Chaka Khan, singer: Music is a calling
The Interview
BBC
4.3 • 537 Ratings
🗓️ 24 May 2026
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“This is a calling. It's bigger than anything in your life as an individual. If you found the thing that you were put on this planet to do, and a lot of people are put on this planet and they don't know, it's such a gift to find it.”
Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus speak to global music icon Chaka Khan about her life and career.
Born Yvette Marie Stevens in the US city of Chicago in 1953, her big break came at the age of 20 when her band Rufus signed its first record deal. With her powerful vocals and striking stage presence, she quickly caught the public’s attention.
The band enjoyed commercial and critical success in the years that followed, before Chaka decided to go it alone around a decade later… a decision which transformed her life and career.
Worldwide hits such as I’m Every Woman and I Feel For You followed, as well as collaborations with legends like Whitney Houston and Prince, multiple Grammy Awards, and an induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
As a new musical telling her story begins its run, the 73-year-old has a lot to reflect on.
Thank you to the Sidetracked team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, and artist Tracey Emin. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presenters: Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus Producers: Ben Cooper, Gráinne Morrison and Christine Czerniec Editor: Damon Rose
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
(Image: Chaka Khan. Credit: Getty)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.6 | Hello, I am Nick Grimshaw from the BBC, |
| 0:09.3 | and this is the interview from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:13.4 | The best conversations coming out of the BBC, |
| 0:16.8 | people shaping our world from all over the world. |
| 0:21.4 | If you're not a little bit afraid, then you're not paying attention. |
| 0:26.1 | We have never seen a people so united. |
| 0:29.7 | Do not make that boat crossing. Do not make that journey. |
| 0:32.4 | Being born in America, feeling American, having people treat me like I'm not. |
| 0:36.5 | We're more popular than populism. |
| 0:39.3 | For this interview, Annie McManus and I met the legendary American singer-songwriter and |
| 0:45.8 | Queen of Funk, Shaka Khan, here at the BBC in London. |
| 0:50.6 | Born Yvette Marie Stevens in 1953, she endured a troubled childhood growing up in the US |
| 0:57.8 | city of Chicago, Illinois, and after being introduced to jazz by her grandmother at a young age, |
| 1:03.7 | music soon became her escape. Shaka's big break came at the age of just 20 when her band, |
| 1:10.3 | Rufus signed its first record deal. |
| 1:13.4 | With a powerful vocals and incredible striking stage presence, she quickly caught the public's attention. |
| 1:21.4 | The band whose hits include Ain't No Body, enjoyed commercial and critical success in the years that followed, winning a Grammy Award, |
| 1:29.7 | seeing six albums go platinum and working with Stevie Wonder. Despite this, the band and their |
| 1:36.6 | lead singer gradually drifted apart, with Shaka deciding to go it alone around a decade later, |
| 1:43.6 | a decision which transformed her life and career. |
| 1:47.6 | She went on to have huge worldwide hits such as I'm Every Woman and I Feel for You, |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 17 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.