Chaka Khan - Chakzilla 2026

 

After several years of musical silence, Chaka Khan is ready to step back into the spotlight. The American artist will release a new album titled “Chakzilla” this fall, her first since “Hello Happiness” in 2019.

To accompany this announcement, the singer has released a first single of the same name, co-written with Sia and produced by the renowned Greg Kurstin, known for his work with Adele, Beck, and the Foo Fighters.

With this new track, Chaka Khan temporarily steps away from the classic funk that made her famous to explore a more dance-pop aesthetic,

energetic and modern. It’s a musical evolution she fully embraces,

while retaining the vocal power that has left its mark on

entire generations.

In several interviews, the artist explains that she found

inspiration for the track in her love of Japanese monster movies,

particularly Godzilla. The name “Chakzilla” then naturally emerged as the symbol of an extraordinary personality—imposing yet benevolent.

The track is accompanied by a particularly cinematic music video. In it, we see a giant Chaka Khan moving through a miniature city. But far from being a destructive monster, the singer appears as a protective figure who repairs the damage

Hello Happiness (2019)

 Hello Happiness is the twelfth studio album by American singer Chaka Khan, released on February 15, 2019.^[3] It is her first new material since 2007's Funk This.^[4] It includes the 2018 single "Like Sugar", and the second single, the title track "Hello Happiness".^[3] "Hello Happiness" was first performed at the 2019 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.^[5] The front cover photograph is Khan at 8525 Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

 Khan stated that she did not stop making music following the release of Funk This but "simply stopped releasing material", and also needed time to recover following the death of recording artist Prince in 2016, which she has said made her "rethink" herself and admit herself into rehab for addiction to prescription drugs.

 The album features both a "contemporary" feeling as well as "strong echoes of the past, such as the late '70s New York disco scene".^[3] About the lyrics of the title track, Khan said: "I think we need a shot of just not taking the little things so seriously. Little things are important. It's about the little things, but just flow." Khan co-wrote all the tracks on the album.

Funk This (2007)

 

Funk This is the eleventh studio album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was first released by Burgundy Records on September 25, 2007, in the United States. On October 13, 2007, the album entered at its peak position of number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On December 6, 2007, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards, while "Disrespectful" was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Both nominations resulted in wins for Khan.

The double A-side singles "Disrespectful" (featuring Mary J. Blige) and "Angel" were released to radio and made digitally available on iTunes in advance of the album release. Following the success of the initial double A-side single, the duet with Michael McDonald, "You Belong to Me", was released to radio, eventually peaking at number eighteen on the Hot Contemporary Jazz Songs chart.^[1] The contemporary R&B ballad "One for All Time" reached number fifty-five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

ClassiKhan (2004)

 ClassiKhan is the tenth studio album by American singer Chaka Khan, featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. It was released by independent label Sanctuary Records on October 5, 2004 in United Kingdom, with international releases overseen by different record companies. Produced and arranged by Eve Nelson, ClassiKhan was mainly recorded at London's legendary Abbey Road Studios and features guest appearances by pianist Joe Sample and percussionist Sheila E., among others. 

 

While ClassiKhan does focus on jazz and swing standards, among them "Stormy Weather", "Hazel's Hips", "'Round Midnight" and "Teach Me Tonight", it also features an eclectic selection of classics from other genres, including pop culture favourites such as Broadway show tune "Hey Big Spender" from the musical Sweet Charity, Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" penned by Leiber & Stoller and even a '60s country-and-western classic in the form of Patsy Cline's "Crazy", written by Willie Nelson. ClassiKhan also features the themes of film favourites from Khan's youth, "To Sir With Love" and the James Bond themes "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever". The collection concludes with one new composition, the ballad "I Believe", co-written by Khan and the album's producer Ira Shickman.

