
← Desert Island Discsvorgestern · 51 Min.
Chaka Khan, singer and songwriter
Chaka Khan’s unmistakeable voice and musical versatility have made her one of the most influential musicians of the past six decades, with an estimated 70 million records sold. Whether fronting the band Rufus or performing as a solo artist, she's moved effortlessly between funk, soul, jazz, and pop, creating era-defining hits including I'm Every Woman, Ain't Nobody and I Feel For You.
She grew up in Chicago, in an artistic family where she was surrounded by music. As a teenager, she became involved with the Affro-Arts Theater, where she was given the Yoruba name Chaka, and a political awakening led her to join the Black Panther Party.
By her late teens, she had joined Rufus, whose breakthrough hit Tell Me Something Good launched the band to international success and marked the beginning of her recording career. She has since won 11 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026, been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and collaborated with some of music’s modern greats, including Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell and Prince.
Chaka lives on a farm in Georgia, surrounded by family.
DISC ONE: What Is and What Should Never Be - Led Zeppelin
DISC TWO: Good Times - Aretha Franklin
DISC THREE: Tomaas - Miles Davis
DISC FOUR: California - Joni Mitchell
DISC FIVE: Tell Me Something Good - Rufus, Chaka Khan
DISC SIX: A Woman in a Man's World - Chaka Khan
DISC SEVEN: Cool Water - Joni Mitchell (duet with Willie Nelson)
DISC EIGHT: Precious Is Your Name - Richard Smallwood featuring Chaka Khan