The Huffington Post caught up with the funk/R&B powerhouse as she discussed her celebratory homecoming, in addition to her stance on boycotting Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, and stopping gun violence in Chicago.
How does it feel to have your very own street named after you?
I feel like, now I’ve finally made it [Laughs], It’s a big thing. Especially for a city like Chicago wanting to name a street after me. I think it’s really, really special to me.
Early last month you were on hiatus due to vocal rest. How are you currently feeling?
It was just my voice. My voice doctor had said that I was working too much. He said, ‘just take a rest for a minute.’ So I did. And I’m so much better…we started to book my gigs with a little more compassion. I’m not working three or four nights in a row anymore.
What’s the latest status of your new album, “The iKhan Project”?
We’re just about finished. I have to go in and redo some vocals. That’s about it. It won’t be long. And it’s so good. It’s worth the wait.