The album was mainly recorded at London's legendary Abbey Road Studios and it features guest appearances by, among others, pianist Joe Sample and percussionist Sheila E., best known for her work with Prince. The title ClassiKhan is also a reference to Khan's accompaniment on the set. Whereas on the Echoes of an Era album Khan used a five-piece all-star jazz ensemble, on ClassiKhan she is accompanied by The New York All Star Musicians – but with the addition of the full London Symphony Orchestra, conducted and arranged by Eve Nelson and with orchestrations by producer Ira Schickman and Gary Anderson.

Come 2 My House (1998)

 

Come 2 My House is the ninth studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan released on the NPG Records label in 1998.

Come 2 My House was Khan's first full-length album since 1992's The Woman I Am, due to the Warner Bros. Records label postponing and eventually canceling the release of her tenth album Dare You to Love Me (1995). 

 

The album included two single releases; "Spoon" (originally called "Am Happy?") and "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" – neither of which charted.^[1] The album, however, made a brief appearance on Billboard's R&B Albums chart, peaking at number 49.

After first covering Prince's 1979 ballad "I Feel for You" on her 1984 album of the same name and turning it into a sample-heavy hip-hop anthem and a million-selling hit single, then recording his "Sticky Wicked" (produced by Prince himself) and "Eternity" on her 1988 album CK, followed by the recording of the track "Pain" with Prince for the Dare You to Love Me album in 1995 and earlier in 1998 appearing with both Prince and legendary bassist and composer Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone, Graham Central Station) to promote each of their CD's on the independent NPG label, Khan and Prince finally teamed up for their first full-length project together; Come 2 My House.

While Prince co-produced all tracks but one and also helped write ten of the songs, even two of them solo, the set was very much a team effort. As Khan pointed out in the liner notes, Come 2 My House was a different album for her because it was the first time that she was not only the producer but had also composed or co-written the majority of the songs on one of her albums. During most of her career she had with a few exceptions on select albums recorded either songs written especially for her or cover versions. On Come 2 My House no less than ten out of thirteen tracks were new compositions penned by herself, either with Prince or Larry Graham, other longtime collaborators such as vocalists Mark Stevens and Sandra St. Victor, Robert D. Palmer, Howard McCrary or The New Power Generation member Kirk Johnson. Two of the songs were, however, cover versions; Prince's "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" from 1996's Girl 6 soundtrack and Graham Central Station's classic hit "Hair" from their eponymous 1974 album.

Among the musicians contributing were several members of The New Power Generation, including vocalist Marva King, keyboardist Kirk Johnson, bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer/percussionist Michael Bland, the horn section Hornheadz (previously known as the NPG Hornz) as well as Prince's former wife Mayte Garcia. Rapper Queen Latifah made a special guest appearance on "Pop My Clutch".

The Woman I Am (1992)

 

The Woman I Am is the eighth studio album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was released by Warner Bros. Records on April 14, 1992, in the United States. Dedicated to her friend Miles Davis, who had died the previous year, the album was Khan's first full-length project since 1988's CK. Khan worked with a variety of producers on the album, including multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller, Scritti Politti's David Gamson as well as frequent collaborator Arif Mardin and his son Joe Mardin.

The album received largely mixed reviews from music critics but became Khan's highest-charting album on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart since 1984's I Feel for You. In 1993, it earned her a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female. Due to increasing artistic differences between Khan and Warner Bros, with her planned 1995 follow-up Dare You to Love Me eventually being shelved, The Woman I Am would mark Khan's final full-length release for a major label. 

 The album mainly focuses on material from the contemporary R&B, soul and funk genres and was Khan's debut as executive producer in charge of production.^[1] The main producer on the album was the Grammy Award winning jazz multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller but it also includes Khan's first collaborations with Arif Mardin since 1986's Destiny; "This Time" and the closing track "Don't Look at Me That Way", both co-produced by Mardin's son Joe Mardin.^[2] "Love You All My Lifetime" saw Khan teaming up with Scritti Politti's David Gamson – who incidentally had also produced the opening track on Destiny with its confusingly similar title; "Love of a Lifetime".^[2] The single track "I Want" features a guest appearance by William Galison on harmonica and the suggestive ballad "You Can Make the Story Right" was recorded with bassist and producer Wayne Braithwaite, best known for his work with Will Downing and Kenny G.

