Latest news with #Kidjo
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Angélique Kidjo makes history: First black African artist to receive Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Angélique Kidjo, a singer from Benin, will become the first Black African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to a report by the BBC. Kidjo is one of 35 people named in the Walk of Fame's class of 2026, alongside others such as singer Miley Cyrus, actor Timothée Chalamet, actress Demi Moore and former basketball player Shaquille O'Neal. Now 64, Kidjo has been making music for more than 40 years and has released 16 albums. She has won five Grammy awards and performed across the world, combining West African sounds with funk, jazz and R&B. She has also worked with artists such as Burna Boy, Philip Glass, Sting and Alicia Keys. During the announcement event, she was described as 'Africa's premier diva,' BBC said. Kidjo will join Charlize Theron, a white South African actress who received her star in 2005, as one of the few Africans to be honoured on the Los Angeles walkway, which features more than 2,700 stars. A date has not yet been announced for when Kidjo will officially receive the star. Once selected, recipients have up to two years to schedule a ceremony. Kidjo, who grew up in Benin, West Africa, moved to France in 1983, saying she left because of political oppression at the time. 'From the moment the communist regime arrived in Benin, I became aware that the freedom we enjoy can be snatched away in a second,' she told the BBC in a 2023 interview. She added that she has always been curious, 'My nickname was 'when, why, how?' I want to understand things, to understand my place in this world.' Before launching her solo career in 1990 with the album Parakou, she worked as a backing singer in France. Kidjo is also a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and Oxfam. She runs a charity called Batonga, which supports education for girls in Africa.
Business Insider
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
5 interesting facts about the only African artist to get a Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Angélique Kidjo has made history yet again, this time on the streets of Hollywood. On July 3, 2025, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce revealed that Kidjo, from Benin, is the first Black African artist ever chosen for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. Angélique Kidjo has become the first Black African artist to be recognized with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, announced on July 3, 2025, as part of the Class of 2026. The Walk of Fame board made their selection on June 25, 2025, with the unveiling ceremony to occur within two years. Kidjo, born in Benin in 1960, has profoundly impacted global music by blending African rhythms with international genres. The African music sensation joins a remarkable lineup for the Class of 2026, including Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Deepika Padukone (who becomes the first Indian actress to earn the award), Shaquille O'Neal, and more. The Walk of Fame board accepted her selection on June 25, 2025, after reviewing hundreds of international nominations, as seen on Forbes Africa. While the specific unveiling date has not been set, awardees have up to two years to prepare their ceremonies. Kidjo was born in 1960 in what was then Dahomey (now Benin), and grew up immersed in music, drama, and dance. She released her first album, Pretty, in 1981 before going to Paris in the wake of a political crisis. There, she perfected her craft by combining West African rhythms with jazz, funk, R&B, Latin, and gospel elements. With that said, here are 5 interesting facts about the artist. 5 interesting facts about Angélique Kidjo Five-Time Grammy Winner Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary World Music Album for Djin Djin (2008), Eve (2015), Sings (2016), Celia (2020), and Mother Nature (2022). Time 100 and Polar Music Prize Honoree Angélique Kidjo was named among TIME's 100 Most Influential People in 2021 and awarded the prestigious Polar Music Prize in 2023, cementing her place as a global cultural icon. Generational Music Collaborations Despite beginning her musical career in the 80s, Angélique Kidjo's collaborations with other artists have spanned 5 decades and different continents, from working with Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, and Bono, to more recent cross-generational collaborations with Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Davido, and Mr Eazi. Educator & Honored Scholar The famous and highly accomplished Benin artist holds multiple honorary awards from numerous academies, including Yale (2015), Berklee (2010), Middlebury (2014), and UCLouvain (2020), recognizing her artistic brilliance and advocacy. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
DW
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- DW
Kidjo, Padukone make Hollywood Walk of Fame history – DW – 07/04/2025
