Recently, Chaka Khan wowed viewers by pouring every ounce of her vocal power into her 1984 classic “Through the Fire” on Colors, where she also introduced “Curious Subject,” one of the singles from her new album Chakzilla. Her voice remains in peak form, and while Chakzilla’s songs showcase her enduring range, the material this time around feels somewhat more conventional and less inspired than on her previous project.
It was back in 2019 that we first heard a new breath of life in her work with “Hello Happiness,” a album shaped in part by Switch that refreshed the Chicago-born icon’s sound and gave her a contemporary edge. The sultry single “Like Sugar” drew a certain buzz online, a momentum Chakzilla has not managed to replicate so far, even with the invaluable help of Sia.
Furler co-wrote the entire record, yet it is Khan’s vocal presence and Greg Kurstin’s polished production that deserve the greatest credit. Khan shines especially on the title track, where she becomes a night creature and a celebratory disco queen; on the summery “Boogie’s in My Soul,” with Snoop Dogg playing Snoop Dogg, and later in the energetic “Heart of Gold,” a pure disco rush. Is the standout the nocturnal Latin-house of “Curious Subject,” which lands with remarkable ease?
It’s reassuring to hear Chaka, the original interpreter of the enormous “I’m Every Woman,” make such a vocal imprint, because Sia’s influence is most felt on two of the weaker songs. While “Cool You Down,” where she is a guest artist, is a tolerable foray into mid-hip-hop pop, “I Always Love the Challenge” embodies Sia’s usual gambits, only this time the title feels ironical.
Chakzilla is far from the grandest pop challenge of 2026, as the songs and production come across as fairly formulaic. Nothing on Chakzilla exudes a strong spark of musical effervescence, though Khan’s powerful voice and the pleasant melodies are enough to sustain the listen. With ten tracks, it keeps things concise. The lineup includes agreeable but not particularly memorable midtempo disco numbers like the collaboration with Lenny Kravitz, “Bring the Party,” and the atmospheric amapiano closer “Dreamy Stuff,” which anchors the record in the present. Chakzilla isn’t her best album, but it serves to remind us that Chaka Khan remains a legend, at least.
