Music By, Lyrics By – Green Gartside
4:20
A2 Earth To Mickey
Written-By – Charlie Singleton
5:37
A3 Watching The World
Written-By – John Lang, Richard Page, Steve George
4:42
A4 The Other Side Of The World
Written-By – B. A. Robertson, Michael Rutherford
3:39
A5 My Destiny
Written-By – Chaka Khan
4:38
B1 I Can't Be Loved
Written-By – Glen Ballard, Randy Goodrum
4:30
B2 It's You
Written-By – Portia Griffin, Tony Patler
4:17
B3 So Close
Written-By – M. Levy, Pam Tillis, R. Feldman
4:17
B4 Tight Fit
Written-By – Bunny Sigler, Marvin Morrow
4:37
B5 Who's It Gonna Be
Written-By – Gary Goetzman, Mike Picirillo
4:35
B6 Coltrane Dreams
Written-By – Chaka Khan, Julie Mardin
1:38
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 925 425-1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Europe
Released: 1986
Genre: R&B Electronic, Funk, Soul
Style: Eighties Disco, Funk, Soul
Hello Happiness
Written-By – Chaka Khan, David Taylor, Sarah Ruba Taylor
3:56
2 Like A Lady
Vocals, Timbales – Chaka Khan
Written-By – Amy Stroup, Chaka Khan, David Taylor, Lincoln Cleary, Sanford Livingston, Sarah Ruba Taylor, Troydon Ray Murison
4:59
3 Don’t Cha Know?
Written-By – Chaka Khan, David Taylor, Eli Winderman, Sarah Ruba Taylor, Thomas Gill
3:17
4 Too Hot
Written-By – Andrea Fratangelo, Chaka Khan, David Taylor, Eddie Lee Langlois, Lincoln Cleary, Sarah Ruba Taylor, Troydon Ray Murison
3:43
5 Like Sugar
Written-By – William Curtis, Chaka Khan, David Taylor, John Flippin, Sarah Ruba Taylor
3:59
6 Isn’t That Enough?
Written-By – Chaka Khan, David Taylor, Sarah Ruba Taylor
3:31
7 Ladylike
Written-By – Amy Stroup, Chaka Khan, David Taylor, Ricardo Rouse, Sanford Livingston, Sarah Ruba Taylor
3:45
Label: Island Records – B0029647-02
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2019
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Disco, Funk, Contemporary R&B
I Feel For You
Written-By – Nic Murphy & David Frank
4:38
A2 Stronger Than Before
Producer – Robbie Buchanan
Written-By – Bruce Roberts, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager
4:21
A3 My Love Is Alive
Music By, Lyrics By – Gary Wright
Producer – John Robie
4:42
A4 Eye To Eye
Producer – Russ Titelman
Written-By – Dan Sembello, Don Freeman, John Sembello, Michael Sembello
4:38
A5 La Flamme
Lyrics By – Chaka Khan, Rhoda Roberts
Music By – Philippe Saisse
4:27
B1 I Feel For You
Written-By – Prince
5:44
B2 Hold Her
Producer, Written-By – David "Hawk" Wolinski, James Newton Howard
5:14
B3 Through The Fire
Lyrics By – Cynthia Weil
Music By – Tom Keane
Producer – Humberto Gatica
Producer, Music By – David Foster
4:45
B4 Caught In The Act
Lyrics By – Alec Milstein
Lyrics By, Producer, Music By – Joe Mardin
3:45
B5 Chinatown
Lyrics By – Chaka Khan, Rhoda Roberts
Music By – Philippe Saisse
4:37
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 925 162-1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: R&B Soul, Pop
Style: Eighties Soul, Funk, Contemporary R&B
Chaka Khan's 1984 album I Feel For You is widely regarded as a landmark release that bridged the gap between 1970s R&B traditions and modern 1980s high-tech production. Critics in 2026 continue to praise it as a "quintessential example of '80s pop" for its bold fusion of funk, soul, and emerging hip-hop influences.
Khan's "supernatural" range is a constant highlight, especially on the David Foster-produced ballad "Through the Fire" and the upbeat "This Is My Night".
Primarily produced by Arif Mardin, the album utilized then-cutting-edge electronic rhythms and "machine-sounding" synths that still offer a "fresh and exciting burst" of early '80s sound.
