Who is she? A Grammy Award-winning R & B legend and major gay icon, born Yvette Marie Stevens in Chicago in 1953.

What is she famous for? She first found fame in the mid-70s with Rufus, one of the most successful funk groups of the time. They had a huge hit with You Got The Love. She’s also had a catalogue of solo hits including Ain’t Nobody and I’m Every Woman which was later covered by Whitney Houston. She’s also the new face of high street fashion chain Evans.

Distinguishing features? Big voice, big hair, big curves and even bigger attitude.

Career high? She has had an incredible 22 Grammy Award nominations, including three as a member of Rufus. She’s picked up 10 of them, most recently just last year when she won Best R & B Album for Funk This.

Career low? A dispute in the mid-90s with record company Warner Brothers – when Chaka was suffering substance abuse problems – did lead to an album, Dare You To Love Me, being postponed, then shelved.

Significant others? A teenage Chaka married Hassan Khan in 1970 but divorced within a year. She has two children, a daughter Milini and a son Damien. Her current partner is Doug Rasheed.

Not to be confused with? Jemima Khan, she’s Hugh Grant’s ex.

She says? “Getting a degree, being on Sesame Street ... those were real accomplishments to me.”

Interesting fact? In the mid-80s, Steven Spielberg approached Chaka and begged her to play Shug Avery in the film version of Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple, but she wasn’t interested. Referring to the character’s southern drawl, she told the director “I can’t talk in an accent like that,” and he couldn’t persuade her otherwise.

Chaka Khan joins Lulu and Anastacia in Here Come the Girls at the Philharmonic Hall on Tuesday Nov 24.