Ahead of performing at ESSENCE Festival 2017, Chaka Khan is making a few stops around the country.
On Friday, the Queen of Funk is set to perform her hits in Biloxi, MS. She spoke with the Sun Herald about what she’s currently working on and her thought’s on modern-day activism.
“I’m working on an album of Joni Mitchell songs,” she revealed. “Joni is my girl and has been for a long time and she’s such a great songwriter. I’m doing an album of her material, done my way. It’s about me bringing my flavor to her songs. I will have some extra garlic and hot sauce. I hope to have a couple of tracks ready to be released soon.”
The “Tell Me Something Good” singer has always spoke highly of her love for Mitchell, covering two of her songs —”Ladies Man” on Funk This and “Hejira” on a shelved Mitchell tribute compilation— in the past.
Khan also talked about the re-birth of activism and protest by millennials, a nod to her Black Panther past.
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“This is something that the past couple of generations have not done — they have not taken to the streets and made their voices heard. It’s great to see women, young and old, rallying together to share their message.”
Khan also spoke about her relationship with Prince, who produced her album Come 2 My House and her 1984 hit, “I Feel for You.” The pair were longtime friends and confidants who performed on stage on more than one occasion— they even did tributes for each other.
“He was everything you’ve ever heard — he was a perfectionist, he was all of that. Prince was a genius in the studio.”
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