Chic: Singer Alfa Anderson dies at the age of 78

Former Chic singer, Alfa Anderson, passed away on December 17, 2024 at the age of 78. Her bandmate Nile Rodgers confirmed the news on Instagram.

Farewell message from Nile Rodgers

“Thank you so much for everything,” co-founder of the band Chic wrote on his Instagram account on December 18th. The 72-year-old posted a clip with pictures of Anderson and the group to accompany the text. The disco group’s official Instagram channel is also linked. A cause of death has not yet been announced.

This is how Anderson’s chic career began

The “Good Times” interpreter was born on September 7, 1946 in Augusta, Georgia. Although she discovered her fascination with music as a child, she pursued a traditional career path after high school, teaching at Hunter College in New York City after earning her master’s degree. Nevertheless, the artist did not give up singing. That’s how she met the Chic singer Luther Vandross, who brought her together with founding members Rogders and Bernard Edwards in 1977. On the debut album CHIC, from the same year, Anderson can be heard as a background singer alongside Norma Jean Wright’s lead vocals.

After Wright left Chic for her solo career, Anderson was named the new frontwoman. The second record was released in 1978 and also contained the classic “Le Freak”, which even reached fifth place in the German charts for 22 weeks. In addition to her work on the albums, Anderson also appeared in television shows such as “Soul Train” and “The Midnight Special”. The musician also took part in several sessions produced by Chic. For example, Sister Sledge’s WE ARE FAMILY from 1979 or Diana Ross’s DIANA from 1980.

Anderson was a singer and teacher at the same time

After the band decided to break up in the mid-1980s, Anderson returned to school. She then became director of the El Puente Academy For Peace And Justice in Brooklyn. However, she didn’t stop making music. She self-published her solo album MUSIC FROM MY HEART in 2017.