The legendary Chaka Khan is pulling back the curtain and turning her life into a musical.
The eleven-time Grammy winner will be the focus of her autobiographical stage show entitled, I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical. The production chronicles her rise from Chicago’s South Side to becoming one of the most influential voices in music history.
The show stars Alexandra Burke portraying the Queen of Funk and dives deep into both the triumphs and struggles that shaped Khan’s decades-long career.
Khan recently revealed to Harper’s Bazaar UK that telling her story on stage has been years in the making.
“I’ve been trying to find a way to tell the history of my life for quite some time,” she said.
At the age of 72, she has “reached a point of feeling” to “just do it.”
The Making of The Musical
Khan was extremely hands-on in curating the musical’s direction. Burke was chosen as someone who could match Khan’s fearless energy on stage.
“At first, it was difficult to find a girl to play me who was wild enough,” said the “Sweet Thing” singer. “I told her, ‘Free yourself up, baby. Relax, open your mouth and sing.’ And she did exactly that.”
The production doesn’t shy away from the darker chapters of Chaka Khan’s life. Raised on Chicago’s South Side, she faced family struggles early and left home as a teenager. While navigating the price and pressures of fame, Khan battled substance addiction.
“There were times when I thought, will I make it? Will I live through this?” she recalled. “I went through all this stuff….drugs and the whole nine yards, so I’m just happy that I made it.”
I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical begins its debut run March 20 at Hackney Empire in London. For Khan, seeing her story unfold onstage is a powerful reminder of resilience.