Angélique Kidjo
Encyclopedia
Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, commonly known as Angélique Kidjo is a Grammy Award–winning Benin
oise singer-songwriter
and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music video
s. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has included Angelique in its list of the continent's 50 most iconic figures. The Guardian has listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World and Angelique is the first woman listed in Forbes Magazine's "The 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa"
Her musical influences include the Afropop
, Caribbean
zouk
, Congolese rumba
, jazz
, gospel
, and Latin
styles; as well as her childhood idols Bella Bellow
, James Brown, Aretha Franklin
, Jimi Hendrix
, Miriam Makeba
and Carlos Santana
. She has recorded George Gershwin
's "Summertime
", Jimi Hendrix
's "Voodoo Child
" and The Rolling Stones
' "Gimme Shelter
", and has collaborated with Dave Matthews
and the Dave Matthews Band
, Kelly Price
, Alicia Keys
, Branford Marsalis
, Robbie Nevil
, Peter Gabriel
, Bono
, Carlos Santana
, John Legend
, Herbie Hancock
and Cassandra Wilson
. Kidjo's hits include the songs "Agolo", "We We", "Adouma", "Wombo Lombo", "Afirika", "Batonga", and her version of "Malaika
".
Kidjo is fluent in Fon
, French
, Yorùbá
, and English
and sings in all four languages; she also has her own personal language which includes words that serve as song titles such as "Batonga". Malaika
is a song sung in Swahili
language. She often utilizes Benin's traditional Zilin vocal technique and jazz vocalese
. She now resides in New York City, New York, United States
, Benin
. Her father is from the Fon people
of Ouidah
and her mother from the Yoruba people
. She grew up listening to Beninese traditional music, Miriam Makeba
, James Brown
, Otis Redding
, Jimi Hendrix
, Stevie Wonder
, and Santana
.
By the time she was six, Kidjo was performing with her mother's theatre troupe, giving her an early appreciation for traditional music and dance. She started singing in her school band Les Sphinx and found success as a teenager with her adaptation of Miriam Makeba
's "Les Trois Z" which played on national radio. She recorded the album Pretty with the Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs Ninive, Gbe Agossi and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris
in 1983.
founder Chris Blackwell
who signed her in 1991. She recorded four albums for Island until Chris Blackwell's departure from the label. In 2000 she was signed in New York by Columbia Records
for which she recorded two albums.
and Manu DiBango
on saxophones. it was released worldwide in 1991 and reached number one on the Billboard World Music chart. Music videos for the singles "We We" and "Batonga" were released and Angélique made her first world tour, appearing at many festivals and headlining the Olympia Hall in Paris on October 31, 1992.
at Prince
's Paisley Park Studio
in Minneapolis and by Will Mowat at Soul To Soul studio in London. It includes the single "Agolo", which gave Angélique her first Grammy nomination.
, Branford Marsalis
, Kelly Price
and Kenny Kirkland
collaborated with Angelique on this project. The opening track is a cover of Jimi Hendrix
's "Voodoo Child".
and Vinicius Cantuaria. On the Brazilian version of the album Gilberto Gil
joined her on "Refavela" and Daniella Mercury on "Tumba". Dave Matthews
appears on the song "Iwoya".
from Los Lobos
and by the pianist Alberto Salas, released in 2004, Oyaya! mixes Latin and Caribbean music with African guitars. The French Guyanese Henri Salvador
, who was 86 at the time of the recording, joined Angélique on the song "Le Monde Comme Un Bebe".
on May 1, 2007. Many guests appear on the album including Josh Groban
, Carlos Santana
, Alicia Keys
, Joss Stone
, Peter Gabriel
, Amadou and Mariam, Ziggy Marley
, and Branford Marsalis
. The title refers to the sound of a bell in Africa that greets each new day. The album, produced by Tony Visconti
, won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music album and a Naacp Image Award for Outstanding World Music album.
song. Dianne Reeves
appears on Aretha Franklin's "Baby I Love You", Bono
and John Legend
on Curtis Mayfield
's "Move On Up, for which she recorded a video with the FELA! dancers and Roy Hargrove
on Santana
's Samba Pa Ti. Produced by Angélique and Jean Hebrail, the album was arranged in conjunction with the Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke
. Õÿö was nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album for the 53rd Grammy Awards.
Kidjo founded The Batonga Foundation which gives girls a secondary school and higher education so they can take the lead in changing Africa. The foundation is doing this by granting scholarships, building secondary schools, increasing enrollment, improving teaching standards, providing school supplies, supporting mentor programs, exploring alternative education models and advocating for community awareness of the value of education for girls.
She has campaigned for Oxfam
at the 2005 Hong Kong WTO meeting, for the their Fair Trade Campaign and travelled with them in North Kenya and at the border of Darfur and Chad with a group of women leaders in 2007 and participated to the video for the In My Name Campaign with Will I Am from The Black Eyed Peas
She has hosted the Mo Ibrahim Foundation
's Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in Alexandria, Egypt on November 26, 2007 and on November 15, 2008, in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on November 14, 2009 and in Mauritius Island on Nov 20th 2010. She hosted the "Africa Celebrates Democracy Concert" organized by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in Tunis on Nov 11th 2011 and sung at the Award Ceremony on Nov 12th.
More recently, since March 2009, Angélique Kidjo has been campaigning for "Africa for women's rights". This campaign was launched by The International Federation of Human Rights
(FIDH),
On September 28, 2009, UNICEF and Pampers launched a campaign to eradicate Tetanus "Give The Gift Of Life" and asked Angélique to produce the song You Can Count On Me to support the campaign. Each download of the song will donate a vaccine to a mother or a mother to be.
Along with Jessica Biel
and Peter Wentz
, she is one of the LiveEarth Ambassadors for the 2010 Run For Water events
Angélique has recorded a video based on her song Agolo and on the images of Yann Arthus-Bertrand
for the United Nations SEAL THE DEAL Campaign to prepare for the Copenhagen Climate Change summit.
The Commission of the African Union
(AU) announced on July 16, 2010, the appointment of Angelique Kidjo as one of the 14 Peace Ambassadors to support the implementation of the 2010 Year of Peace and Security programme.
Angelique appears in the Sudan365: Keep the Promise video to support the peace process in Darfur.
She also supports the Zeitz Foundation
, an organization focused on sustainable development
and conservation
.