 The Woman I Am produced seven singles. Lead single "Love You All My Lifetime," written by German composer duo Klarmann/Weber, became a number one hit on Billboard's US Dance Club Songs and peaked at number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[3] Follow-up "You Can Make the Story Right," penned by Gabrielle Goodman and Wayne Bathwaite, reached number eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Further singles include "I Want", "Give Me All", "Facts of Love" and the Diane Warren-penned ballad "Don't Look at Me That Way." "The Woman I Am," written by Dyan Cannon, Chaka Khan, and Brenda Russell, failed to chart. Both lead single "Love You All My Lifetime" and "Give Me All" were issued in a wide variety of dance remixes by among others Frankie Knuckles.

ck (1988)

 ck is the seventh studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1988. 

 ck was Khan's first album not to be recorded with Arif Mardin. Instead, it had, with the exception of two tracks, Russ Titelman at the helm as producer, with whom she had collaborated on hits including "Ain't Nobody" (1983), "Eye to Eye" from 1984's platinum-selling I Feel for You as well as "Tight Fit" from her previous album Destiny. Musically ck combined a variety of genres such as soul, R&B, funk, pop as well as two jazz titles and altogether the set was more laid-back, less hip-hop influenced and production-wise not as complex and synth-driven as I Feel for You and Destiny. 

 

ck opens with Khan's cover of Stevie Wonder's 1970 hit "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", again featuring the composer himself on harmonica, as on the 1984 hit single "I Feel for You".

One of the two tracks not to be produced by Russ Titelman was the funky and improvisational "Sticky Wicked", Khan's first proper collaboration with Prince after having covered his "I Feel for You" and turning it into a million-selling hit single. ck also includes a second Prince composition, a cover version of Sheena Easton's "Eternity" (produced by David Frank and Khan herself), and some ten years later Khan and Prince were to team up for a full-length album together, Come 2 My House.

ck includes one track written and co-produced by Chris Jasper, former member of the Isley Brothers, who was also responsible for writing and producing much of the Isley material from 1973 through 1984 before the Isley Brothers' breakup. Jasper can also be heard singing backing vocals with Khan on "Make It Last".

ck also features two recordings of jazz classics that since have become mainstays in Khan's live repertoire, "The End of a Love Affair", a tribute to Billie Holiday who first recorded the song on her 1958 album Lady in Satin, and Alec Wilder's "I'll Be Around", the latter with a guest appearance by trumpeter Miles Davis, who also features on the Prince track "Sticky Wicked". 

 

Three singles were released from ck: Womack & Womack's Latino-flavoured "It's My Party", which reached number five on Billboard's R&B Singles chart, "Soul Talkin'" and "Baby Me", which reached Top 20 on the R&B chart, peaking at number 12. The ck album itself also charted higher than the preceding Destiny, reaching number 17 on the R&B Albums chart.

One title from the ck sessions was only released as a single B-side, "Everybody Needs Some Love" written by former Rufus member David "Hawk" Wolinski, producer Russ Titelman and Khan herself.

Destiny (1986)

 Destiny is the sixth studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1986. 

 

Destiny was Khan's follow-up to the platinum-selling I Feel for You and was as high tech as its predecessor—symptomatically and characteristically for its period with more producers and sound engineers credited in the liner notes than musicians—but was musically more geared towards rock and pop than soul and R&B, most prominently on tracks such as "So Close", the self-penned title track "My Destiny", "Who's It Gonna Be" and "Watching the World" featuring Phil Collins on drums and backing vocals.

