Chaka Khan reveals why she rejected Glastonbury legends slot this year

4 April 2024, 13:30

The 'Queen of Funk' could have been heading to Worthy Farm.

When the Glastonbury Festival lineup was announced for the 2024 edition, the likes of Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and SZA appeared at the top of the bill.

Alongside them was Shania Twain, the 'Queen of Country Pop', who will take on the hallowed Legends Slot to bring 250,000 some much-needed joy after a heavy weekend of partying.

But according to a new interview, it could've looked very different, as Chaka Khan was offered the gig first.

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Talking to The Sun, the funk icon – who celebrates the 50th anniversary of her career in music this year – said she handed over duties to Shania.

The two divas were both reportedly in the running for the legend's slot, and as it turns out, Chaka stepped out of the race due to her chock-a-block touring schedule.

When asked about a potential visit to Worthy Farm in the future, Chaka replied: "Yeah, sure - I would love that."

"They did approach me but I can’t because of this," referring to her hectic schedule throughout 2024.

Chaka Khan is set to curate Meltdown Festival in London – following in the footsteps of previous curators like David Bowie, Nile Rodgers, Grace Jones, and Yoko Ono - as well as headlining Love Supreme Festival throughout the summer.

The funk and soul sister will be celebrating fifty years in music after her raucous R&B band Rufus broke through in 1974 with their album Tell Me Something Good.

Since then, she's gone on to release twelve studio albums, one of which has turned platinum, and has won ten Grammy Awards.

Cause for celebration indeed, but she's not done with making music just yet, having contributed guest vocals for UK indie group Bombay Bicycle Club's single 'Tekken 2'.

Chaka Khan - I Feel for You (Official Music Video) [HD Remaster]

She'll be taking iconic tracks like 'I Feel For You', 'I'm Every Woman', and 'Ain't Nobody' out on the road soon enough.

Chaka has always been a singular talent, and she recently remarked on the way the music industry encourages artists to compete rather than empower one another.

"Competition is just horrific and wrong," she told the Metro. "Right now, we need to start with this thing - which is something with each other.

"These labels and businesses count on who can (do better) - but there is no competition," she continued.

"Be honest and faithful to yourself and your self-expression and don't be afraid and don't be competitive."

"These days you just have to be about what your goals are about, and staying true to yourself. That’s a big thing to do."