In June 2010, she contributed the song "Leila" to the Enough Project
and Downtown Records
' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo’s women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
In 2011, she collaborated with Forró in the Dark and Brazilian Girls
on the track Aquele Abraço for the Red Hot Organization's
most recent charitable album "Red Hot + Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot + Rio
." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.
honoring Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo
and José Ramos-Horta for their work in East Timor
IN 1998, she was part of the Sarah McLachlan
's Lilith Fair
tour
In 2002 she performed in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert
honoring President Jimmy Carter
In February 2003, she performed a cover of Jimi Hendrix
's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
" at the famed Radio City Music Hall in New York City alongside Chicago blues guitar legend Buddy Guy
and New York rock guitarist Vernon Reid
(of Living Colour
) in what would become part of "Lightning In A Bottle: One Night In The History Of The Blues", a documentary about blues music that features live concert footage of other rock, rap, and blues greats.
In November, 2003 she sang with Peter Gabriel
and Youssou N'Dour
at the Cape Town 46664 concert for Nelson Mandela's Foundation.
In May 2004, she performed at the Quincy Jones
produced concert in Rome called We Are The Future in front of 400,000 people. The show took place at the Circus Maximus
with appearance from Oprah Winfrey
, Alicia Keys
, Andrea Bocelli
, Herbie Hancock
and other international stars.
In 2005, she appeared at the Africa Unite Live concert in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a concert to celebrate Hon Bob Marley's 60th birthday, and was a featured speaker at the conference of African Unity held along with the concert.
In March 2005, she appeared at the Africa Live concert in Dakar along with many great African stars in front of 50,000 people.
In June 2005, she was part of the Live 8 concert, Eden Project
hosted by Angelina Jolie
in Cornwall, UK.
In 2007, she covered John Lennon
's "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" for the CD Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
.
In 2007, she toured North America extensively with Josh Groban
's "Awake" show.
On July 7, 2007, Kidjo performed at the South African leg
of Live Earth
.
Annie Lennox
has joined forces with Angélique Kidjo and 22 other female artists to raise the awareness of the transmission of HIV to unborn children in Africa.
Kidjo was also a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards
to support independent artists' careers.
Angélique performed at the 75th Birthday Celebration of Quincy Jones
at the Montreux Jazz Festival
in July 2008
She made her Carnegie Hall
debut in New York on November 1, 2008
Her Royal Albert Hall
debut in London was on November 26, 2008 along with Hugh Masekela
for the "African Stars" concert benefitting VSO
She appears on the "Price of Silence" video produced by Amnesty International
to celebrate the 60 years of the Declaration of Human Rights
Along with Joan Baez
, Michael Franti
and Jackson Browne
, she performed at Peace Ball for Barack Obama
's inauguration in Washington, DC on January 20, 2009.
Angélique made her Sydney Opera House
debut in Australia on April 12, 2009
She appears in the theatrical performance of "Storie fantastiche dal delta del Niger" by Raffaele Curi for the Alda Fendi Experimenti Foundation in Roma in April 2009
Also in April 2009, she performed at Africa Day in The Hague, The Netherlands, showing her commitment to poverty reduction and supporting the work of the Evert Vermeer Foundation and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
. Angélique commented, “In the fight against poverty you need organisations like SNV
and the Evert Vermeer Foundation. SNV
with expertise on the ground and EVF convincing politicians to do more on sustainable development.” In July 2009, Angélique became a member of the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation International Advisory Board.
In Europe in July 2009, along with Dianne Reeves
, Lizz Wright
and Simone, Angélique was part of a touring tribute to Nina Simone
called "Sing The Truth"
In July, 2009 she sang a duet with Alicia Keys
at Radio City Hall in New York for the 46664 concert for Nelson Mandela
's Foundation
On August 28, 29 and 30, 2009,she participated to the Back2Black Festival devoted to African culture in Rio De Janeiro along with Gilberto Gil
, Youssou N'Dour
and Omara Portuondo
.
On September 25, 26 and 27, 2009, The Festival D'Ile De France in Paris asked Angélique to curate a tribute to her idol Miriam Makeba
at the Cirque d'hiver
. She invited Rokia Traore
, Dobet Gnaore, Sayon Bamba Camara, Vusi Mahlasela
, Asa
and Ayo
. She curated another version of the same show at the Barbican in London on November 21, 2009 in which Baaba Maal
replaced Rokia Traore
.
On October 23, 2009, she sung at the United Nations General Assembly
for the UN Day Concert, A Tribute to Peacekeeping with Nile Rodgers
, John McLaughlin
and Lang Lang
On December 4, 2009, in Cape Town, South Africa, she performed her song Agolo at the Final Draw of the Fifa World Cup 2010
On December 7, 2009, on the opening day of the UN Copenhagen Climate Change summit, Angelique sung, along with Anggun
, Shaggy
, Youssou N'Dour
and Cheb Khaled, at the Dance 4 Climate Change concert.
On February 15, 2010, Angélique performed in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics Games at the Place De La Francophonie
On February 28, 2010, she performed at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
, The Los Angeles Philharmonic concert hall designed by Frank Gehry
On June 10, 2010, she was part of the Official Kick-Off Celebration Concert of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
South Africa along with John Legend, Hugh Masekela, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Juanes and Black Eyed Peas
On June 17, 2010, she performed at Les FrancoFolies de Montréal
- the Montreal Francofolies festival of French-language music.
On August 30, 2010, Angelique sung at the 30th Anniversary celebration of Solidarnosc in the Polish city of Gdansk
produced by Bob Wilson
and Hal Willner
featuring Philip Glass
, Marianne Faithfull
, Rufus Wainwright
and Macy Gray
.
On November 11, 2010, Angelique presented her "Sound Of The Drum" show at Carnegie Hall
. The sold out concert featured special guests Youssou N'Dour
, Omara Portuondo
, Dianne Reeves
and guitarist Romero Lumbambo and told the story of the African roots of the music of the diaspora.
From December 10 until December 19, 2010, Angelique participated to the Fesman 2010, the World Festival of Black Arts
in Dakar, Senegal. The Festival is the third edition of a festival devoted to the African culture all over the world.
She was one of the performers at the BET Honours Awards in February 2011
On June 8, 2011, Angelique performed her most famous songs with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra
at the Philharmonie Luxembourg
Hall.
On October 1st, 2011, she created a special concert based on Beninese traditional songs with guest guitarist Lionel Loueke for the "Heroic Africans" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of New York.
On October 27th, 2011 Angelique performed at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival
in Qatar, following the screening of "Mama Africa", a documentary on Miriam Makeba's life.
Caro Diario by Nanni Moretti
My Favourite Season by André Téchiné
with Catherine Deneuve
and Daniel Auteuil
Ace Ventura with Jim Carrey
Streetfighter with Jean Claude Van Damme
The Air Up There with Kevin Bacon
Bimboland with Gerard Depardieu
Krippendorf Tribe with Richard Dreyfus
The Wild Thornberrys Movie
The Truth About Charlie
Sahara with Penélope Cruz
Changing Times by André Téchiné
with Gérard Depardieu
and Catherine Deneuve
Six Feet Under
Without A Trace
Blood Diamond (film)
with Djimon Hounsou
and Leonardo Di Caprio
Pray the Devil Back To Hell which won the prize for Best Documentary at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.
