Chaka Khan apologises for strong comments on Rolling Stone’s ‘greatest singers’ list

Chaka Khan has apologised after sharing her frank opinions on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

The soul vocalist, known for songs such as “I Feel For You” and “I’m Every Woman”, responded to the publication’s extensive ranking of singers during a recent podcast interview.

While she was ranked 29th in the list, published on New Year’s Day, Khan shared her distaste with artists such as Adele and Mariah Carey finishing in higher positions than her.

Speaking on the Los Angeles Magazine podcast The Originals, she joked about Carey’s fifth-place ranking as being “payola or some s*** like that” and threw her hands up at Adele being 22nd on the list, quipping: “OK, I quit.”

The singer’s takes on her musical colleagues caused a stir online after the podcast was published on Wednesday (1 March).

On Sunday (5 March), Khan (real name Yvette Marie Stevens) walked back her barbed words in an Instagram post, noting that she “took the bait” on a subjective topic.

“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” her apology begins.

“As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes’, ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful.

“It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologise.”

The 69-year-old singer ended her message by thanking those who have shown her love and support.

The Independent has previously contacted Rolling Stone and Adele and Mariah Carey’s representatives for comment.

Khan is far from the only person who has responded strongly to the music magazine’s ranking of singers. In January, Celine Dion fans gathered outside the publication’s offices in protest of Dion’s exclusion from the list.