Chaka Khan is sharing her thoughts on today’s pop stars and says too many performers are relying on everything except their voices.
During an appearance on Jessie Ware’s podcast, the 73-year-old music icon said modern concerts have changed dramatically since the start of her career.
“These women are doing any and every damn thing on stage and trying to sing, too,” Khan said.
The “I’m Every Woman” singer said she believes some performers use choreography and revealing performances to distract from weaker vocals.
“The ones who are doing the most physicalities, with their butts and stuff, and their body parts, are the ones that usually are compensating for what they don’t have,” she said.
Khan made the comments while discussing live performance with Jessie Ware, who had previously brought up similar remarks by Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills.
Khan agreed with the longtime singers, saying that for her, vocals always come first.
“[Have the] voice. Absolutely,” she said. “I came to sing, and I came to really do a good job.”
Chaka Khan first rose to fame in the 1970s as the lead singer of the funk band Rufus, scoring hits like “Tell Me Something Good” and “Ain’t Nobody”. She later launched a hugely successful solo career with songs including “I’m Every Woman,” “Through the Fire” and “I Feel for You.”
Over the course of her career, Khan has won 10 Grammy Awards and sold millions of records.