Angélique Kidjo, a music icon and Grammy-winning artist, is celebrating 40 years in the industry with a concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. She has released 16 albums and won five Grammy awards since childhood, driven by curiosity and a desire to understand her place in the world. Kidjo will be joined on stage by Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour, French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Malouf, Ghana's dancehall star Stonebwoy, and Britain's Laura Mvula. She has also chosen to be accompanied by Europe's first majority black and ethnically diverse Chineke! Orchestra.
Kidjo's passion for correcting negative perceptions of Africa and challenging Eurocentrism is evident in her work with Chineke! Orchestra. She believes that if we put ourselves in the mindset of 'nothing is impossible for us to achieve', we can do that. She has collaborated with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and will perform a version of JS Bach's Sarabande in Paris in December.
Kidjo's latest collaboration is with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will perform a version of JS Bach's Sarabande in Paris in December. She sees diversity as an opportunity and a challenge, and she uses her voice and platform to campaign for the betterment of humanity. She is a Unicef and Oxfam goodwill ambassador and has her charity, Batonga, dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa.
Kidjo regularly attends the annual World Economic Forum in Davos to influence world leaders. In 2012, she was asked by the UN to do a concert to entice African leaders to sign a resolution on banning female genital mutilation (FGM). She used the example of her father, who fought for his children's right to choose to be respected and stood against traditional ceremonies that could harm them. In December of that year, Nigeria was the first country to sign that resolution into policy, and all countries have signed it.
Kidjo's upbringing in Benin was a haven for free speech, but her idyllic childhood was interrupted by a coup in 1972. She learned about the transatlantic slave trade and apartheid in South Africa, which made her who she is today. She wrote a violent song during this time, which her father refused to write about hate in his home. She re-wrote the song at 15 and released it as an anthem of peace, Azan Nan Kpe, released in 1994 on Kidjo's groundbreaking album Aye. The song, written when she was six months pregnant, means, 'Please pay attention, I have something to tell you.'
The song "Climate Change" was inspired by the waste generated by her husband and daughter in rural France, inspired by her grandmother's teachings on nature. Kidjo's commitment to climate change began when she wrote the song, which she believes is the most outstanding achievement of her 40-year career. She acknowledges that her travels have been challenging, but she never left her daughter behind, having travelled to at least 45 different countries by the age of three.
Kidjo feels a responsibility to the new generation of African musicians, who she believes are following in her footsteps and using their influence for the good. She is happy that technology has allowed the young generation to unleash their potential and bring about positive change for the continent. She believes that young African artists have an opportunity to bring about positive change and encourages them to take responsibility for their actions.
Kidjo mentors these younger artists, stating that they are responsible for protecting the planet and that it is not all about them. She believes that if she can do it, they will too.
