Op twintigjarige leeftijd werd zij zangeres bij de funkband Rufus. Dankzij Stevie Wonder brak ze in 1974 in de popmuziek door met het nummer Tell Me Something Good.
In de late jaren 70 scoorde zij een grote discohit met I'm Every Woman, een nummer dat later door Whitney Houston ten gehore werd gebracht. In de jaren 80 ging het succes verder met Ain't Nobody en een bewerking van een nummer van Prince, I Feel for You.
Op 3 december 2004 ontving zij een eredoctoraat van het Berklee College of Music.
In 2007 kwam Chaka Khan na een lange stilte terug met een nieuw album getiteld Funk This. Naast covers als Sign o' the Times van Prince en Castles Made of Sand van Jimi Hendrix, nam de 54-jarige zangeres voor het album ook een duet op met Mary J. Blige, Disrespectful.
In 2008 maakte zij haar debuut op Broadway. Ze was dat jaar vanaf 9 januari te zien als Sofia in de musical The Color Purple. De productie staat al bijna twee jaar in het Broadway Theatre in New York. In 2010 ontvangt Chaka Khan de Edison Jazz Oeuvreprijs 2010 in het Muziekcentrum Frits PhShe was 19 when she signed her first record contract. In 1973, Gloria made history as Billboard gave birth to the Disco Action Charts. "Never Can Say Good-Bye" bowed at #1 on the charts and became the first Dance Song to reach #1 status in dance music. Ever since that time, for more than 30 years, Gloria keeps setting the standard. In March of 2001, her single, "Just Keep Thinkin’ About You," topped the Billboard Dance/Club charts at #1, while her international hit "Last Night" with Giorgio Moroder debuted at #1 throughout Europe. In keeping with the theme of #1, Gloria Gaynor was the first to record an album especially for clubs, and the first to do a mega-extended dance medley party mix, releasing 12" dance singles that are now high-end collectors items.
In September 2002, Logic Records/BMG released the highly anticipated U.S. LP entitled "I Wish You Love." That was her first worldwide release in 15 years. It gave birth to 4 #1 dance singles on Billboards Dance Charts as well as her first top ten, "I Never Knew", on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Charts. She also recorded a new version of "I Will Survive" in Spanglish, recorded live in Brazil.
Her popularity has continuously flourished into the new millennium. In 2002, she was honored at the World Music Awards in Monte Carlo with the coveted LEGEND award presented by long time fan Prince Albert. She made a splash on Broadway in the longest running musical revue, "Smokey Joe’s Café", and on national TV, as a guest star on such popular programs as "That ‘70’s Show" , "Ally McBeal" and more, introducing her to a whole new generation of fans.

lips te Eindhoven.