Chaka Khan has been selected as the newest music artist to oversee the planning and organization of the Meltdown festival at London’s Southbank Centre. This role has previously been held by renowned musicians such as David Bowie, Grace Jones, and Yoko Ono.
The festival is scheduled for June 14-23 and the lineup of artists is yet to be revealed. Khan expressed that the festival will be a combination of musical enchantment and community unity. They plan to bring the funk, rock every audience, and touch every heart.
The head of contemporary music at the Southbank Centre, Adem Holness, stated that he has recognized the significance of community, activism, love, and care to the artist. These concepts, along with exceptional music, will serve as the core of Meltdown.
Khan is celebrating her 50th anniversary in the music industry with a festival, commemorating the milestone she achieved last year, following the release of her first album with the R&B band Rufus in 1973. The band gained recognition in 1974 with the song “Tell Me Something Good” written by Stevie Wonder, and continued to achieve success with several platinum-selling albums before Khan embarked on a solo career.
In 1978, she released her first single “I’m Every Woman,” which remains a well-known song from the disco era. Her 1984 hit “I Feel for You” reached No. 1 in the UK and was popular worldwide. She has released 12 solo albums and continues to create new music. Last year, she collaborated with British indie band Bombay Bicycle Club on their track “Tekken 2.”
Last year’s Meltdown curator was Christine and the Queens, who booked artists including symphonic post-rockers Sigur Rós, art-poppers Django Django, and African pop stars Oxlade and Yemi Alade.
Source: theguardian.com
