The long-awaited showdown of the vocal divas is going down on Verzuz with legendary singers– Chaka Khan and Stephanie Mills.
Versus’s official Twitter account dropped the exciting news on November 13. On November 18, the upcoming showdown is touted as a “holiday special for the queens.”
“A night for the QUEENS!! Chaka Khan vs. Stephanie Mills LIVE from LA! 11/18 5 PM PT.”
“This special Holiday #VERZUZ is brought to you by #HallmarkMahogany. Use code Sign & Send™ to drop a handwritten note into a real Mahogany card this Holiday Season.”
A night for the QUEENS!! Chaka Khan vs Stephanie Mills 🔥 LIVE from LA! 11/18 5PM PT
🎟 https://t.co/hViUguBvSLThis special Holiday #VERZUZ is brought to you by #HallmarkMahogany. Use code Sign & Send™, to drop a handwritten note into a real Mahogany card this Holiday Season. pic.twitter.com/x4enN0yfOL
— VERZUZ (@verzuzonline) November 14, 2021
In June, Mills appeared on The Breakfast Club and spoke about a potential Verzuz against Khan but claimed she was shut down by the competition’s organizers.
“We tried. George [Fuller]—who’s Chaka’s manager—and my manager [Amp Harris] reached out to them, but they weren’t interested,” she said. “Chaka was interested. We were willing to do it. The Verzuz people weren’t interested. Yeah, they weren’t interested.”
“But I wouldn’t do it now anyway,” she expressed to Charlamagne tha God.
Unbeknownst to the “Comfort of a Man” singer, conversations about the battle were brewing in the background. Mills’ manager approached the legendary vocalist and revealed that he and the Verzuz team arranged the shown down between her and the “I Feel For You” singer.
“Oh, now they wanna do it?” she said. “I don’t wanna do it.”
Luckily, she had a change of heart.
Although some folks called out their respective faves, reactions on social media to the upcoming battle were of excitement and respect.
Ya’ll not ready….❤️#ChakaKhan #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/TdxauUHK5g
— Shanda Salters (@ShandaSalters) November 14, 2021
When you reach this level of royalty it’s more celebration than competition pic.twitter.com/3HwuSb6EqB
— THEE #WearYoFuckinMaskAndGetVaccinated 🤔✊🏾 (@sephius1999) November 14, 2021
Tell Me Something Good
Written by Stevie Wonder
1974
Chaka and RufusWatcha Gonna Do with my Lovin
1979
StephanieBoth ladies are amazing
❤️🎶💔— TinaMarie🌴🌊 🌈Mom, Music 🎸,♥️ Animals 🐈🐕🐇🐎 (@LarrabeeNed) November 14, 2021
Y’all bringing the heat…. pic.twitter.com/uuar6CWuIe
— The Artist Lisa Love (@LiLiWhittWhitt) November 14, 2021
I’m bout to be in this Verzuz like…. Y’all think I’m playing!! pic.twitter.com/7lPHGL79oq
— Keka Araújo (@KAraujoNWT) November 14, 2021
Manifestation is real ppl. pic.twitter.com/06Y4tRP9ar
— Poetic Monologues (@PoeticMonologu1) November 14, 2021
Both singers are icons in their own right. Mills’ career spans five decades, and Khan’s spans almost 50 years. Khan has been nominated for 22 Grammys and has won ten. Mills has won one and been nominated three times.
We’ll definitely be tuning in to this showdown.