"I'm Every Woman" is the debut solo single by American singer Chaka Khan from her debut solo studio albumChaka. It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album Masterjam was released in late 1979. The track was remixed and re-released in 1989 for Khan's remix album ; this mix reached number 8 in the United Kingdom. American singer Whitney Houston would later cover the song in 1992 with production by David Cole and Robert Clivillés and vocals produced by Narada Michael Walden, turning it into a much bigger hit for a new generation.
Chart performance
In the United States, "I'm Every Woman" reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Hot Soul Singles, and number thirty on the disco chart. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number eleven.
Music video
A music video was produced for Khan's version of "I'm Every Woman" at a time when the value of promotional films was increasing. The video, which features five dancing Chakas dressed in various outfits to represent "every woman," was made a few years before the onset of mainstream coverage of "music promos" through such outlets as MTV, VH1, and BET.
recorded "I'm Every Woman" for The Bodyguard soundtrack. Houston's version was produced by Narada Michael Walden, with additional production by David Cole and Robert Clivillés. It was released as Houston's second single from the soundtrack in January 1993. Her version adds the introduction "Whatever you want, whatever you need..." where Houston contributed to the song. A live performance was included in the 1999 release Divas Live '99 as a duet with Chaka Khan. A 1994 performance was included on the 2014 CD and DVD release, .
Release
When "I'm Every Woman" was released, Houston's preceding single, "I Will Always Love You," was still at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Houston's version of "I'm Every Woman" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in just its seventh and eighth week of release; remaining in the top 40 for nineteen weeks. The song became number one on the BillboardHot Dance Club Play chart, reached number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and cracked the top 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. Houston's cover was also a bigger international hit than the original version as it peaked within the top 5 in the UK and several other countries, and the top 20 in France, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. Contrary to popular belief, Houston did not perform backing vocals on Khan's original 1978 version. Chaka Khan confirmed this in an interview with Lester Holt in 2012. As a tribute to her, however, Houston proclaims Khan's name towards the end of the song.
Critical reception
Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote: "Though not as exuberantly sexy as the original, her version of Chaka Khan's 1978 hit, "I'm Every Woman," is a respectable imitation." AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the song: "especially her cover of "I'm Every Woman" are all first-rate urban pop songs that skillfully capture Houston at her best." Entertainment Weeklys Amy Linden praised the cover: "Just as triumphant is her tackling of Chaka Khan's signature tune, I'm Every Woman. To take on another diva's material requires the female equivalent of cojones, and Houston doesn't muck around with the original's overall tone or arrangement. But she sure does it justice, even adding a sly Chaka shout-out as the cut fades." Rolling Stone called this rendition an overwrought remake and that Whitney undermined her soul roots. A review on CD Universe is also a positive one: "Houston continues to mine her rich vein of ornate balladry and pop-flavored dance workouts on the Ashford & Simpson original "I'm Every Woman." USA Today praised the song too: "She adds surprises: Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman becomes sweaty house music."
After the popularity of the Whitney Houston version, The Oprah Winfrey Show unveiled its "I'm Every Woman" campaign in the 1993–94 season, using a cover version with remade lyrics in promos and an instrumental rendition used as the theme song. Girls Aloud covered "I'm Every Woman" on the UK Discomania album released in 2004. In 2006, it was recorded in the fifth season of American Idol by Mandisa, and put on the album . Country popsinger and songwriterTaylor Swift also recorded the song when she was trying to get a record label.