The album spun off five single releases, the first being "Love of a Lifetime", co-written, co-produced and featuring backing vocals by Green Gartside of British band Scritti Politti (US Pop number 53, US R&B number 21, UK number 52). The second single "Tight Fit" was a midtempo R&B ballad, just like "Eye to Eye" from I Feel for You produced by Russ Titelman, which reached number 28 on the US R&B chart. The satirical "Earth to Mickey" (When are you going to land?), featuring Khan both singing and rapping (and keyboardist Reggie Griffin rapping in the role of 'Mickey'), was released as the third single in early 1987 and only just made the Top 100 of the R&B chart, peaking at number 93. The dramatic ballad "The Other Side of the World", written by Mike Rutherford of Genesis and B. A. Robertson and which had first been released as part of the White Nights soundtrack album in late 1985, reached number 81. The fifth single "Watching the World" never charted. The album itself fared slightly better, reaching number 25 on Billboard's R&B albums chart, but stalling at number 67 on Pop and number 77 in the UK. Destiny however gave Khan another Grammy nomination in 1987 for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female. The track "My Destiny" was used as the theme song for Richard Pryor's motion picture Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling.

The closing track, the heavily edited one minute thirty-nine seconds "Coltrane Dreams", a tribute to John Coltrane, had a backing track mainly made up of samples of Khan's voice. The actual full-length version of the track (4:54) was only released as the B-side of the 12" single "Love of a Lifetime".

"Love of a Lifetime", "Tight Fit", "Earth to Mickey" and "Watching the World" were all released as 12" singles including extended remixes.

While the success of Khan's own single releases in 1986 was limited to the R&B charts, she appeared as featured vocalist/vocal arranger on two worldwide pop/rock chart hits that same year, Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" and Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"; on the latter she was only credited for 'vocal arrangement' in the liner notes. The song was originally recorded with Khan sharing lead vocals with Palmer but due to contractual problems between Warner Bros. Records and Island Records her own vocals were removed from the final mix.

I Feel for You (1984)

 I Feel for You is the fifth solo studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1984.

 After having balanced her two simultaneous careers as a member of the band Rufus and a solo performer during the years 1978 to 1983, which culminated with the release of the final Rufus & Chaka Khan album Stompin' at the Savoy – Live, after which the band dissolved, Khan recorded the album that was to make her a pop star with mainstream chart success: 1984's I Feel for You.

 

The title track, "I Feel for You", was a cover of a 1979 Prince track, featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel on the classic "Ch-ch-ch-chaka-chaka-chaka Khan" rap intro and Stevie Wonder on chromatic harmonica (and also a sample from one of his first hits, "Fingertips"). The song saw Khan embracing high-tech funk, rap and hip hop, and stands as one of her best known songs and her biggest commercial hit,^[1] reaching number 3 on the Billboard chart in the US (and becoming the number 5 best-selling song of the year in 1985) and topping the US R&B, Dance, and UK Singles Chart. The song earned her a second Grammy Award in 1985 for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.^[2]

Additional hit singles were "This Is My Night" (US No. 60, R&B No. 11, Dance No. 1, UK No. 14), "Eye to Eye" (UK No. 16) and the ballad "Through the Fire", which crossed over to the adult contemporary chart (No. 16) and charted at No. 77 in the UK. The album's second ballad, "Stronger Than Before", co-written by Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts and Carole Bayer Sager, was released as the fifth single in certain markets.

"I Feel for You", "This Is My Night" and "Eye to Eye" were released as extended 12" remixes in 1984, and other mixes were created for the 1989 remix compilation Life Is a Dance: The Remix Project. The 1984 mixes by Arif Mardin and Russ Titelman remain unreleased on CD.

1985 saw two other songs by Khan released on other albums: "(Krush Groove) Can't Stop the Street" from the Krush Groove soundtrack (US R&B No. 18, UK No. 80), and "Own the Night", from the Miami Vice soundtrack (US Pop No. 57, US R&B No. 66).

Chaka Khan (1982)

 

Chaka Khan is the fourth solo album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on the Warner Bros. Records label on November 17, 1982. Khan worked with frequent collaborator Arif Mardin on the album, who would produce all the tracks on Chaka Khan. The "Be Bop Medley" won the pair Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices at the 26th awards ceremony.

