“Your brain is your greatest weapon. Connect it to the heart, and you can go anywhere…” These are powerful words from a powerful lady, an incredible vocalist and a vigorous entertainer who has believed in the power of the tongue and paved her way to make her impact felt through music. An artist who has steeped her music in tribal and pop rhythms of her West African heritage so as to explore the relationships of diverse music cultures.
The musical idol, Angelique Kpasseleko Hinto Housinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo is a Beninese singer with a little blend of Yoruba blood from Matriarchal descent. She was born on July 14, 1960 and by the age of 6, she had begun performing at her mother’s theatre troupe. She later on joined the school band, Les Sphinx. Coupled with her multilingual skills in expressing herself in five languages (French, English, Fon, Yoruba and Gen), she mastered the art of folklore music and dance moves.
As a young girl and an aspiring musician, Angelique was roused by the assortments of music from musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Mariam Makeba, Fela Kuti, James Brown and many others. Persistence in Benin conflicts, though in the disfavor of many was a bite of cherry for Angelique who relocated to France to further her studies and pursue her musical career in 1983.
While in Paris, she started as a backup singer in a local band. In 1985, she became the lead singer for Jasper Van’t Hof’s Euro African jazz/rock outfit, Pili Pili. Between 1987 and 1900, the group released three albums; “Jakko” in 1987, “Be Two in Minds” in 1987, and “Hotel Babo” in 1992.
Angelique hit the jackpot when she recorded an Album before 1990 titled “Pretty” with a Cameroonian music producer, Ekambi Briilliant and her brother Oscar. The release of this album gained her popularity in Benin and across the countries of West Africa where she toured.
After her massive hit single “Agolo,” from her album “Aye” released in 1994, Angelique was placed on the international music map. The video for “Agolo” was nominated for the Best Music Video at the Grammys. Her consistent release of albums between 1991 and 2002 demonstrated a gradual progress and ability to elevate her distinctive sound.
In 2008, she won a Grammy Award for the best contemporary World Album with her album titled DJIN DJIN. In 2011, her album OYO was nominated for the same award; while 2015 was another leap of victory for Angelique who again won the Grammy Award for the World Best Album. The route to success kept paving its way for the music icon who in 2016, still won a Grammy Award for the Best World Music Album with the release of her orchestral album. In 2018, partnering with the great producer Jeff Bhasker, Kidjo released a reinterpretation of Talking Heads’ 1980s album titled “Remain In Light.” Her album titled “Celia” earned her another Grammy in 2020.
As of today, she has approximately 429 records. She is holder of Four Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Yale Univesity, Berklee College of Music, Middleburg College and UCLouvain University. Through her music, she has traveled the world as a UNICEF ambassador and a symbol of Africa. She also has a foundation, the Batonga Foundation to help and support education for young girls in Africa.
Angelique was able to break through the prejudice faced by musicians, who society have labelled reckless and do not recognize their impacts in the society beyond entertainment. Her art roves beyond ethnic boundaries and find connection that links music from every part of the world while closely rooted in tradition.
P.S: What a coincidence! As soon as I got done writing this article and was about to publish it, I checked my phone, and guess what I read? You guessed it! I read that Angelique Kidjo just won another Grammy for Best Global Music Album at the Grammys 2022. Congratulations to her! WOW!