Who Does She Think She Is
Le Code A Changé by Danielle Thompson / Angélique is featured singing in the movie.
The Lion King 2
Later with Jools Holland
,
the Late Show with David Letterman
in 2007,
the Tonight show with Jay Leno
in 2007,
Now with Bill Moyers
in 2002
Politically Incorrect with Bill Mayer
in 2003
CBS Early Show in 2007.
She has been interviewed by Sir David Frost
for Al Jazeera in 2008 and Christine Amanpour for CNN in 2009.
She was the host of Tavis Smiley
on PBS in March 2010 and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
in July 2010
Grammy nominations include the Best Music Video
of 1995 and Best World Music Album
in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010 and 2007, for which she won.
Angélique Kidjo is the 4th laureate of the Antonio Carlos Jobim Award (2007). Created in 2004 on the 25th anniversary of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, each year the award is given to an artist distinguished in the field of world music whose influence on the evolution of jazz and cultural crossover is widely recognized.
(Agolo). Several of her singles have reached the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart. In 1996, Junior Vasquez
remixes of her song "Wombo Lombo" brought the song to #16. In 2002, King Britt
remixes of her single "Tumba" helped the song reach #26. "Agolo" was remixed by Mark Kinchen
, "Shango" was remixed by Junior Vasquez
, and "Conga Habanera" was remixed by Jez Colin.
"Salala" from Djin Djin
was remixed in 2007 by Junior Vasquez and Radioactive Sandwich.http://www.radioactivesandwich.com.
Move On Up was remixed by Radioclit, the team from The Very Best.
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
oise singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has included Angelique in its list of the continent's 50 most iconic figures. The Guardian has listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World and Angelique is the first woman listed in Forbes Magazine's "The 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa"
Her musical influences include the Afropop
African popular music
African popular music, like African traditional music, is vast and varied. Most contemporary genres of African popular music build on cross-pollination with western popular music. Many genres of popular music like blues, jazz, salsa zouk, and rumba derive to varying degrees on musical traditions...
, Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
zouk
Zouk
Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe & Martinique. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the...
, Congolese rumba
Soukous
Soukous is a dance music genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, and Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
styles; as well as her childhood idols Bella Bellow
Bella Bellow
Bella Bellow was a Togolese singer, who created an international career and recorded several albums. She died at the age of 27 in a car accident. She performed at the Paris Olympia and recorded with Manu Dibango. Angélique Kidjo and Afia Mala have been influenced by Bella Bellow.- References :...
, James Brown, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
and Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
. She has recorded George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
's "Summertime
Summertime (song)
"Summertime" is an aria composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward, the author of the novel Porgy on which the opera was based, although the song is also co-credited to Ira Gershwin by ASCAP....
", Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
's "Voodoo Child
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
"Voodoo Child " is the closing track on Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song is known for its wah-wah-heavy guitar work. It is #101 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs of all time....
" and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' "Gimme Shelter
Gimme Shelter
"Gimme Shelter" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1969 album Let It Bleed. Although the first word was spelled "Gimmie" on that album, subsequent recordings by the band and other musicians have made "Gimme" the customary spelling...
", and has collaborated with Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
and the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, Kelly Price
Kelly Price
Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
, Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
, Robbie Nevil
Robbie Nevil
Robert S. "Robbie" Nevil is an American pop singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist. He is best known for his 1986 Billboard Hot 100 #2 hit, "C'est La Vie".-Life and career:...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
, John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
and Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
. Kidjo's hits include the songs "Agolo", "We We", "Adouma", "Wombo Lombo", "Afirika", "Batonga", and her version of "Malaika
Malaika
Malaika, which means "angel" in Swahili , is the most famous love song in Kenyan pop music, as well as one of the most widely known Swahili songs...
".
Kidjo is fluent in Fon
Fon language
Fon is part of the Gbe language cluster and belongs to the Volta–Niger branch of the Niger–Congo languages. Fon is spoken mainly in Benin by approximately 1.7 million speakers, by the Fon people...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Yorùbá
Yoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
, and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and sings in all four languages; she also has her own personal language which includes words that serve as song titles such as "Batonga". Malaika
Malaika
Malaika, which means "angel" in Swahili , is the most famous love song in Kenyan pop music, as well as one of the most widely known Swahili songs...
is a song sung in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
language. She often utilizes Benin's traditional Zilin vocal technique and jazz vocalese
Vocalese
Vocalese is a style or genre of jazz singing wherein lyrics are written for melodies that were originally part of an all-instrumental composition or improvisation. Whereas scat singing uses improvised nonsense syllables, such as "bap ba dee dot bwee dee" in solos, vocalese uses lyrics, either...
. She now resides in New York City, New York, United States
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Early life
Kidjo was born in CotonouCotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
, Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. Her father is from the Fon people
Fon people
The Fon people, or Fon nu, are a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 3,500,000 people. The Fon language is the main language spoken in Southern Benin, and is a member of the Gbe language group...
of Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
and her mother from the Yoruba people
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
. She grew up listening to Beninese traditional music, Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
.
By the time she was six, Kidjo was performing with her mother's theatre troupe, giving her an early appreciation for traditional music and dance. She started singing in her school band Les Sphinx and found success as a teenager with her adaptation of Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
's "Les Trois Z" which played on national radio. She recorded the album Pretty with the Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs Ninive, Gbe Agossi and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1983.
Paris
While working various day jobs to pay for her tuition, Angélique studied music at the CIM, a reputable Jazz school in Paris where she met and married musician and producer Jean Hebrail with whom she has composed most of her music. She started out as a backup singer in local bands. In 1985, she became the frontsinger of the known Euro-African jazz/rock band Jasper van't Hof's Pili Pili. Three Pili Pili studio albums followed: Jakko (1987) Be In Two Minds (1988, produced by Marlon Klein) and Hotel Babo (1990). By the end of the 1980s, she had become one of the most popular live performers in Paris and recorded a solo album called Parakou for the Open Jazz Label. She was then discovered in Paris by Island RecordsIsland Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
founder Chris Blackwell
Chris Blackwell
Christopher Percy Gordon "Chris" Blackwell is a British record producer and businessman, who was the founder of Island Records, acknowledged as the most successful and groundbreaking independent record company in history. Blackwell has been a music industry mogul for over fifty years...
who signed her in 1991. She recorded four albums for Island until Chris Blackwell's departure from the label. In 2000 she was signed in New York by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
for which she recorded two albums.
