Chaka Khan is opening up about the highs and lows that shaped her decades-long career as a new stage production based on her life prepares to hit theaters. The legendary singer recently reflected on her journey while promoting I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical, a new autobiographical show that chronicles her rise to stardom and the personal struggles she faced along the way.
The production, which stars pop vocalist Alexandra Burke portraying the Queen of Funk, traces Chaka Khan’s path from her early years in Chicago to global fame. The project marks a milestone moment for the 11-time Grammy winner, who said she has been thinking about telling her story for years.
“I’ve been trying to find a way to tell the history of my life for quite some time,” Khan explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar UK.
Now at 72, she said the timing finally felt right. “I’ve reached a point of feeling, let’s just do it.”
Khan worked closely on shaping the musical’s creative direction, selecting writer Nia Hill to help bring her story to the stage and participating in the casting process.
Alexandra Burke ultimately landed the lead role after Khan searched for a performer who could capture her fearless stage presence.
“At first, it was difficult to find a girl to play me who was wild enough,” Khan said. “I told her, ‘Free yourself up, baby. Relax, open your mouth and sing.’ And she did exactly that.”
The show explores both the triumphs and hardships that defined Chaka Khan’s life. Raised on Chicago’s South Side, she had a difficult upbringing marked by family struggles and eventually leaving home as a teenager.
Later in life, she battled substance addiction while navigating the pressures of fame.
Reflecting on those years, Khan acknowledged just how uncertain the road sometimes felt. “There were times when I thought, will I make it? Will I live through this?” she said. “I went through all this stuff — drugs and the whole nine yards — so I’m just happy that I made it.”
The musical also highlights the artist’s musical evolution, from her breakout success with Rufus in the 1970s to solo hits like “I’m Every Woman.”
Khan credits her love of music to childhood moments spent singing with her parents at home. “Every Saturday, we’d clean the house together and sing Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald… all the greats,” she recalled.
The latest project arrives during a period when Chaka Khan has remained active both creatively and publicly. Earlier this year, the singer and her team issued a warning to fans after false, AI-generated stories about her began circulating on social media.
I’m Every Woman is preparing for its debut run beginning March 20 at London’s Hackney Empire before continuing to other theaters.
For Chaka Khan, seeing her story onstage has sparked reflection on the journey that brought her there. “I’m still excited about what I do,” she said. “It still moves me.”