Being the “Queen Of Funk” doesn’t come without being a beauty muse as a side gig. And Chaka Khan, who turns 72 today, has been building an archive of beauty moments since the day she was born. From joining the Black Panther Party as a teen (which is the source of her historic Afro), to performances with the Greats like Prince and Diana Ross, the history of beauty doesn’t exist without the woman of every woman.
In the early 1970s, Khan’s electric-shocked, bouffant Afro was how you could identify her as a vocalist in the band Rufus. Shot in a New York hotel room, the front woman posed with a bright lip, which in the ‘80s, after she went solo, complimented her theatrical drag-like makeup and hyper-extended cat eye. By the ‘90s, when metallic lipstick and pencil thin brows were in, Khan leaned into filled in facial hair and attending the 7th Annual Soul Train Awards in a full brow and dark eye liner.
As time went on, her hair was straightened, but didn’t avoid the big flips and dips she’s known for. In the 2000s, her hair darkened, appearing more dark purple than red, with her makeup turning cooler with neutral-toned browns (see: VH1’s Save The Music Foundation in 2003). She reclaimed her red lip legacy in the 2010s, like at ESSENCE’s 7th Annual Black Women In Hollywood luncheon, before going pink at 2018’s Lincoln Center Fashion Gala.
Now, her hair is longer than it is wide, and makeup is more subdued, however the bold lip still remains as a must-have for the funk icon. In honor of her 72nd birthday, take a look at the evolution of Chaka Khan’s beauty.
UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of Chaka Khan Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: (AUSTRALIA OUT) Photo of Chaka KHAN; Posed portrait (Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns)
American singer and songwriter Chaka Khan, frontwoman of the funk band Rufus, in her New York City hotel room. (Photo by Leonard M. DeLessio/Corbis via Getty Images)
Chaka Khan in New York City, August 1, 1984. (Photo by Walter McBride/Corbis via Getty Images)
Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan (Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images)
Chaka Khan during New York Musicians To Benefit Homeless Children at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Chaka Khan during The 33rd Annual GRAMMY Awards – Pre-Party at Laura Belle Restaurant at Laura Belle Restaurant in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Chaka Khan during 7th Annual Soul Train Music Awards at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Chaka Khan during Hollywood Women’s Political Committee “Making a Difference” – October 28, 1994 at Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Chaka Khan, posed, backstage at the Blue Note Club, NYC, 13 January 2000, holding cigarette (Photo by David Corio/Redferns)
Chaka Khan during The 2nd Annual BET Awards – Arrivals at The Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)
Chaka Khan during VH1 Divas Duets: A Concert to Benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation – Arrivals at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. (Photo by Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage)
Mary J. Blige and Chaka Khan during Clive Davis’ 2005 Pre-GRAMMY Awards Party – Arrivals at Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Mark Peterman/WireImage for J Records)
LOS ANGELES – SEPTEMBER 14: RnB singer Chaka Khan poses for a portrait Session on September 14, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)
JUNE 19: Chaka Khan attends Apollo Theater 2006 Spring Gala and Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Apollo Theater N.Y.C. on June 19, 2006. (Photo by Chance Yeh /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Chaka Khan attends a photocall for the forthcoming show ‘Here Come The Girls’ on September 15, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
Singer Chaka Khan arrives at the 19th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the Pacific Design Center on February 27, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by John Sciulli/WireImage)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 27: R&B Artist Chaka Khan attends the 7th Annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon at Beverly Hills Hotel on February 27, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Earl Gibson III/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 29: Chaka Khan attends the Lincoln Center Fashion Gala – An Evening Honoring Coach at Lincoln Center Theater on November 29, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Lincoln Center)
Chaka Khan attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 24: In this image released on March 8, Chaka Khan attends ‘CARE celebrates ‘Every Woman’ with Chaka Khan and Idina Menzel’ at Henson Studios on February 24, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for CARE)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 05: Chaka Khan poses with the Global Live Music award inside the winners room at the Nordoff and Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards 2024 at The Grosvenor House Hotel on July 05, 2024 in London, England. The O2 Silver Clef Awards is a prestigious annual event held by the UK’s largest music therapy charity, Nordoff and Robbins. Since 1976 the awards have raised nearly £13 million for transformative music therapy services for children and adults across the UK. (Photo by JMEnternational/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 01: American singer Chaka Khan performs on stage during the Montreux Jazz Festival Miami at The Hangar at Regatta Harbour on March 01, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