Logozo
Her first album for Island Records was recorded between Miami and Paris and produced by Miami Sound Machine drummer Joe Galdo and featuring Branford MarsalisBranford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
and Manu DiBango
Manu Dibango
-External links:*...
on saxophones. it was released worldwide in 1991 and reached number one on the Billboard World Music chart. Music videos for the singles "We We" and "Batonga" were released and Angélique made her first world tour, appearing at many festivals and headlining the Olympia Hall in Paris on October 31, 1992.
Ayé
Released in 1994, the album Ayé was produced by David Z.David Z.
David Z is a music producer, engineer, mixer, and writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota who currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. He is most well known for his long-standing work with Prince, but has also contributed to award winning albums by Etta James, Billy Idol, BoDeans, Buddy Guy, Neneh...
at Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's Paisley Park Studio
Paisley Park Records
Paisley Park Records was Prince's record label, associated with and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album Purple Rain...
in Minneapolis and by Will Mowat at Soul To Soul studio in London. It includes the single "Agolo", which gave Angélique her first Grammy nomination.
Fifa
Angélique and Jean Hebrail traveled all over Benin in 1995 to record the traditional rhythms that would form the base for the Fifa album. Carlos Santana appears on "Naima", a piece Angélique wrote for her daughter. The single "Wombo Lombo" and its video was a big success all over Africa in 1996.Trilogy
In 1998 she started a trilogy of albums (Oremi, Black Ivory Soul and Oyaya) exploring the African roots of the music of the Americas.Oremi
Produced by Peter Mokran and Jean Hebrail, recorded in New York, Oremi is a collection of songs mixing African and African American influences. Cassandra WilsonCassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
, Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
, Kelly Price
Kelly Price
Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
and Kenny Kirkland
Kenny Kirkland
Kenneth David “Kenny” Kirkland was an American pianist/keyboardist. He is most often associated with Sting, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Kenny Garrett....
collaborated with Angelique on this project. The opening track is a cover of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
's "Voodoo Child".
Black Ivory Soul
In 2002 Angelique traveled to Salvador de Bahia to start recording the Axe percussion grooves for this album, based on Afro-Brazilian culture. She worked with songwriters Carlinhos BrownCarlinhos Brown
Carlinhos Brown is a Brazilian musician from Salvador, Bahia. He was born in Candeal Pequeno, a small neighbourhood in the Brotas area of Salvador de Bahia...
and Vinicius Cantuaria. On the Brazilian version of the album Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira , better known as Gilberto Gil or , is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment...
joined her on "Refavela" and Daniella Mercury on "Tumba". Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
appears on the song "Iwoya".
Oyaya!
Produced by Steve BerlinSteve Berlin
Steve Berlin is an American saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer, best known as a member of the rock group Los Lobos and, before that, Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs, The Blasters, and The Flesh Eaters...
from Los Lobos
Los Lobos
Los Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
and by the pianist Alberto Salas, released in 2004, Oyaya! mixes Latin and Caribbean music with African guitars. The French Guyanese Henri Salvador
Henri Salvador
Henri Salvador was a French Caribbean singer.-Biography:Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Indian from the Caribbean, were both from Guadeloupe, French West Indies...
, who was 86 at the time of the recording, joined Angélique on the song "Le Monde Comme Un Bebe".
Djin Djin
Angélique Kidjo released the album Djin DjinDjin Djin
Djin Djin is the eighth studio album by Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, released on April 27, 2007 on Razor & Tie. It won Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.-Track listing:#"Ae Ae" – 3:31...
on May 1, 2007. Many guests appear on the album including Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
, Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
, Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, Joss Stone
Joss Stone
Jocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Amadou and Mariam, Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
, and Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
. The title refers to the sound of a bell in Africa that greets each new day. The album, produced by Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
, won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music album and a Naacp Image Award for Outstanding World Music album.
Õÿö
Õÿö, released in Europe on January 19, 2010 and in America on April 6, 2010, pays tribute to the music of Angélique's childhood in Benin. It mixes traditional music, Miriam Makeba's songs, classic soul of the 60's and 70's and even a BollywoodBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
song. Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves is an American jazz singer. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado.-Early life:Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan to a very musical family. Her father, who died when she was two years old, was also a singer. Her mother, Vada Swanson, played trumpet. A cousin, George Duke, is a...
appears on Aretha Franklin's "Baby I Love You", Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
and John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
on Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
's "Move On Up, for which she recorded a video with the FELA! dancers and Roy Hargrove
Roy Hargrove
Roy Anthony Hargrove is an American jazz trumpeter. He won worldwide notice after winning two Grammy Awards for differing types of music, in 1997, and in 2002...
on Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
's Samba Pa Ti. Produced by Angélique and Jean Hebrail, the album was arranged in conjunction with the Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke
Lionel Loueke
Lionel Loueke is a guitarist born in the west African country of Benin. He moved to Ivory Coast in 1990 to study at the National Institute of Art. He attended the American School of Modern Music in Paris, France from 1994-1998...
. Õÿö was nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album for the 53rd Grammy Awards.
Advocacy
She has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002. With UNICEF, she has travelled to many countries in Africa. Reports on her visits can be found on the UNICEF site: Benin, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Syria, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Haiti.Kidjo founded The Batonga Foundation which gives girls a secondary school and higher education so they can take the lead in changing Africa. The foundation is doing this by granting scholarships, building secondary schools, increasing enrollment, improving teaching standards, providing school supplies, supporting mentor programs, exploring alternative education models and advocating for community awareness of the value of education for girls.
She has campaigned for Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
at the 2005 Hong Kong WTO meeting, for the their Fair Trade Campaign and travelled with them in North Kenya and at the border of Darfur and Chad with a group of women leaders in 2007 and participated to the video for the In My Name Campaign with Will I Am from The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
She has hosted the Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Mo Ibrahim Foundation
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was launched in October 2006 to support good governance and great leadership in Africa.It was founded by Dr.Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese philanthropist and businessman who founded telecommunications company Celtel International in 1998....
's Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in Alexandria, Egypt on November 26, 2007 and on November 15, 2008, in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on November 14, 2009 and in Mauritius Island on Nov 20th 2010. She hosted the "Africa Celebrates Democracy Concert" organized by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in Tunis on Nov 11th 2011 and sung at the Award Ceremony on Nov 12th.
More recently, since March 2009, Angélique Kidjo has been campaigning for "Africa for women's rights". This campaign was launched by The International Federation of Human Rights
International Federation of Human Rights
The International Federation for Human Rights is a non-governmental federation for human rights organizations. Founded in 1922, FIDH is the oldest international human rights organisation worldwide and today brings together 164 member organisations in over 100 countries.FIDH is nonpartisan,...
(FIDH),
On September 28, 2009, UNICEF and Pampers launched a campaign to eradicate Tetanus "Give The Gift Of Life" and asked Angélique to produce the song You Can Count On Me to support the campaign. Each download of the song will donate a vaccine to a mother or a mother to be.
