Who was Alfa Anderson? Tributes pour in as Disco star and Chic vocalist dies aged 78 

Singer Alfa Anderson recently passed away on December 17, 2024, at the age of 78. She gained recognition for her contributions to the disco band Chic and collaborated with many artists throughout her career, such as Gregory Hines and Sheena Easton. Her credits included a popular disco track, Le freak, c'est chic.

Her cause of death remains unknown, and updates are awaited. Chic founder Nile Rodgers paid tribute to Anderson on Instagram with a video showcasing highlights of her career, accompanied by a heartfelt message.

"Thank you for everything," wrote Nile Rodgers.

Furthermore, Alfa Anderson's fans took to the comments section of Niles' post to express their grief over her death. Netizens were spotted praising Alfa's work in the musical world, with a few of them praising her voice and stage presence.

Online tributes (Images via Instagram/nilerodgers)

Online tributes (Images via Instagram/nilerodgers)

According to Pop Matters magazine, she was pursuing a successful career in the music industry when she decided to obtain another master's degree in educational leadership. She had originally completed the same degree in English at Teachers College, Columbia University. While speaking to Pop Matters in 2013, Alfa opened up on the significance of her name as she stated:

"I was the first child, the alpha child, but my parents spelled Alfa with an "f" rather than the more traditional "ph" in honor of my father, Alfonso."

She mentioned during the conversation that when she came to Washington, D.C. from Augusta, Georgia, she found that the accent was different and it sounded "sophisticated" when she heard it at first.

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Alfa Anderson remained associated with Chic for a long time: Career and other details explained

The Augusta, Georgia native had an opportunity to work on the most successful projects of Chic throughout her career. According to Alfa's official website, she worked with several artists during the '70s before joining Chic and gave her voice on the soundtrack of the 1978 fantasy adventure film, The Wiz.

Alfa Anderson told Pop Matters Magazine in 2013 that her mother used to sing and there was a piano in her house. She revealed that she used to play saxophone at high school. Alfa recalled the time when she began taking her musical career seriously and said:

"When I went to Paine College I started singing in the choir. That experience re-ignited my passion for singing. I also joined the choir at Columbia University's Teachers College when I moved to New York to pursue a Masters degree."

Alfa Anderson's bio on her official website stated that she was once approached by the late record producer Luther Vandross to participate in a vocal session of Chic and the group featured only four members at the time. Her first song with Chic was Everybody Dance and following the success of the single, Anderson became a lead vocalist.

Alfa also went on tour with Chic during the '80s and worked with the band on albums such as C'est Chic and Risque. While the former managed to grab a specific position on various charts, including Billboard, the latter was certified Platinum by RIAA. As a member of Chic, she even had a chance to give her voice in the songs of films like Toy Story 3.

While Chic disbanded in 1983, Alfa Anderson launched another group called Voices of Shalom during the late '90s, with her husband Tinkr Barfield, as revealed on Anderson's official website. The band has two albums in its credits, starting with Messages in 1999, followed by Daily Bread in 2005.

Furthermore, Alfa Anderson collaborated with other artists on their albums. The list includes popular faces such as Mick Jagger, Billy Squier, and Jody Watley. Although the bands did not exist for a long time, Alfa continued performing at various places around the world, including the Central Park SummerStage and The Cutting Room in New York City.