Chaka Khan loves touching her audience.

The 'Ain't Nobody' hitmaker has revealed she prefers playing intimate venues - in particular the iconic London jazz club Ronnie Scott's - because she feels closer to her audience and enjoys being able to reach out and touch her fans.

She told MTV: ''I love to touch the audience. When I played Ronnie Scott's, it was so intimate, I could really reach out and physically touch people.''

The 70s singer - who released her first solo single 'I'm Every Woman' in 1978 and fronted the funk band Rufus - made the admission during a quick fire interview with the music channel in which she also admitted her son, Damien, failed to recognise one of her most famous tracks 'Sweet Thing' when it was covered by R&B singer Mary Blige 18 years later.

She explained: ''I remember when my son came home from school and said, 'I just heard Sweet Thing by Mary J Blige'.

''I had to explain to him, 'Honey that's my song!'''

Despite enjoying a career that has spanned five decades, the 61-year-old singer admitted there were times when she thought about giving up music.

She said: ''There have been many times when I've thought... what the hell am I doing?

''Life has many faces. It's not an easy, sweet ride.''