Is there a female African singer/songwriter alive that’s more formidable than Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo??
I’ll wait.
Her voice transcends beyond the chords of music and unshaken beats, leaving in her wake, trails and trails of passion, resilience, and truth all accounted for.
Birthed to a Yoruba mother and a father from the Fon tribe of Ouidah in Cotonou, the largest city and commercial center of Bénin République, the 59 years old African icon was thrust into the world of showbiz at the age of 6.
Her talent was unshakable.
By the time Angélique Kidjo was in school, she was singing in the school band, Les Sphinx.
Teaming up with her brother, Oscar and the Cameroonian producer, Ekambi Brilliant, Angélique Kidjo recorded her first album, Pretty in 1981.
In 1991, her first album on Island Records, Logozo reached No. 1 on Billboard’s World Music chart.
The music video for “Agolo” from the 1994 album Ayé earned her a first Grammy nomination.
UNICEF named her a Goodwill Ambassador in 2002.
On November 29, 2003, she was part of the lineup of international stars who sang at the first 46664 Concert hosted by Nelson Mandela at the Green Point Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa.
The Guardian listed her as one of the “100 Most Inspiring Women in the World”. BBC named her one of 50 African Icons, Time tagged her Africa’s Premier Diva, Forbes Afrique had her on its cover for the Top 100 Most Influential Women, and the list goes on.
Musically, she is beyond energetic as a performer, having won her 4th Grammy Awards last night, the 26th of January, 2020, for the category of Best World Music Album, but as Bill Clinton said, “The only thing bigger than Angélique Kidjo’s voice is her heart.”
In addition to her music, Kidjo has a boundless passion for women’s empowerment and human rights. She is an advocate for girls’ education and a fighter against genital mutilation, early marriage, and violence against women. As a global UNICEF ambassador who runs her own foundation, Batonga, which she launched in 2007, Kidjo remains actively involved in campaigns to keep issues that affect women at the forefront of the international agenda.
Kidjo chronicles an inspiring life of music and activism, and raises a passionate call for freedom, dignity, and the rights of people around the globe.
Knowing a woman with this much impact on the lives of millions of people, words are not enough to express the gratitude I feel for her inspiration to us girls.
Angélique Kidjo is a complete force I have reckoned with. Do you too?
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