Along with Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
and Peter Wentz
Peter Wentz
Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III better known as Pete Wentz, is an American musician best known for being the bassist and primary lyricist for the American rock band Fall Out Boy. Since the announcement of Fall Out Boy's indefinite hiatus, Wentz has formed the experimental electropop group Black Cards...
, she is one of the LiveEarth Ambassadors for the 2010 Run For Water events
Angélique has recorded a video based on her song Agolo and on the images of Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a French photographer, journalist, reporter and environmentalist.- Early life :Yann Arthus-Bertrand was born in Paris on March 13, 1946 in a renowned jewellers' family founded in 1803 by Claude Arthus-Bertrand and Michel-Ange Marion. His sister Catherine is one of his...
for the United Nations SEAL THE DEAL Campaign to prepare for the Copenhagen Climate Change summit.
The Commission of the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
(AU) announced on July 16, 2010, the appointment of Angelique Kidjo as one of the 14 Peace Ambassadors to support the implementation of the 2010 Year of Peace and Security programme.
Angelique appears in the Sudan365: Keep the Promise video to support the peace process in Darfur.
She also supports the Zeitz Foundation
Zeitz Foundation
The Zeitz Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Germany and headquartered in Kenya with representation in the United States and the United Kingdom...
, an organization focused on sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
and conservation
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
.
In June 2010, she contributed the song "Leila" to the Enough Project
Enough Project
Enough is a project of the Center for American Progress , based in Washington, D.C., created to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Its Co-Founders are John Prendergast and Gayle Smith; its Executive Director is John C. Bradshaw, J.D....
and Downtown Records
Downtown Records
Downtown Records is a record label owned and operated by Downtown Music LLC. Music on the Downtown label is distributed by Universal Music's Fontana Distribution and, for certain releases, as a joint venture with Atlantic Records and also for select releases, by Alternative Distribution Alliance...
' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo’s women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
In 2011, she collaborated with Forró in the Dark and Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls was a band from New York City known for their eclectic blend of electronic dance music with musical styles as diverse as tango, chanson, house, reggae and lounge. None of the members are actually from Brazil and the only female in the band is Sabina Sciubba. Other members include...
on the track Aquele Abraço for the Red Hot Organization's
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
most recent charitable album "Red Hot + Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot + Rio
Red Hot + Rio
Red Hot + Rio is a compilation album produced by Paul Heck as part of the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series intended to promote AIDS awareness. This installment is a contemporary tribute to the Bossa nova sound, especially the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim...
." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.
Special Concerts
In 1996 she performed in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize ConcertNobel Peace Prize Concert
The Nobel Peace Prize Concert has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, one day after the date of Alfred Nobel's death, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in the Oslo City Hall, while the concert is in the Oslo Spektrum Arena, with the...
honoring Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo SDB, GCL is an East Timorese Roman Catholic bishop. Along with José Ramos-Horta, he received the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for work "towards a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor."...
and José Ramos-Horta for their work in East Timor
IN 1998, she was part of the Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
's Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
tour
In 2002 she performed in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert
Nobel Peace Prize Concert
The Nobel Peace Prize Concert has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, one day after the date of Alfred Nobel's death, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in the Oslo City Hall, while the concert is in the Oslo Spektrum Arena, with the...
honoring President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
In February 2003, she performed a cover of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
"Voodoo Child " is the closing track on Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song is known for its wah-wah-heavy guitar work. It is #101 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs of all time....
" at the famed Radio City Music Hall in New York City alongside Chicago blues guitar legend Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
and New York rock guitarist Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid is an English-born American guitarist, songwriter, composer, and bandleader. Best known as the founder and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Living Colour, Reid was named #66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.Critic Steve Huey writes, "[Reid's]...
(of Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
) in what would become part of "Lightning In A Bottle: One Night In The History Of The Blues", a documentary about blues music that features live concert footage of other rock, rap, and blues greats.
In November, 2003 she sang with Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
and Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
at the Cape Town 46664 concert for Nelson Mandela's Foundation.
In May 2004, she performed at the Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
produced concert in Rome called We Are The Future in front of 400,000 people. The show took place at the Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue located in Rome, Italy. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire...
with appearance from Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
and other international stars.
In 2005, she appeared at the Africa Unite Live concert in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a concert to celebrate Hon Bob Marley's 60th birthday, and was a featured speaker at the conference of African Unity held along with the concert.
In March 2005, she appeared at the Africa Live concert in Dakar along with many great African stars in front of 50,000 people.
In June 2005, she was part of the Live 8 concert, Eden Project
Live 8 concert, Eden Project
On July 2, 2005, a Live 8 concert was held at the Eden Project, Cornwall, England. The event was dubbed "Africa Calling", but was also known as "LIVE 8: Africa Calling" or "Africa Calling: LIVE 8 at the Eden Project"....
hosted by Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
in Cornwall, UK.
In 2007, she covered John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" for the CD Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur is a compilation album of various artists covering songs of John Lennon to benefit Amnesty International's campaign to alleviate the crisis in Darfur...
.
In 2007, she toured North America extensively with Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
's "Awake" show.
On July 7, 2007, Kidjo performed at the South African leg
Live Earth concert, Johannesburg
The Live Earth concert in South Africa was held at the Coca-Cola Dome, South Africa on 7 July 2007.-Running order:*South African Drum Cafe Team - unknown title...
of Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
.
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
has joined forces with Angélique Kidjo and 22 other female artists to raise the awareness of the transmission of HIV to unborn children in Africa.
Kidjo was also a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
to support independent artists' careers.
Angélique performed at the 75th Birthday Celebration of Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
in July 2008
She made her Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
debut in New York on November 1, 2008
Her Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
debut in London was on November 26, 2008 along with Hugh Masekela
Hugh Masekela
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer.-Early life:Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa. He began singing and playing piano as a child...
for the "African Stars" concert benefitting VSO
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
She appears on the "Price of Silence" video produced by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
to celebrate the 60 years of the Declaration of Human Rights
Along with Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Michael Franti
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
and Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
, she performed at Peace Ball for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's inauguration in Washington, DC on January 20, 2009.
Angélique made her Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
debut in Australia on April 12, 2009
She appears in the theatrical performance of "Storie fantastiche dal delta del Niger" by Raffaele Curi for the Alda Fendi Experimenti Foundation in Roma in April 2009
Also in April 2009, she performed at Africa Day in The Hague, The Netherlands, showing her commitment to poverty reduction and supporting the work of the Evert Vermeer Foundation and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is a non-profit, international development organisation, established in the Netherlands in 1965.SNV aims to alleviate poverty by enabling increased income and employment opportunities and increasing access to basic services...
