WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
Chaka’s life began to drastically change.
“I moved my family to L.A. and bought my mom a house,” she said.
As thrilling as that was, Chaka had a new baby, which made touring
tough, but she enlisted the help of her mom and a nanny.
About that time, she decided she wanted to celebrate the American Indian
side of her ethnicity. Designer Michael White made her stage costumes,
working with leather and fur-covered bras that exposed her midriff,
considered “risqué” at the time. Chaka said she was mostly going for comfort.
As a solo artist, hits include “I’m Every Woman” and her cover of
Prince’s “I Feel For You,” with Melle Mel rapping her name again and
again.
She has taken home 10 Grammy Awards.
And the concert stage isn’t the only place she has demonstrated her
talents, playing Miss Sofia in “The Color Purple” on Broadway; appearing
in a cameo in the iconic movie “The Blues Brothers,” and on “American
Idol” and “Dancing With The Stars.”
A few years ago, Chaka, whose weight had fluctuated through the
years, was told by her doctor that she was pre-diabetic and had high
blood pressure.
“I knew I had to do something about it,” she said. “I lost about 75
pounds all together, but you have to learn to eat in a different way, and
there’s no getting away from it, you’re going to be hungry sometimes.”
She stresses the importance of not eating too late in the day, protein
at breakfast, eating vegetables, and cutting salt. Her home is full of stairs,
which has helped her burn calories and stay fit.
But like everyone else, she needs a “cheat day” every once in awhile –
then goes back to her healthier lifestyle.
Chaka said there is no man in her life, but she’s adamant that if there
was, she would insist on tests before intimacy.
“Nowadays, sex kills. You have to be careful, and I think we all deserve
to be able to protect ourselves,” she said.
With all her fame, fortune and accolades, Chaka is down-to-earth, and said
the reason we are all here on the planet is to be of assistance to one another.
“If you have money or not, you have something to give. You can give of
yourself, whether that’s time, one kind word, a nickel or your old clothes,”
she said.
In 1999, she founded the Chaka Khan Foundation in support of
“women and children at risk,” particularly those with autism, a subject
she became aware of after her nephew was diagnosed with the condition.
Chaka is personally involved in the foundation with an active role in
events and services.
She always has a few new irons in the fire, currently recording an
album of Joni Mitchell songs, developing Chaka handbags, touring and
helping others through many different outlets.
Chaka is known for carrying fans in different styles (especially
on stage) like this dragon design. On her website at chakakhan.
com, she has a silk papillon fan, adorned with Swarovski crystals,
handcrafted for her by designer Gerard Ringuette, available for
purchase. Net proceeds benefit the Chaka Khan Foundation.
For more information on Chaka, visit chakakhan.com or
cahakakhanfoundation.org.
Chaka Khan will perform in St. Louis Sat., Aug. 27 as
part of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club’s Martin
Luther Mathews Awards Program and Benefit Concert
at the Fabulous Fox Theater. The evening includes
dinner at 5 p.m., an awards program at 7 p.m., followed
by a concert that includes Chaka and three-time
Grammy nominee El DeBarge. For more information on
the concert, visit www.mathews-dickey.com.
Chaka Khan in
comfortable jeans
and a jacket on the
street named after
her in Chicago near
her old high school.
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY 105