Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Chaka Khan has unveiled the first official single from her newly-formed label, iKhan Records, along with an a cappella intro of “Through The Fire.”
Originally released in February 2016, the alternative mix of “I Love Myself” is the latest offering from the iconic soul/R&B songstress whose career spans five decades as a member of the group Rufus and solo artist known for chart-topping hits including “What Cha Gonna Do For Me?” “Clouds,” “Papillon,” “I Feel For You,” and “Through The Fire.” The single was co-written with singer/songwriter B. Slade and Eve Nelson.
“The lyrics to ‘I Love Myself’ give voice to the deeply personal and continuing journey of my life and the obstacles I continue to overcome both publicly and privately,” says Khan, noting that the past year has been particularly difficult because of the deaths of longtime friends such as Prince, Natalie Cole, and Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire. The famed singer and her sister Taka Boom entered rehab in 2016 due to an addiction to fentanyl, a powerful opioid painkiller, that caused Prince’s overdose.
Related: Read our 1999 interview with Prince conducted at Paisley Park
Khan adds, “Having come through all those things deepens the already universal message of ‘I Love Myself’ for me in ways I couldn’t have imagined a year ago when the song was originally slated for release. Loving yourself is a life-long process and even more so in the face of loss.”
A percentage of the song’s net proceeds will reportedly benefit two organizations that assist victims of domestic violence and discrimination, Face Forward and Stomp Out Bullying. The funds will be distributed through The Chaka Khan Foundation, which was formed in 1999.
Khan is currently on a European tour. She just performed at Secret Solstice in Reykjavik and has upcoming appearances at Park Life and Wild Life festivals in the U.K. Khan will then return stateside to take the stage at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 1.
We’re happy for new Chaka music, but here’s some of our all-time favorite Chaka moments!