. Angélique commented, “In the fight against poverty you need organisations like SNV
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is a non-profit, international development organisation, established in the Netherlands in 1965.SNV aims to alleviate poverty by enabling increased income and employment opportunities and increasing access to basic services...
and the Evert Vermeer Foundation. SNV
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is a non-profit, international development organisation, established in the Netherlands in 1965.SNV aims to alleviate poverty by enabling increased income and employment opportunities and increasing access to basic services...
with expertise on the ground and EVF convincing politicians to do more on sustainable development.” In July 2009, Angélique became a member of the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation International Advisory Board.
In Europe in July 2009, along with Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves is an American jazz singer. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado.-Early life:Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan to a very musical family. Her father, who died when she was two years old, was also a singer. Her mother, Vada Swanson, played trumpet. A cousin, George Duke, is a...
, Lizz Wright
Lizz Wright
Lizz Wright is an American jazz/R&B singer and composer.Wright was born in the small town of Hahira in the US state of Georgia; one of three children and the daughter of a minister and the musical director of their Church. She started singing gospel music and playing piano in church as a child,...
and Simone, Angélique was part of a touring tribute to Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
called "Sing The Truth"
In July, 2009 she sang a duet with Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
at Radio City Hall in New York for the 46664 concert for Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
's Foundation
On August 28, 29 and 30, 2009,she participated to the Back2Black Festival devoted to African culture in Rio De Janeiro along with Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira , better known as Gilberto Gil or , is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment...
, Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
and Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo Peláez is a Cuban singer and dancer whose career has spanned over half a century. She was one of the original members of the Cuarteto d'Aida, and has performed with Ignacio Piñeiro, Orquesta Anacaona, Orquesta Aragón, Nat King Cole, Adalberto Álvarez, Los Van Van, the Buena Vista...
.
On September 25, 26 and 27, 2009, The Festival D'Ile De France in Paris asked Angélique to curate a tribute to her idol Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
at the Cirque d'hiver
Cirque d'hiver
The Cirque d'hiver , located at 110 rue Amelot , has been a prominent venue for circuses, exhibitions of dressage, musical concerts, and other events, including exhibitions of Turkish wrestling and even fashion shows...
. She invited Rokia Traore
Rokia Traoré
Rokia Traoré is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group, her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was...
, Dobet Gnaore, Sayon Bamba Camara, Vusi Mahlasela
Vusi Mahlasela
Vusi Sidney Mahlasela Ka Zwane is a Sotho South African singer-songwriter.His music is generally described as "African folk". His work was an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. His themes include the struggle for freedom, and forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies...
, Asa
Asa
-People:* Aṣa , Paris-born Nigerian singer-songwriter* Asa of Judah , son of Abijam, King of Judah* Asa Dotzler , Mozilla contributor and blogger*Asa Kasher , Israeli philosopher and linguist-Places:...
and Ayo
Ayo
"Ayo!" is an R&B/Go-go song by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features DJ Kool. The track was produced by Chris Henderson for Harrison fourth studio album Liberation. Ayo! was written by Chris Henderson, Mýa, and Charlie Smalls....
. She curated another version of the same show at the Barbican in London on November 21, 2009 in which Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
replaced Rokia Traore
Rokia Traoré
Rokia Traoré is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group, her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was...
.
On October 23, 2009, she sung at the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
for the UN Day Concert, A Tribute to Peacekeeping with Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
, John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (musician)
John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
and Lang Lang
Lang Lang (pianist)
Lang Lang , born June 14, 1982, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, is a Chinese concert pianist, currently residing in New York, who has performed with leading orchestras in Europe, the United States and his native China. He is increasingly well known around the world for his concert performances,...
On December 4, 2009, in Cape Town, South Africa, she performed her song Agolo at the Final Draw of the Fifa World Cup 2010
On December 7, 2009, on the opening day of the UN Copenhagen Climate Change summit, Angelique sung, along with Anggun
Anggun
Anggun Cipta Sasmi is an Indonesian singer-songwriter. She has released 12 studio albums and one soundtrack album , and her songs have also been included on various compilation albums. Her musical career began in childhood, and she achieved commercial success in Indonesia when she was 12 years old...
, Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
, Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
and Cheb Khaled, at the Dance 4 Climate Change concert.
On February 15, 2010, Angélique performed in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics Games at the Place De La Francophonie
On February 28, 2010, she performed at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
, The Los Angeles Philharmonic concert hall designed by Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, is a Canadian American Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, California.His buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions...
On June 10, 2010, she was part of the Official Kick-Off Celebration Concert of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
South Africa along with John Legend, Hugh Masekela, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Juanes and Black Eyed Peas
On June 17, 2010, she performed at Les FrancoFolies de Montréal
Les FrancoFolies de Montréal
Les FrancoFolies de Montréal is a large annual music and performance festival held in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, featuring over 1,000 French-language performers from all over the world, as well as attracting over 500,000 visitors....
- the Montreal Francofolies festival of French-language music.
On August 30, 2010, Angelique sung at the 30th Anniversary celebration of Solidarnosc in the Polish city of Gdansk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
produced by Bob Wilson
Bob Wilson
Bob Wilson may refer to:*Bob Wilson , played for the 1958 L.A. Dodgers*Bob Wilson , British cartoonist of the Stanley Bagshaw series of children's cartoons...
and Hal Willner
Hal Willner
Hal Willner is an American music producer working in recording, films, TV and live events. He is best known for assembling tribute albums and events featuring a wide variety of artists and musical styles...
featuring Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
, Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
, Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
and Macy Gray
Macy Gray
Macy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...
.
On November 11, 2010, Angelique presented her "Sound Of The Drum" show at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. The sold out concert featured special guests Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
, Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo Peláez is a Cuban singer and dancer whose career has spanned over half a century. She was one of the original members of the Cuarteto d'Aida, and has performed with Ignacio Piñeiro, Orquesta Anacaona, Orquesta Aragón, Nat King Cole, Adalberto Álvarez, Los Van Van, the Buena Vista...
, Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves
Dianne Reeves is an American jazz singer. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado.-Early life:Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan to a very musical family. Her father, who died when she was two years old, was also a singer. Her mother, Vada Swanson, played trumpet. A cousin, George Duke, is a...
and guitarist Romero Lumbambo and told the story of the African roots of the music of the diaspora.
From December 10 until December 19, 2010, Angelique participated to the Fesman 2010, the World Festival of Black Arts
World Festival of Black Arts
The World Festival of Black Arts, also known as FESMAN, is a month-long culture and arts festival that takes place in Africa. The festival features poetry, sculpture, painting, music, cinema, theatre, fashion, architecture, design and dance from artists and performers from around the African...
in Dakar, Senegal. The Festival is the third edition of a festival devoted to the African culture all over the world.