Angelique Kidjo and Deepika Padukone are among several international celebrities recognized alongside American stars such as Miley Cyrus and Timothee Chalamet. Singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo and actress Deepika Padukone are set to make history on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. The two women were among the 35 celebrities named by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce as part of the Walk of Fame's Class of 2026. Kidjo is the first Black African to receive the honor, and Padukone is the first Indian actress. Kidjo, who has spent more than four decades blending West African music with global styles, took to Instagram to say, "Thanks to all my fans who brought me here." The five-time Grammy winner, who was born in Benin, was described as Africa's "premier diva" during a press conference announcing the list on Wednesday. Kidjo, who is a UNICEF and OXFAM ambassador, will join South African Charlize Theron, who received her star in 2005, as the only other celebrity from Africa on the famous sidewalk. Padukone made her Hollywood debut in 2018 in but is better known for numerous successful Bollywood films. She captured her emotion in a single word on Instagram Stories: "Gratitude." Sabu Dastagir, who made his Hollywood debut in the 1930s, was the first Indian actor to be inducted into the Walk of Fame in 1960. According to , Kidjo and Padukone join Australian pop group Air Supply, Brazilian musician Paulinho da Costa, Mexican entertainer Lucero, Filipino singer and actress Lea Salonga, British actress Emily Blunt, French actress Marion Cotillard, Canadian actress Rachel McAdams, Italian actor Franco Nero, and British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay as celebrities from outside the US named to receive a star. They were listed alongside American stars including Miley Cyrus, Timothee Chalamet, Demi Moore, and Josh Groban. The date of their stars' unveiling has yet to be announced; recipients have two years to schedule induction ceremonies. There are more than 2,800 stars on the Walk of Fame, and anyone can nominate their favorite celebrity to be considered. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the Walk of Fame on behalf of the city of Los Angeles. An average of two stars are added to the Walk each month.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Angélique Kidjo first black African to get Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Musical icon Angélique Kidjo has become the first black African performer to be selected for a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. Kidjo, who comes from the West African country of Benin and has won five Grammy awards, was among the 35 names announced as part of the Walk of Fame's class of 2026 list. The 64-year-old was hailed as Africa's "premier diva" during a press conference announcing the list on Wednesday. Singer Miley Cyrus, actor Timothée Chalamet, actress Demi Moore and former basketball player Shaquille O'Neal are also among those set to be honoured with a star on Los Angeles' famous walk. Angélique Kidjo on being hangry and Africa's 'tsunami' of talent Red-hot Afrobeats star Rema doesn't intend to calm down Kidjo receives the honour after making music for more than four decades and releasing 16 albums. The songstress has won fans across the world with her commanding voice and ability to fuse West African styles with the likes of funk, jazz and R&B. Her long list of collaborators includes forces such as Burna Boy, Philip Glass, Sting and Alicia Keys. Kidjo joins Charlize Theron, a white South African actress, in representing Africa on the Walk of Fame. Theron received her star in 2005. The date on which Kidjo will see her star unveiled on the Walk of Fame has not yet been announced. After recipients have been selected for a star, they have two years to schedule induction ceremonies. Kidjo grew up in Benin, but left for Paris in 1983, citing oppression from the country's then communist government. "From the moment the communist regime arrived in Benin, I became aware that the freedom we enjoy can be snatched away in a second," she told the BBC in 2023. She said she has been driven by curiosity since childhood, adding: "my nickname was 'when, why, how?'. I want to understand things, to understand my place in this world." Kidjo worked as a backing singer in France before striking out as a solo artist in 1990, with the album Parakou. She is a Unicef and Oxfam goodwill ambassador, and has her own charity, Batonga, which is dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa. Ghana's love affair with reggae and Jamaican Patois Singer Libianca on 'horrific threats' over Cameroon war Who should count as African at the Grammy Awards? How old English sea shanties inspired Cape Verdean singer Brave, inspiring, crazy - the joy of managing Fela Kuti Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
France 24
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Beninese-French diva Angélique Kidjo lights up FEMUA 2025 Festival
Culture 12:40 Issued on: Modified: She is a music legend whose voice and presence have shaped generations beyond the African continent. Beninese-French singer Angélique Kidjo is a multi-Grammy award winner but also a fierce advocate for education, culture and freedom. This year, she was one of the "Guests of Honour" at Abidjan's Festival of Urban Music in Ivory Coast, where she shared the stage with emerging artists in Africa. On the sidelines of the festival, Kidjo sat down with our music editor Fatimata Wane. In this special interview, they discuss Kidjo's passion for music and working with the next generation to come.
