Dubbed as the official Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan burst onto the Chicago music scene when she was discovered by the funk band and Rock n Roll Hall of Famers “Rufus.” From then on it was only up. She even caught the attention of the notorious Ike Turner who asked her to become an Ikette. She declined and stuck to her own path.
The ten-time Grammy Award Winning vocalist is responsible for songs such as “I’m Every Woman” Tell Me Something Good, “Sweet Thing,” “Tell Me Something Good,” and much more.
Fiona Apple
Moving onto the slightly more eccentric, Fiona Apple gave a voice to the real alternative girl in the '90s. While everyone was bopping their little heads to the Spice Girls, Fiona Apple came out with "Criminal" an intimate and hypnotic song that probably filled the rooms and headphones of many brooding teen girls.
Of course, since then she's only grown, with her recent album "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" being a massive success. The talented singer and musician plays the piano, though on hearing songs like "Every Single Night" you'll find that her greatest instrument is quite simply, her vocals.
Mary J. Blige
Making great music means breaking boundaries. And that's exactly what Mary J. Blige. Making her mark during the era of the Hip Hop and R&B cross over, Blige, with her feminine touch and great vocals, added a whole lotta soul, to what was quickly becoming a sub-genre of new urban music.
The singer's music about survival and heartache deeply affected a generation, ultimately landing her the title of Queen of Hip-Hop-Soul. The singer managed to forge a career that was both mainstream and also appealing to R&B purists.
Dionne Warwick
Thie dynamite singer that was hugely popular during the 60s caused waves in the music industry. As a frequent collaborator with legendary musician Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick brought us countless hits such as "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Walk on By."
Warwick is considered one of the greatest female singers in history, and her legacy continues to this day. According to the charts, she is ranked among the 40 biggest hitmakers between the years 1955 and 1999, based on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Charts. That is an impressive career.
Carly Simon
With a net worth of $65 million, Carly Simon is not only exceptionally talented but incredibly wealthy. Known around the world as a very successful musician, singer/songwriter, and children's author, Carly Simon is New York-native that has a career spanning four decades. After dropping out of the prestigious Sarah Lawrence College to become a full-time musician, Simon wrote a number of hit songs in the 1970s.
With 13 of her songs becoming Top 40 hits, it's no wonder Simon was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. Carly Simon became the first performer ever to win a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Academy Award for one song written and performed by an artist. The song is the famous "Let the River Run," which was the featured song for the famous film, "Working Girl".