Album of the Day

A hitmaker with Rufus in the 1970s, Chaka Khan branched into her own career gradually - her first four solo albums were all recorded while she was still nominally with Rufus. It was her fifth album, I FEEL FOR YOU, that really sealed the deal; the title track topped the U.K. singles chart and hit #3 in America. That song, a Prince cover featuring Stevie Wonder on harmonica and rapping from Grandmaster Melle Mel, showed Khan to be a powerhouse vocalist with a keen ear for material and willingness to swing for the fences in terms of arrangements. And that description holds throughout the 1984 album; tracks like "Through The Fire" and "This Is My Night" are as appealing as the set's biggest hit. With the platinum-certified I FEEL FOR YOU, Chaka Khan stepped confidently to the forefront of '80s electro-funk.