Many modern reviews label it "excellent from start to finish" and a "masterpiece," citing its ability to make various genres work together seamlessly.
Some contemporaneous critics, like Robert Christgau, felt Khan "coasted" on her vocals, while others noted that tracks like "Chinatown" or "La Flamme" can feel like "filler" compared to the massive singles.
The album was a massive comeback, peaking at #14 on the Billboard 200 and earning a Platinum certification. It won Khan a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1985.
Overall, the album is considered a commercial success and a quintessential 80s record that stands as a, if not the, definitive moment in Chaka Khan's solo career.
Naughty
Written-By – Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson
4:26
A2 Get Ready, Get Set
Written-By – Art Jacobson, Bill Haberman, Ellison Chase, Kathy Anderson
3:41
A3 Move Me No Mountain
Written-By – Aaron Schroeder, Jerry Ragovoy
4:14
A4 Nothing's Gonna Take You Away
Written-By – Bill King, Deborah Ash
3:42
A5 So Naughty
Music By – Michael Mugrage
Written-By – Charles Fleischer, Michael Mugrage
3:57
B1 Too Much Love
Written-By – Andrew Kastner, Dan Greer, Jeff Wilson
3:53
B2 All Night's All Right
Written-By – Weldon Dean Parks
4:24
B3 What You Did
Written-By – Chaka Khan, Mark Stevens
3:57
B4 Papillon (AKA Hot Butterfly)
Written-By – Gregg Diamond
4:08
B5 Our Love's In Danger
Written-By – Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson
3:35
Label: Warner Bros. Records – BSK 3385
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Eighties, Soul, Funk
The Woman I Am
Written-By – Ben Margulies, Chaka Khan
4:38
2 Give Me All
Producer, Written-By – Jerry Barnes, Katreese Barnes
4:24
3 Telephone
Written-By – Chaka Khan, Hans-Jürgen Buchner
4:21
4 Keep Givin' Me Lovin'
Written-By – Andres Levin, Camus Celli, Chaka Khan, Mica Paris
4:32
5 Facts Of Love
Written-By – Chaka Khan, Harald Schneck, Werner Hammer, Ralph Zang
4:35
6 Love You All My Lifetime
Written-By – Irmgard Klarmann/Felix Weber
4:43
7 I Want
Written-By – Donald Bowden, James McKinney, Janice Dempsey
5:50
8 You Can Make The Story Right
Written-By – Gabrielle Goodman, Wayne Brathwaite
6:32
9 Be My Eyes
Written-By – Chaka Khan, Darryl Duncan
4:24
10 This Time
Written-By – David Lasley, Marsha Malamet, Robin Lerner
5:16
11 The Woman I Am
Written-By – Brenda Russell, Chaka Khan, Dyan Cannon
5:09
12 Love With No Strings
Written-By – Maggie Ryder, Wesley Magoogan
5:00
13 Don't Look At Me That Way
Written-By – Diane Warren
4:50
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 9 26296-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1992
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Contemporary R&B, Synth-pop, Disco
What Cha' Gonna Do For Me
Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
3:41
A2 What Cha' Gonna Do For Me
Written-By – Hamish Stuart, Ned Doheny
3:52
A3 I Know You, I Live You
Written-By – Arif Mardin, Chaka Khan
4:28
A4 Any Old Sunday
Written-By – A. McCrary, A. Fraser, D. Ironstone, L. McCrary
3:36
A5 We Got Each Other
Vocals – Mark Stevens
Written-By – A. Baboff, C. Khan, F. Lederman
3:54
B1 And The Melody Still Lingers On (Night In Tunisia)
Written-By – Arif Mardin, Chaka Khan
5:01
B2 Night Moods
Written-By – Jerry Ragovoy
4:18
B3 Heed The Warning
Written-By – Arthur Jacobson, Chaka Khan, Ellison Chase, Mark Stevens
4:32
B4 Father He Said
Written-By – Deborah Ash, Michael Campagna
3:51
B5 Fate
Written-By – Dominic Bugatti, Frank Musker
3:18
B6 I Know You, I Live You (Reprise)
Written-By – Arif Mardin, Chaka Khan
1:18
Label: Warner Bros. Records – BSK 3526
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Eighties Soul, Contemporary R&B