She was one of the performers at the BET Honours Awards in February 2011
On June 8, 2011, Angelique performed her most famous songs with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra
Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra
The Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra , abbreviated to OPL, is the national orchestra of Luxembourg, and is based in Luxembourg City. The orchestra formerly performed at the Grand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg and the Conservatoire de Luxembourg...
at the Philharmonie Luxembourg
Philharmonie Luxembourg
The Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall is a concert hall located on the Kirchberg plateau in the City of Luxembourg. Opened in 2005, it now plays host to 400 performances each year and is one of the main concert halls in Europe.-Origins:...
Hall.
On October 1st, 2011, she created a special concert based on Beninese traditional songs with guest guitarist Lionel Loueke for the "Heroic Africans" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of New York.
On October 27th, 2011 Angelique performed at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival
Doha Tribeca Film Festival
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival is an annual five-day film festival founded in 2009 to promote Arab and international film, and to develop a sustainable film industry in Qatar. The Festival is one of Qatar's largest entertainment events attracting over 50,000 guests in 2010.DTFF is the annual film...
in Qatar, following the screening of "Mama Africa", a documentary on Miriam Makeba's life.
In popular culture
- Her song "Ife" is featured in the montage section in the Jim CarreyJim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
film Ace Ventura: When Nature CallsAce Ventura: When Nature CallsAce Ventura: When Nature Calls is the sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Jim Carrey reprises his role as the title character Ace Ventura, a detective who specializes in retrieval of tame or captive animals. This is the only sequel to a film starring Carrey in which Carrey reprised his role...
- She is featured on Daniela MercuryDaniela MercuryDaniela Mercury , is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian axé, samba-reggae and MPB singer, songwriter and record producer. Since her breakthrough, Mercury has become one of the best known Brazilian female singers, selling over 20 million albums worldwide...
's album "Sol da Liberdade" on the track "Dara".
- In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Simpson SafariSimpson Safari"Simpson Safari" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons twelfth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 1, 2001. When the Simpsons run out of food thanks to a bag boy strike, the family finds an old box of Animal Crackers in their attic. In the box is a...
", Homer's guide sings lines from Kidjo's "Wé-Wé", from her album Logozo.
- Kidjo appeared in a bonus track of the official The Lion King 2 soundtrack, reprising the song "We Are One", featuring a more African influenced arrangement of instruments and several lines in FonFon languageFon is part of the Gbe language cluster and belongs to the Volta–Niger branch of the Niger–Congo languages. Fon is spoken mainly in Benin by approximately 1.7 million speakers, by the Fon people...
.
- She has sung and produced with Jean Hebrail a track called Easy As Life for Tina TurnerTina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
on the Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Tim RiceTim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
's album Aida.
- She has sung Jamaica Farewell with Dan ZanesDan ZanesDan Zanes was a member of the popular 1980s band The Del Fuegos and is currently the front man of the Grammy-winning group Dan Zanes and Friends.-History:...
on his House Party album.
- She has collaborated with Philippe SaissePhilippe SaissePhilippe Saisse is a French Grammy Award-nominated Smooth Jazz and New Age music keyboardist, producer and arranger.He was born in Marseille and raised in Paris. After studying at the Conservatoire de Paris he won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music. He became the protege of Gary Burton...
on the song La Vie from his Till Dawn album.
- She wrote a song called Wele Wele for the EA video game Fifa 2007
- She sang with Debbie DaviesDebbie DaviesDebbie Davies is an American blues guitarist.She has been the featured guitarist in several female based bands including Maggie Mayall and the Cadillacs , and Fingers Taylor and the Ladyfinger Revue...
on the French version of the Lion King's "Hakuna Matata"
- She has covered the U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
song Mysterious WaysMysterious Ways (song)"Mysterious Ways" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the eighth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby and was released as the album's second single on 25 November 1991. The song reached the top ten of the singles charts in several countries, including Ireland, where it went to number one...
on the Africa Celebrate U2 album released in 2008
- Carlos SantanaCarlos SantanaCarlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
covered her song AdoumaAdoumaThe Adouma are an ethnic group of Gabon, in western Africa. They primarily live on the south bank of the upper Ogooué River, in the vicinity of Lastoursville , and are known as expert canoeists....
as the opening song of his Shaman album.
- She is singing the African song Safiatou on the Herbie HancockHerbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
's album Possibilities
- In 2009, Angélique Kidjo released a version of the song Redemption SongRedemption SongThe song urges listeners to "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery," because "None but ourselves can free our minds". These lines were taken from a speech given by Marcus Garvey in Nova Scotia during October 1937 and published in his Black Man magazine:...
on the compilation album Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music CelebrationOh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration"Some of secular music's top acts -- among them Queen Latifah, Jon Bon Jovi, Joss Stone and 3 Doors Down -- take a walk on the spiritual side for Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration."...
.
- She gave an interview in the 2009 documentary film Still BillStill Bill (film)Still Bill is a 2009 documentary film about musician Bill Withers. It received its world premiere at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival...
about fellow musician Bill WithersBill WithersWilliam Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
.
Discography
- Pretty (African release only)
- Parakou (1990)
- Logozo (1991)
- Ayé (1994)
- Fifa (1996)
- Oremi (1998)
- Keep On Moving: The Best Of Angelique Kidjo (2001)
- Black Ivory Soul (2002)
- Oyaya! (2004)
- Djin DjinDjin DjinDjin Djin is the eighth studio album by Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, released on April 27, 2007 on Razor & Tie. It won Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.-Track listing:#"Ae Ae" – 3:31...
(2007) - Õÿö (2010)
Soundtracks
Kidjo also recorded songs for various movies, TV shows and documentaries, among them:Caro Diario by Nanni Moretti
Nanni Moretti
Giovanni "Nanni" Moretti is an Italian film director, producer, screenwriter and actor.-Life and work:Moretti was born in Bruneck, South Tyrol , in 1953 to parents who were teachers...
My Favourite Season by André Téchiné
André Téchiné
André Téchiné , is a French screenwriter and film director. He has had a long and distinguished career that places him among the best post-New Wave French film directors....
with Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
and Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
Ace Ventura with Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
Streetfighter with Jean Claude Van Damme
The Air Up There with Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
Bimboland with Gerard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
Krippendorf Tribe with Richard Dreyfus
The Wild Thornberrys Movie
The Truth About Charlie
Sahara with Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
Changing Times by André Téchiné
André Téchiné
André Téchiné , is a French screenwriter and film director. He has had a long and distinguished career that places him among the best post-New Wave French film directors....
with Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
and Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
Six Feet Under
Without A Trace
Blood Diamond (film)
Blood Diamond (film)
Blood Diamond is a 2006 political thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou...
with Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Diaw Hounsou is a Beninese actor and model. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.-Early life:Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond....
and Leonardo Di Caprio
Pray the Devil Back To Hell which won the prize for Best Documentary at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.
