Culture

Alexandra Burke to star as Chaka Khan in debut of musical celebrating the Queen of Funk

Monday, 27 October 2025 5:01AM UTC

Alexandra Burke is set to portray Chaka Khan in the world premiere of ‘I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical’, opening in London 2026, offering an intimate look into the legendary singer's life, career, and enduring legacy.

Singer Alexandra Burke is set to take on the role of Chaka Khan in the world premiere of the musical "I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical," which will open at London’s Peacock Theatre from March 5 to 28, 2026. Burke, who gained fame after winning The X Factor in 2008, described portraying the “Queen of Funk” as a dream role, reflecting on her early career moments when she first auditioned singing Khan’s songs. The production will showcase Chaka Khan’s remarkable journey to stardom, her activism in civil rights, struggles within a challenging music industry, battles with addiction, and balancing the demands of being a working mother.

The musical promises to be a powerful tribute to Khan’s legacy, featuring her iconic hits such as “I’m Every Woman,” “Ain’t Nobody,” and “I Feel For You.” It aims to reveal the lesser-known facets of her life and artistry and comes with the official endorsement of Chaka Khan, though she will not appear in the show. The cast will be led by Alexandra Burke, who will portray Khan through various stages of her life, supported by a professional ensemble and live orchestration. Auditions for the role began in September 2025, seeking performers capable of representing the singer across her youth to her later years.

Alexandra Burke’s casting reflects her extensive experience and success in both music and theatre. Since her breakthrough, she has achieved three number one UK singles including the record-breaking “Hallelujah” and acclaimed tracks like “Bad Boys” and “Start Without You.” Burke has also become a prominent figure on the West End stage, with credits in major productions such as “The Bodyguard,” “Sister Act,” “Chess,” and “Chicago.” Additionally, Burke reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, further showcasing her versatility as a performer.

The musical’s narrative is expected to explore not only Khan's career highs but also the personal challenges she faced, lending depth and nuance to the portrayal. Burke’s personal connection to the role was highlighted in her statements about her late mother’s influence and the significance of this opportunity in her artistic journey. She encouraged audiences to dive beyond Khan’s well-known hits and discover the breadth of her musical catalogue, which includes both her solo work and collaborations with the band Rufus.

This production marks a significant moment for both Burke and the legacy of Chaka Khan, celebrating a vibrant and influential career through the dynamic lens of musical theatre. It stands poised to attract fans of Khan's music as well as theatre-goers seeking an inspiring and heartfelt story of perseverance, talent, and cultural impact.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] (Irish News), ^[2] (Evening Standard), ^[4] (I’m Every Woman Musical FAQs)
Paragraph 2 – ^[3] (I’m Every Woman Musical Casting), ^[4] (I’m Every Woman Musical FAQs), ^[7] (I’m Every Woman Musical About)
Paragraph 3 – ^[1] (Irish News), ^[5] (Alexandra Burke Official), ^[6] (Money Management UK)
Paragraph 4 – ^[1] (Irish News), ^[2] (Evening Standard)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.irishnews.com/entertainment/alexandra-burke-to-play-queen-of-funk-in-im-every-woman-the-chaka-khan-musical-ARDTL6LBBVIHRHHILUSQY3HYIU/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/alexandra-burke-queen-funk-london-west-end-b1255016.html - Alexandra Burke is set to portray Chaka Khan in the world premiere of 'I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical' at London's Peacock Theatre from March 5 to 28. The production will explore Khan's journey to stardom, highlighting her passion for civil rights, challenges in the music industry, battle with addiction, and experiences as a working mother. Burke expressed that playing Khan is a 'dream role' and reflects on her early audition for 'The X Factor' where she sang Chaka Khan's songs. ([standard.co.uk](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/alexandra-burke-queen-funk-london-west-end-b1255016.html?utm_source=openai))
https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/casting - The official casting call for 'I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical' is underway, seeking a leading lady to portray Chaka Khan across three different life stages, from age 16 to 70. Auditions commenced in September 2025 in London. ([imeverywomanmusical.com](https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/casting?utm_source=openai))
https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/faqs - The 'I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical' is scheduled for its world premiere at the Peacock Theatre in London from March 5 to 28, 2026. The production has received official endorsement from Chaka Khan, though she will not appear in the show. The musical will feature a professional cast and live orchestration. ([imeverywomanmusical.com](https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/faqs?utm_source=openai))
https://alexandraburkeofficial.com/about-alex/ - Alexandra Burke rose to prominence after winning the fifth series of 'The X Factor' in 2008. Her debut single, 'Hallelujah', set a European record by selling 105,000 copies in a single day and became the UK's Christmas number one in 2008. Her debut album, 'Overcome', debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and produced four number-one singles. ([alexandraburkeofficial.com](https://alexandraburkeofficial.com/about-alex/?utm_source=openai))
https://moneymanagementuk.com/talent/alexandra-burke - Alexandra Burke has sold over 5 million records in the UK and accumulated over 150 million streams. Her three studio albums—'Overcome' (2009), 'Heartbreak On Hold' (2012), and 'The Truth Is' (2018)—have produced hit singles such as 'Bad Boys' featuring Flo Rida and 'Start Without You' featuring Laza Morgan. She has also established herself as a leading lady in London's West End, starring in productions like 'The Bodyguard', 'Sister Act', 'Chess', and 'Chicago'. ([moneymanagementuk.com](https://moneymanagementuk.com/talent/alexandra-burke?utm_source=openai))
https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/about - 'I'm Every Woman: The Musical' brings to life the untold story of Chaka Khan, exploring her passion for civil rights, challenges in the music industry, battle with addiction, and experiences as a working mother. The production will feature Khan's iconic songs, including 'I Feel For You', 'Ain't Nobody', and 'Through The Fire'. The musical is scheduled to premiere at the Peacock Theatre in London in March 2026. ([imeverywomanmusical.com](https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/about?utm_source=openai))

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is based on a press release announcing the world premiere of 'I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical' at London's Peacock Theatre from March 5 to 28, 2026. This press release is dated October 2025, indicating high freshness. The report includes updated data and quotes, suggesting it is not recycled content. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative has not appeared elsewhere more than 7 days earlier. The inclusion of updated data alongside older material does not detract from its freshness. ([imeverywomanmusical.com](https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/faqs?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quotes from Alexandra Burke and Chaka Khan in the narrative are unique to this report. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating originality. No variations in quote wording were found.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from reputable sources, including the official website of the musical and established news outlets. The report mentions the official endorsement of Chaka Khan, though she will not appear in the show, which is consistent with information from the musical's official FAQ. ([imeverywomanmusical.com](https://www.imeverywomanmusical.com/faqs?utm_source=openai)) The casting of Alexandra Burke is also corroborated by multiple reputable sources.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims about the musical's premiere dates, casting, and content are consistent with information from multiple reputable sources. The narrative lacks excessive or off-topic detail and maintains a tone consistent with official announcements. No inconsistencies or suspicious elements were found.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is based on a recent press release announcing the world premiere of 'I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical' in March 2026. The quotes are original, and the sources are reputable. The claims are plausible and consistent with information from multiple reputable sources. No signs of disinformation or recycled content were found.

Musical theatre
Chaka Khan
Alexandra Burke