Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" with Danyel Smith

One Song

Hartbeat

Music Commentary, Music Interviews, Onesong, Comedy, Music

4.9 • 876 Ratings

🗓️ 10 October 2024

⏱️ 87 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If there’s anything you want done, baby, just turn to a legendary artist who knows how to do it naturally. On this episode of One Song, award-winning journalist, author, and podcaster Danyel Smith (Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop) joins Diallo and LUXXURY to break down Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” the 1978 disco crossover hit that launched her incredibly successful solo career. They discuss Chaka’s powerful, dynamic vocal range (just wait until you hear the isolated stems!), how the song became an anthem for female empowerment (among many other things), and Chaka’s professional and personal connections with Whitney Houston, who famously covered the song 15 years later for The Bodyguard soundtrack.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Luxury. Today's song is from one of the most dynamic, most legendary singers of all time.
0:09.0	This disco crossover hit launched her solo career and reached number one on the Hot Soul singles chart in 1978.
0:16.0	And it's been deemed one of the greatest dance songs of all time. We know you've heard it in plenty of TV shows, movies, and parties.
0:23.0	That's right, Diallo.
0:23.6	Her song became an anthem for female empowerment, diversity, resilience, and self-love.
0:28.4	For five decades, she has been a trailblazer for women in music, breaking down barriers
0:32.2	with her dynamic voice and powerful stage presence.
0:35.4	Mm-hmm.
0:36.3	It's one song, and that song is I'm Every Woman by Shaka Khan.
0:41.0	I'm every woman, it's all in me.
0:51.0	I'm actor, writer, director, and sometimes DJ Diallo Riddle.
0:58.6	And I'm producer, DJ, songwriter, and musicologist, luxury, aka the guy who whispers
1:03.3	interpolation on the internet.
1:06.9	And if you want to watch one song, please go to our YouTube channel and watch this full episode.
1:12.7	All right, let's start.
1:13.8	We've done so many episodes of one song.
1:15.6	I don't think that I've ever met a member of any other band or like a recording artist.
1:21.7	But I've met Shaka.
1:22.9	I met Shaka.
1:23.5	I was behind her in line at the Fat Burger on Ventura Boulevard in beautiful Sherman
1:29.1	Oaks, California. And we talked for a little bit. She was super cool. You're so lucky. I'm so
1:33.5	jealous. I really am. I don't know why I love her so much, but I do. I wish I were there.
	...

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