After a long-anticipated wait, Chaka Khan received her well-deserved induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday. The induction ceremony, held at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center, featured a star-studded tribute to the legendary singer, with Common, H.E.R., Sia, and Jazmine Sullivan leading the celebration.
Jazmine Sullivan, who had previously shared the stage with Khan during a memorable rendition of “I’m Every Woman” at the 2017 Essence Festival, had the honor of delivering the induction speech.
Sullivan began by praising Khan’s unique and powerful voice, describing it as a force that has guided people through all aspects of life. She said, “That voice, as raw as it is sweet, as sensual as it is soulful, has guided us through good times and bad, through meet-ups and breakups, through desire and despair, through hard times and higher love. Chaka’s voice will never get lost among her peers or fade in the background; her tone stands alone. Everything about Chaka is fire.”
Sullivan shared a touching personal anecdote about Khan, recalling the time when Khan reached out to her mother after she had gone into remission for breast cancer. This act of kindness meant the world to Sullivan and her family, showing that Khan’s warmth matched her extraordinary talent.
“The fact that she took the time to reach out to my mother at that point in my life,” Sullivan continued, with a pause for applause from the crowd, “puts her in my personal hall of fame. This year Chaka is celebrating 50 years in the music industry, that’s five decades of peerless artistry, five decades of hits, five decades of influencing generations of artists, especially young women like me.”
The ceremony continued with a medley of Chaka Khan’s greatest hits, spanning her career from the Rufus era to her solo stardom. Common opened the musical tribute with a rendition of “I Feel for You,” a song penned by Prince. H.E.R. then took center stage with her soulful vocals and guitar skills, performing Rufus classics “Ain’t Nobody” and “Sweet Thing.”
Sia, adorned in an elaborate pink rainbow coat and a matching wig concealing her eyes, brought the celebration to a close with her rendition of Khan’s anthem, “I’m Every Woman.” Chaka Khan, who had been a Rock Hall finalist on numerous occasions throughout the years, was finally honored as part of the Class of 2023.
Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