Who Does She Think She Is
Le Code A Changé by Danielle Thompson / Angélique is featured singing in the movie.
The Lion King 2
TV shows
Angélique has appeared onLater with Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
,
the Late Show with David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
in 2007,
the Tonight show with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
in 2007,
Now with Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers is an American journalist and public commentator. He served as White House Press Secretary in the United States President Lyndon B. Johnson Administration from 1965 to 1967. He worked as a news commentator on television for ten years. Moyers has had an extensive involvement with public...
in 2002
Politically Incorrect with Bill Mayer
Bill Mayer
William E. Mayer is the owner of the United Football League's Virginia Destroyers. He previously served as the owner of the Hartford Colonials, formerly the New York Sentinels, of the same league. and is the Senior Partner of Park Avenue Equity Partners....
in 2003
CBS Early Show in 2007.
She has been interviewed by Sir David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
for Al Jazeera in 2008 and Christine Amanpour for CNN in 2009.
She was the host of Tavis Smiley
Tavis Smiley
Tavis Smiley is a talk show host, author, liberal political commentator, entrepreneur, advocate and philanthropist. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi and grew up in Kokomo, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of...
on PBS in March 2010 and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
in July 2010
Awards
- Octave RFI (France, 1992)
- Prix Afrique en Creation (France, 1992)
- Danish Music Awards: Best Female Singer (Denmark, 1995)
- Kora Music AwardsKora AwardsThe Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1994 by Ernest Adjovi, they are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent...
: Best African Female artist (Africa, 1997) - Mobo AwardsMOBO AwardsThe Music of Black Origin Awards, established in 1995 by Kanya King MBE and Andy Ruffell, are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music....
for Best World Music Act (UK, 2002) - Médaille De Vermeil De La Ville De ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(France, 2004) - Africa-Festival Award (Germany, 2006)
- SAFDA African pride Award (South Africa, 2006)
- Antonio Carlos Jobim Award (Canada, 2007)
- N.A.A.C.P. Image Award for Outstanding World Music Album (USA, 2008)
- Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Contemporary World Music Album (USA, 2008) - Go Global World Music Award (Denmark, 2008)
- Medal of the Presidency of the Italian RepublicMedal of the Presidency of the Italian RepublicThe Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic is an award given at the annual conference of the Pio Manzu Institute to about fifteen people nominated by the centers International Scientific Committee, which is headed by former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev.Notable recipients include:*...
(Italy, 2008) - Commander of the National Order of BeninBeninBenin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
(Benin, 2008) - Making a Difference for Women Award from the National Council for Research on Women (USA, 2009)
- AfropopAfropopAfropop or Afro-pop may refer to:*African popular music*Afropop Worldwide, a weekly radio program from Public Radio International...
Hall of Fame (USA,2009) - Celebrating Women Award from the New York Women's Foundation (USA, 2009)
- Premio Tenco Prize for her entire singing career (Italy, 2009)
- On May 8th 2010, Angelique has been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of MusicDoctor of MusicThe Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
by the Berklee College. (USA) - Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des LettresOrdre des Arts et des LettresThe Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
(France, 2010) - Grand Prix Des Musiques Du Monde De La SacemSociété des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musiqueSociété des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique is a French professional association collecting payments of artists’ rights and distributing the rights to the original songwriters, composers and music publishers.-History:...
for her entire songwriting career (France, 2010) - Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary World Music Album (USA, 2011)
- Prix Special de la Francophonie (Washington DC, USA, 2011)
- Champions of the EarthChampions of the EarthThe United Nations Environment Programme established Champions of the Earth in 2004 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders at a policy level...
Award (United Nations, 2011) - BET AwardsBET AwardsThe BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
nomination for Best International Act: Africa (USA, 2011)
Grammy nominations include the Best Music Video
Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos...
of 1995 and Best World Music Album
Grammy Award for Best World Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best World Music Album was an honor presented for twelve years to recording artists for quality albums in the world music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010 and 2007, for which she won.
Angélique Kidjo is the 4th laureate of the Antonio Carlos Jobim Award (2007). Created in 2004 on the 25th anniversary of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, each year the award is given to an artist distinguished in the field of world music whose influence on the evolution of jazz and cultural crossover is widely recognized.
Dance/club hits
Angélique's music has been remixed by famous producers including Norman Cook (We We) and TrickyTricky
Tricky is an English musician and actor. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style. Culturally, Tricky encourages an intertwining of societies, particularly in his musical fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop...
(Agolo). Several of her singles have reached the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart. In 1996, Junior Vasquez
Junior Vasquez
Junior Vasquez, , is an American club DJ and remixer/producer.-Career:...
remixes of her song "Wombo Lombo" brought the song to #16. In 2002, King Britt
King Britt
King Britt is an American DJ and record producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.King Britt is his actual legal name.- 1987: Tower Records Years :...
remixes of her single "Tumba" helped the song reach #26. "Agolo" was remixed by Mark Kinchen
Mark Kinchen
Marc "MK" Kinchen is an American house-music producer, who hit #1 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1993 and 1994 with the songs "Always" and "Love Changes." Lead vocals on both of those tracks were performed by Alana Simon . "Always" peaked at #69 in the UK Singles Chart in...
, "Shango" was remixed by Junior Vasquez
Junior Vasquez
Junior Vasquez, , is an American club DJ and remixer/producer.-Career:...
, and "Conga Habanera" was remixed by Jez Colin.
"Salala" from Djin Djin
Djin Djin
Djin Djin is the eighth studio album by Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo, released on April 27, 2007 on Razor & Tie. It won Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.-Track listing:#"Ae Ae" – 3:31...
was remixed in 2007 by Junior Vasquez and Radioactive Sandwich.http://www.radioactivesandwich.com.
Move On Up was remixed by Radioclit, the team from The Very Best.
External links
- Official Angélique Kidjo Site
- The Batonga Foundation
- Angélique Kidjo on My Space
- Angélique Kidjo on You Tube
- Angélique Kidjo on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Angélique Kidjo on ImeemImeemThe online service imeem was a social media web site where users interacted with each other by streaming, uploading and sharing music and music videos...
- Angélique Kidjo on EventfulEventfulEventful is a web service which aims to help users search for, track, and share information about events. Eventful is a service of Eventful, Inc. from San Diego, California...
- New York Times review on Angélique Kidjo, March 2010
- Afropop Worldwide interview with Angélique Kidjo, February 2002
- CNN African Voices profile on Angélique Kidjo, May 2009
- Singer Angelique Kidjo Speaks Out on Climate Change - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
- Angélique Kidjo interview at allaboutjazz.com