Listed as one of the Top 100 Most Herbie Hancock, Santana, among others. Inspiring Women in the World by Ms. Kidjo also distinguishes herself The Guardian (UK), Grammy Award- as an advocate for children welfare, winner Angélique Kidjo has gained both as a Goodwill Ambassador for international recognition for her UNICEF and through her own charity, dynamic and uplifting music. Born the Batonga Foundation. In 2011, in Benin, she has collaborated with she received the insignia of Officer Alicia Keys, Bono, Branford Marsalis, of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Trophée des Arts 2012 Angélique Kidjo

Established in 1992, Is there any other artist who is working Kidjo was covering Jimi Hendrix and You sense she’s very deliberate in trying “Oyo was a tribute to the music of my the Trophée des Arts so hard to redefine that marketing label? George Gershwin back in the ‘90s, around to communicate with a wider audience. childhood after the death of my dad. My the same time she started stirring grooves Nobody can inspire a more infectious parents exposed me to music from all over is awarded each year In the past, Kidjo has argued that the world of the Americas—funk, blues, Brazil, and African chant, and Kidjo sings in a handful the world, on top of the traditional music to a distinguished music handle tends to ghettoize artists like Cuba—into her own sophisticated Afro-pop of African tongues, including Fon from her I would hear at every ceremony. I haven’t artist or cultural icon herself. Lately, it’s as if she has been going sound. But with her last couple of recordings, father’s side and Yoruba from her mother. just sung more in English but in Hindi and who has exemplified out of her way to remind us that—beyond the Grammy nominated Oyo (2010), and her But these days she also sings more French too. But whatever language I use, our organization’s any ethnic or geographic differences— live concert CD/DVD Spirit Rising (2012, both than ever in English. I feel it always sounds like me as I use mission of French- we all come from the same musical planet. on Razor & Tie), she has set some new African arrangements of those classics.” Angélique Kidjo packs one high-energy standards for crossovers and collaborations. Part of it came from reflections on American friendship personality. The petite powerhouse “I would just say that all music should her own upbringing. Early on, Kidjo was Clearly, her curiosity is at play in exploring and cross-cultural from Benin, West Africa is so full of fun be labeled ‘world music’,” she explained Beyond the presence of all-star guests a fan of James Brown, Otis Redding, fresh musical territory. exchange. and passion, so able to channel joy and recently. “Or is there any Martian music like Bono, Josh Groban, jazz greats Gershwin, Hendrix, and Santana, along melancholy, so taut with musical muscle, out there? (South African singer) Miriam Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves, with the icons of African music, including “I love travelling from one musical world so bubbly one moment and deadly serious Makeba told me once that she thought the Kidjo has chosen to reinvent The Rolling the late Miriam Makeba, who became to the next. For instance, I have sung my about human rights the next. She’s too label ‘world music’ was a politically correct Stones’s “Gimme Shelter,” Curtis Mayfield’s Kidjo’s biggest beacon of hope (Makeba’s song ‘Afirika’ just as a duet with Christian vital to warrant the dusty hyperbole way of saying ‘third world music’ and she “Move On Up,” and even (Maurice) Ravel’s beautiful ballad “Malaika” is now Kidjo’s McBride on upright bass but also with of “legend” status and yet, few singers may have been right.” “Bolero”—with Marsalis’s sax snaking signature song). the 110 musicians of the Luxembourg who’ve come to fame under the banner through the melody, all with her own Philharmonic Orchestra. Life is too short of “world music” have come so far. musical palette. to be doing the same thing all the time.”

26 27 Packed with onstage charisma and During Kidjo’s musical studies in Paris, Angélique Kidjo Key Dates trained as a professional dancer, Kidjo she met her husband Jean Hebrail, the brings expert qualifications to building French musician who has gone on to 1960 Born on July 14 in Ouidah, a small new musical bridges...She has moved co-produce much of her music. As Kidjo harbour town on the coast of Benin, Africa. beyond stunning vocal displays and became a toast of the African music scene impossible-to-ignore hip-shaking grooves in Paris, she would also connect with 1983 Moves to Paris and studies at CIM, a to plumb social issues in her songs with Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, reputable Jazz school where she meets a depth of purpose that’s hard to ignore. who helped make Bob Marley a global husband and collaborator Jean Hebrail. star years earlier. 1991 Signs with Island Records founder It’s Kidjo’s second career as an activist Chris Blackwell. Release of Logozo, which that has brought her connections with For much of the past decade, Kidjo and reaches Number 1 on the Billboard World the likes of Bono and Oprah. She has been Hebrail have been based in New York, Music chart. a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF for making frequent visits to Benin and Paris a decade, and also campaigns to fight apart from the demands of her touring 1994 Release of Ayé, and first Grammy hunger, to raise awareness of AIDS, and (he chose to opt out of the tours years ago). nomination for the song “Agolo.” more. Her own Batonga Foundation works Now that her daughter Naima is a student 1996 Release of Fifa. to school women in Africa. Helping to at Yale University, Kidjo says “home is forward women’s rights has been a key where I feel like being,” but she still loves 1998 Release of Oremi. focus of her work. to take in the music scene in New York. 2002 Release of Black Ivory Soul, recorded between New York and Salvador de Bahia. From first-hand experience, Kidjo knows With 10 albums on several labels, she Becomes a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. what oppression can involve. has sung to crowds of 400,000 plus at one European event organized by Quincy Jones, 2004 Release of Oyaya! Her departure from Benin as a teenager and her Spirit Rising DVD was programmed 2007 Release of Djin Djin. Receives the reads like the plot of a thriller movie. She and released by PBS across the U.S. Call her Antonio Carlos Jobim Award at the Festival was on the cusp of a performance career, a legend in the making. International de Jazz de Montreal. but at that time in the tiny West African nation of Benin (then known as Dahomey) You might wonder how she finds the energy 2008 Receives a Grammy Award for it was a given that a young woman with to fire up those grooves every night. Best Contemporary World Music album, such ambitions had to sleep with the a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding reigning dictator to win the right to have “You want to know the secret? World Music album for Djin Djin, the level her own career. To avoid that event, her It’s a lot of sleep!” of Commander of Benin’s national order father had her smuggled out of the country of merit, and an honorary degree of on an unscheduled night flight to Paris. By Roger Levesque for the Edmonton “Doctor of Music” from the Berklee College Journal and edited by FIAF. of Music. Founds The Batonga Foundation to support secondary school and higher education for girls in Africa.

2009 Receives the 2009 Celebrating Women Award from the New York Women’s Foundation.

2010 Release of Oyo.

2011 Receives the Insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic.

2012 Release of Angélique Kidjo: Spirit Rising. Receives a Champions of the Earth Award in the Aspiration & Action category from the United Nations.

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