Few voices in music can announce their arrival quite like Chaka Khan. More than five decades into her extraordinary career, the Queen of Funk is preparing to roar once again with CHAKZILLA, her first full-length studio album in seven years.
Scheduled for release on September 18, 2026, CHAKZILLA follows Khan’s 2019 album Hello Happiness. The ten-track collection finds the legendary singer embracing a vibrant mixture of funk, soul, R&B, disco and modern dance-pop. Produced by Greg Kurstin and created in close collaboration with singer-songwriter Sia, the album is designed to celebrate joy, freedom, self-love and the power of living life on your own terms.
The wonderfully over-the-top title came from Sia, who described Khan as the “Godzilla of chanteuses.” It is difficult to argue with that assessment. Khan possesses one of the most distinctive and commanding voices in popular music, capable of moving from a tender whisper to a volcanic belt without ever losing its warmth or personality.
The album’s title track turns that larger-than-life image into something positive. In the accompanying music video, Khan appears as a towering movie monster—but instead of destroying the city, she helps rebuild it. The playful concept reflects Khan’s lifelong love of Godzilla, Mothra and classic monster movies while presenting Chakzilla as a force for healing rather than chaos.
Sia co-wrote the energetic dance-pop track and provides background vocals. Their connection extends beyond the recording studio: Khan has become Sia’s godmother, and the two previously collaborated on “Immortal Queen” from Sia’s 2024 album Reasonable Woman.
Another early highlight is “Boogie’s in My Soul,” a celebratory collaboration with Snoop Dogg. His opening pays tribute to the famous “Chaka Khan” chant heard in her 1984 smash “I Feel for You,” creating a clever bridge between Khan’s groundbreaking past and her latest musical chapter. The song’s message is simple and infectious: recognize your worth, let your light shine and never lose the part of yourself that wants to dance.
The album also includes “Curious Subject,” “Cool U Down,” “I Know You Can,” “Heart of Gold,” “Now and Forever” and “Dreamy Stuff.” Sia and Lenny Kravitz are among the project’s featured collaborators, bringing additional pop and rock energy to Khan’s unmistakable funk foundation.
While the album welcomes contemporary production, CHAKZILLA is not an attempt to chase younger performers or recreate a fashionable sound. Khan has described the project as “ageless music,” and that may be the best way to understand it. These are songs built around movement, personality and emotional truth—the same qualities that have carried her from Rufus classics like “Tell Me Something Good” and “Sweet Thing” to solo anthems including “I’m Every Woman,” “Through the Fire” and “I Feel for You.”
At 73, Chaka Khan does not sound interested in quietly protecting her legacy. She is still creating, collaborating and having fun. CHAKZILLA celebrates survival without becoming overly sentimental about it. The album looks back just long enough to recognize the journey before turning toward the dance floor.
After more than 50 years, Chaka Khan remains exactly what the album’s title promises: enormous, unmistakable and impossible to ignore.
