Chaka Khan has achieved her second RIAA award of the year with “I’m Every Woman.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer‘s 1978 hit has been certified gold for selling over 500,000 equivalent units.
Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson penned the empowering track, which was the lead single from Khan’s gold-selling debut solo album, Chaka.
In a 2012 interview with Oprah, Simpson revealed how she and her husband came up with the song.
“I started playing these chords, and he said, ‘I’m every woman.’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ And he said, ‘I can’t feel the verse.’ I said, ‘Put your hand on your hip and dig into your feminine side. It’ll be there. Come on.’ And he just did. It just came out,” Simpson told Oprah.
“I’m Every Woman” spent three weeks atop Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart (now known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) and peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100.
Khan performed “I’m Every Woman” at the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special, which aired Sunday, Oct. 6 on CBS. Khan, joined by Sheila E. on the drums, closed out the ceremony, which also featured performances by Gladys Knight, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, RAYE, and more.
Khan, who is developing a musical inspired by “I’m Every Woman,” received an RIAA award earlier this month for “I Feel for You.”
Her beloved cover of Prince‘s 1979 track, which appeared on her 1984 album of the same name, was certified platinum. Per the RIAA, “I Feel for You” has sold over one million digital units. Khan received the certification for the Grammy-winning song on the 40th anniversary of I Feel for You (Oct. 1).
In 2023, Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody” achieved a platinum certification, marking their first-ever platinum award for a single.
Revisit Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” below.
