Chaka Khan Shares Advice For Aspiring Singers Ahead Of 70th Birthday: 'You Have To Do It'

Chaka Khan has offered some life lessons to those who want to follow in her footsteps.

Khan, who turns 70 years old next month, started her career in the 1970s and earned the title "Queen of Funk" after releasing hits such as "I'm Every Woman" and "Through the Fire."

After five decades in the industry, the 10-time Grammy winner offered advice to aspiring singers.

"I keep telling these kids, they want to know what should they do if they have a calling or a dream," she told Entertainment Tonight. "The thing is, if you have a calling or a dream, you're either going to realize it or you're going to crash and burn; kill yourself or kill somebody else or something, you know? You're gonna have to do it, it has to be done. Or you have to pick something else. Because the calling is just the calling. It's that simple. It's bigger than you. So, you have to do it. And if you don't, the post office is always hiring."

When she was first starting out as a singer, Khan said she yearned for the simple things. "Just give me some people to sing to, give me some people to play for, give me some people to share, to love on is basically what it boils down to," she shared.

The legendary singer shared similar advice for budding artists during a November 2022 appearance on "The Jennifer Hudson Show."

Khan said that "if you have a calling," it "can't be denied," adding: "Either you answer that calling, in any way possible, or you're going to spontaneously combust."

However, she also said that it's always good to have a backup plan. "Have your heart's desire and the calling that you know come to a higher place. But then find the next best thing to that," she added. "So that you have some choices in life. It's always good to have a what-if."

During her chat with ET, Khan also talked about her mentor, friend and collaborator, the legendary record producer-songwriter Quincy Jones, who will turn 90 eight days before her 70th birthday.

"He's gonna make it to at least 110," Khan said of the man she first collaborated with for the 1978 hit "Stuff Like That."

"That maybe the birthdays will seem a little further apart," she said of her birthday wish for Jones. "That it doesn't seem like they're coming every five minutes. I know he's feeling that by now. Because I sure am! I'm like, 'Again?!'"

As for Jones calling her one of the most soulful creatures on the planet, Khan said, "I like that tag. I can live with that one."

Khan currently has several projects in the works, including an homage album with Joni Mitchell. She described the upcoming project as like a "Chaka Khan and Friends" tribute.

"I think I may do that," she told ET. "My daughter, who's a great singer, also grew up on her. I'd be remiss not to use her on the CD as well."