Hello Happiness

Hello Happiness is the twelfth studio album by American singer Chaka Khan, released on February 15, 2019.[1] It is her first new material since 2007's Funk This.[2] It includes the 2018 single "Like Sugar", and the second single, the title track "Hello Happiness".[1] "Hello Happiness" was first performed at the 2019 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.[3]

Hello Happiness
Studio album by Chaka Khan
Released	February 15, 2019 (2019-02-15)
Length	27:10
Label	Diary Island
Producer	Switch Sarah Ruba
Chaka Khan chronology
Funk This (2007) Hello Happiness (2019)

Background

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.[2]

Music

The album features both a "contemporary" feeling as well as "strong echoes of the past, such as the late '70s New York disco scene".[1] 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.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	68/100[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
Chicago Tribune	[6]
Exclaim!	6/10[7]
Pitchfork	5.9/10[8]

Hello Happiness received generally mixed 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".[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Hello Happiness"	Yvette Stevens David Taylor Sarah Ruba Taylor Thomas Gill Samuel Wilkes	Switch Sarah Ruba	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	Switch Ruba Chaka Khan^[a] Murison^[a]	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:				27:14

Charts

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[9]	70
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10]	178
Scottish Albums (OCC)[11]	10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[12]	32
UK Albums (OCC)[13]	18
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[14]	48

Release history

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

References

1. "Chaka Khan / Hello Happiness". Superdeluxeedition.com. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
2. Lennox, Mike Cidoni (December 28, 2018). "After a decade of dormancy, Chaka Khan blooms again". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
3. Sexton, Paul (January 1, 2019). "Listen To Soul Queen Chaka Khan's New 'Hello Happiness' Single". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
4. "Reviews for Hello Happiness by Chaka Khan". Metacritic. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
5. Kellman, Andy. "Hello Happiness - Chaka Khan". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
6. Kot, Greg (February 15, 2019). "Chicago Tribune Review". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
7. Harmony, Alundra (February 19, 2019). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
8. Howard, Jackson (February 20, 2019). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
9. "Ultratop.be – Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
11. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
12. "Swisscharts.com – Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
13. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
14. "Chaka Khan Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.