Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan is a seminal musician, singer, songwriter, and activist with a professional career spanning almost five decades.
After releasing multiple chart-topping records as part of the funk band Rufus – including their breakout hit, Tell Me Something Good – Chaka took a leap of faith and decided to go it alone.
Chaka Khan has sold more than 70 million records worldwide and is a ten-time Grammy Award-winner with multiple Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations.
Her solo career began in earnest in 1978 with the platinum single I’m Every Woman, hitting new heights with her 1984 album I Feel For You. Affectionately dubbed the “Queen of Funk”, Chaka has recorded and toured near continuously since the 1970s, collaborating with some of the largest and most respected artists of our time. She has sold more than 70 million records worldwide and is a ten-time Grammy Award winner and multiple Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee.
An artist of this caliber deserves a top-tier website and online presence – enter Gary Clarke. A long-time fan with experience at Warner Brothers and 10+ years spent in digital PR, social media, videography, photography, Clarke also boasts a background in IT and tech.
As a developer, WooCommerce is his go-to eCommerce solution for large-scale clients – including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and UCLA Graduate Educate School of Education Center X – who often have varying needs and use cases.
Chaka’s online presence has grown remarkably, with engagement and click-throughs on her site increasing to the tune of 300% in a little over three years
Perhaps it was Fate or Destiny when he joined the ChakaKhan.com team back in 2018 – either way, the results are impressive. Since Gary came on board, Chaka’s online presence has grown remarkably, with engagement and click-throughs on her site increasing to the tune of 300% in a little over three years. Now that’s something to sing about!
The site’s goals have evolved through time, especially when COVID hit and touring and live events came to a screeching halt. “The current focus is to use the site to sell merch (especially her signature fans), but like many businesses during the pandemic, supply issues have limited [our] growth,” Gary tells us. Despite these temporary challenges, online sales are solid and continue to grow – a testament to the Ain’t Nobody hitmaker’s enduring popularity.
The most rewarding part of his work? “Helping Chaka find new ways to reach audiences and expand the reach of her music, and finding creative ways to do this safely during COVID,” he smiles.
WooCommerce has an integral role to play here too. With the imminent return of live concerts, Gary believes that Chaka’s official site – along with the powerful duo of WooCommerce Payments and the Woo mobile app – has excellent potential to expand the business by offering tickets and merchandise sales online and in-person at touring events.
With Gary steering the ship, it’s safe to say that ChakaKhan.com will continue to hit the high notes for many years to come.