Hello Happiness is the twelfth studio album by American singer Chaka Khan, released on February 15, 2019.[3] It is her first new material since 2007's Funk This.[4] It includes the 2018 single "Like Sugar", and the second single, the title track "Hello Happiness".[3] "Hello Happiness" was first performed at the 2019 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.[5] The front cover photograph is Khan at 8525 Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.[6]

Hello Happiness
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 15, 2019 (2019-02-15)
Length27:10
Label
Producer
Chaka Khan chronology
Funk This
(2007)
Hello Happiness
(2019)
Singles from Hello Happiness
  1. "Like Sugar"
    Released: 21 April 2018[1]
  2. "Hello Happiness"
    Released: 1 January 2019[2]

Background edit

Khan stated that she did not stop making music following the release of Funk This, but "simply stopped releasing material", and also needed time to recover following the death of recording artist Prince in 2016, which she has said made her "rethink" herself and admit herself into rehab for addiction to prescription drugs.[4]

Music edit

The album features both a "contemporary" feeling as well as "strong echoes of the past, such as the late '70s New York disco scene".[3] About the lyrics of the title track, Khan said: "I think we need a shot of just not taking the little things so seriously. Little things are important. It's about the little things, but just flow." Khan co-wrote all the tracks on the album.[4]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic68/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [8]
Chicago Tribune    [9]
Exclaim!6/10[10]
Pitchfork5.9/10[11]

Hello Happiness received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 68 based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]

Track listing edit

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Hello Happiness"
3:56
2."Like a Lady"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • Sanford Livingston
  • Amy Stroup
  • Troydon Murison
  • Lincoln Cleary
  • Livingston
  • Switch
  • Ruba
  • Murison[b]
5:00
3."Don't Cha Know"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • Gill
  • Eli Winderman
3:18
4."Too Hot"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • Andrea Fratangelo
  • Murison
  • Cleary
  • Eddie Lee Langolis
  • Bot
  • Switch
  • Ruba
  • Khan[a]
3:45
5."Like Sugar"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • William Curtis
  • John Flippin
  • Switch
  • Ruba
3:59
6."Isn't That Enough"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • Switch
  • Ruba
  • Murison[b]
3:31
7."Ladylike"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • Stroup
  • Ricardo Rouse
  • Livingston
  • Switch
  • Ruba
  • Murison[b]
3:45
Total length:27:10
Japan bonus track[12]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
8."Like Sugar (Switch Remix)"
  • Stevens
  • D. Taylor
  • S. Taylor
  • William Curtis
  • John Flippin
  • Switch
  • Ruba
3:47
Total length:31:01

Charts edit

Chart (2019) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] 70
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] 178
Scottish Albums (OCC)[15] 10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 32
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 18
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[18] 48

Release history edit

Region Date Format(s) Label
Various February 15, 2019 Island
March 1, 2019 LP

References edit

  1. ^ "Discogs Like Sugar". Discogs. 21 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Discogs Hello Happiness single". Discogs. January 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Chaka Khan / Hello Happiness". Superdeluxeedition.com. 2 January 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Lennox, Mike Cidoni (December 28, 2018). "After a decade of dormancy, Chaka Khan blooms again". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  5. ^ Sexton, Paul (January 1, 2019). "Listen To Soul Queen Chaka Khan's New 'Hello Happiness' Single". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "Musical Maps".
  7. ^ a b "Reviews for Hello Happiness by Chaka Khan". Metacritic. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  8. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Hello Happiness - Chaka Khan". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  9. ^ Kot, Greg (February 15, 2019). "Chicago Tribune Review". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  10. ^ Harmony, Alundra (February 19, 2019). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  11. ^ Howard, Jackson (February 20, 2019). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  12. ^ "ハロー・ハピネス[SHM-CD][CD]" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  15. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  18. ^ "Chaka Khan Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.