Yvette Marie Stevens was born on March 23, 1953 on Chicago’s rough-and-tumble South Side. The eldest of five children, by the age of 11 this spirited youngster and her sister had already formed their own band. At 16, after a violent row with her mother, Yvette (now dubbed Chaka, or “woman of fire” by a Yoruba priest), left home and disappeared into Chicago’s club scene, singing wherever she could.
In 1972, members of the local funk band Rufus, blown away by her show-stopping voice, asked Chaka to be their lead singer. One day they were rehearsing in a studio session when the celebrated Stevie Wonder paid them a surprise visit. He sat down at the piano and played a new original composition, which he then offered to the group. Nineteen, pregnant and a wee bit cranky, the still-unknown Chaka was underwhelmed. She turned to the superstar and blurted out, “I don’t like it. What else you got?”
You could have heard a pin drop. But Wonder was amused. He asked her birth sign; she said Aries. He smiled and said he had just the right song for her. Then he sat back down to play the rip-roaring funk anthem, “Tell Me Something Good.” The song became Rufus’s breakout hit. It spent 17 weeks on the Hot 100 and was certified gold in August, 1974. That year, Chaka Khan won the Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance. Her subsequent hits such as “I’m Every Woman” and “I Feel for You” cemented Chaka’s status as a star. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
This is what Aries is capable of, especially when the Sun or Moon are in that fiery sign. And we’re about to get a potent display of it at the Aries Full Moon (Sept. 26, 9:49 a.m. PT). When the Moon is in this feisty sign at the Harvest Full Moon, things come to fruition. Aries is assertive and spontaneous. But a full moon is always a balancing act, in this case with the Libra Sun – an airy, intelligent sign which brings thoughtfulness and compromise to balance out the Aries fire.
This lunation happens just after the Sept. 22 Equinox, when the Sun enters Libra to begin the new season. Now, what we discover through relationships can change our understanding of who we are. The Libra ruler, Venus, has recently entered Scorpio, and is swimming through murky territory she’ll revisit during her upcoming retrograde (Oct. 3 – Nov. 13). She’s taking us beneath the surface of issues related to trust, intimacy, desire, power and the fear of loss. Relationships – including the one with yourself – could become intense or imponderable. Tread carefully and assume nothing, especially with new connections.
This lunation is complicated by the fact that Neptune is only one degree away from the Moon at 3 Aries. Neptune is a mixed bag; dreamy and inspirational, yet sometimes escapist or deceitful. Combined with the impulsivity of Aries, this reminds us all – especially Aries types – to stay mindful to avoid capsizing the boat. Also, Saturn in Aries is eight degrees from the Moon. Laws will be enforced and boundaries upheld.
Mars at 29 Cancer rules this Full Moon. Mars at this final, anaretic degree brings a last gasp vibe that’s potent and emotional. The warrior has been traveling through watery Cancer, where he is out of his element, since Aug. 11. Look back to see what may have gotten stuck in your craw between then and now. At this lunation, you’re invited to recognize, then release it. Mars leaps into Leo the following day. The warrior will be far more comfortable in fiery Leo, where it’s possible for him to make real progress.
Near the Sept. 26 Full Moon, you may feel compelled to speak your mind. You might be tactful or you might blurt out your opinion in classic Aries style. It worked for Chaka Khan! If she hadn’t shared her truth with Stevie Wonder, then “Tell Me Something Good” might never have launched her career. Bluntness has its place and can be refreshing. Chaka is still going strong at 73, by the way, recording in the studio and headlining concerts, though no longer touring (too stressful, she reports). On Sept. 18, she released her thirteenth album, Chakzilla – catching the powerful wave of this Aries Full Moon. We all have fire somewhere in our charts. Now is the time to channel it our own unique way!
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