Chaka Khan

An icon of R&B, vibrant singer Chaka Khan first came to attention as the vocalist for 1970s funk band Rufus, for whom she sang such enduring hits as "Tell Me Something Good" and "Sweet Thing." After Khan ventured into the inevitable solo career, the hits kept coming well into the '80s. In fact, the hip-hop-inflected smash "I Feel For You" brought her music to a whole new generation of listeners. Subsequently, Khan has proved herself more versatile than some ever might have guessed, even releasing an album of jazz standards in 2004.

• pop
• r&b/soul