Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" with Danyel Smith
4/9/20261 hr 29 min
We're revisiting one of our favorite episodes of One Song this week featuring award-winning journalist, author, and podcaster Danyel Smith (Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop). Danyel 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...
Clips
Showing 10 of 15Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDiallo Riddle· Host0:00
Hey, One Song Nation. This week we are revisiting another of our favorite episodes where we break down Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman.
Blake "LUXXURY" Robin· Host0:07
And to help us break it down, we had our good friend, the journalist and podcaster Danielle Smith, join the show. And spoiler alert, the power of Chaka's isolated vocals brought a tear to the eyes of everyone in the room.
Diallo Riddle· Host0:18
That's right. We'll be back next week with a very unique episode, but until then, enjoy our One Song episode on I'm Every Woman. Luxury, today's song is from one of the most dynamic, most legendary singers of all time. This disco crossover hit launched her solo career and reached number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in 1978, 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.
Blake "LUXXURY" Robin· Host0:49
That's right, Diallo. Her song became an anthem for female empowerment, diversity, resilience, and self-love. For five decades, she has been a trailblazer for women in music, breaking down barriers with her dynamic voice and powerful stage presence.
Diallo Riddle· Host1:02
Mm-hmm. It's One Song, and that song is I'm Every Woman by Chaka Khan.
Blake "LUXXURY" Robin· Host1:06
Chaka Khan.
Diallo Riddle· Host1:06
[upbeat music] I'm actor, writer, director, and sometimes DJ, Diallo Riddle.
Blake "LUXXURY" Robin· Host1:15
And I'm producer, DJ, songwriter, and musicologist, Luxury, AKA the guy who whispers, "Interpolation," on the internet.
Diallo Riddle· Host1:22
[laughs] And if you wanna watch One Song, please go to our YouTube channel and watch this full episode. All right, let's start.
Blake "LUXXURY" Robin· Host1:29
Okay. Well,