Following the release of the Chaka Khan album and the greatest hits package The Very Best of Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Khan reunited with the band Rufus later that year for one final album together, the double live/studio set Stompin' at the Savoy - Live (1983). Her next solo album I Feel for You followed in 1984. Despite its many accolades and artistic achievements the Chaka Khan album remained unreleased on CD in both the United States and Europe, and was only available as an import from Japan, until it was finally issued on CD in the UK in 2010 as part of a Five disc set containing Khan's first five solo albums.

 Two singles were released from Chaka Khan: Lead single "Got to Be There," a cover of the same-titled Michael Jackson song reached number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Follow-up "Tearin' It Up" was significantly less successful, reaching number 48 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Warner Bros. Records released a 12" single of "Tearin' It Up" which included extended remix (7:21) as well as an instrumental version (8:07), both mixed by Larry Levan.

What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (1981)

 What Cha' Gonna Do for Me is the third solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1981. 

 

Three singles were released from What Cha' Gonna Do: the Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out" (US R&B #34), the McCrarys cover "Any Old Sunday" (#68) and the album's title track which became a number one hit on Billboard R&B Singles chart. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #3 on Black Albums, #33 on Jazz Albums, and #17 on Pop Albums. This would be Chaka's highest-charting album until her 1980s-era breakthrough I Feel For You. Its popularity among jazz audiences was likely due to the inclusion of the Dizzy Gillespie composition "Night In Tunisia" with a guest appearance by Gillespie himself as well as what today would be called a 'sample' of Charlie Parker's legendary four bar alto break from his 1946 recording of the title. Khan's vocal interpretation also features lyrics written by the singer herself.^[7] This album was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female in 1981.^[8]

The instrumental intro to "Fate" has been sampled by a host of dance acts all through the 1990s and 2000s, most notably by Stardust on their 1998 hit single "Music Sounds Better With You" and a section of "I Know You I Live You" also features on "Bad Habit" by ATFC & Onephatdeeva feat. Lisa Milett.

Naughty (1980)

 Naughty is the second solo album by American R&B and funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980. 

 By the early '80s Chaka Khan and producer Arif Mardin had a great working relationship that was responsible for her hit solo debut, 1979's Chaka... Naughty presents the two in a more centered working relationship... most of Naughty represents Khan in a holding pattern, without much material to accommodate her widening range. That being said, Naughty is only a few songs away from being a bona fide classic.

 Three singles were released from Naughty: the club hit "Clouds" (penned by Ashford & Simpson, who also wrote Chaka's "I'm Every Woman"). "Clouds" features background vocals performed by a 16-year-old Whitney Houston and her mother Cissy Houston (US R&B #10), "Get Ready, Get Set" (#48) and the big hit "Papillon (a.k.a. Hot Butterfly)" (#22). The album track "Our Love's in Danger" featured prominent background vocals from Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston. 

 

On Billboard's charts, the album reached #6 on Black Albums, #43 on Pop Albums. Naughty garnered Khan her first American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the 8th American Music Awards in 1981.

Following the release of Naughty, Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1981's Camouflage. Her third solo album, What Cha' Gonna Do for Me, followed later that same year.

Chaka (1978)

 Chaka is the debut solo album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on October 12, 1978, through Warner Bros. Records. Following the release of the Chaka album, Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1979's Masterjam, produced by Quincy Jones. Her second solo album Naughty followed in 1980

 Two singles were released from Chaka, the first being her anthemic solo debut "I'm Every Woman," which would become one of Khan's signature tunes alongside "Ain't Nobody" (1983) and "I Feel For You" (1984).^[1] The song has over the past three decades been re-released, remixed and covered a number of times, most notably by Whitney Houston in 1992 for the soundtrack album The Bodyguard, then featuring guest vocals by Khan herself and topping Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. A remix of Khan's original recording was also a Top-Ten hit in the U.K. in 1989. The remix was included on the compilation Life is a Dance - The Remix Project, the title track of which was the second single release from the Chaka album in early 1979 (US R&B number 40). The album also features the ballad "Roll Me Through The Rushes", never commercially released as a single but still receiving considerable airplay in 1979, as well as Khan's cover version of Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her", re-titled "I Was Made to Love Him".

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