The Enduring Magic of Angélique Kidjo
a musical manifestation of strength and power
With a career spanning over decades, Angélique Kidjo has soundtracked diverse eras and events. Her sound, borne from the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin and her interactions with the influences from Europe and Latin America, has travelled the world and imprinted her name in the hearts and minds of music lovers, both old and young. With numerous local and international awards under her belt, the veteran musician hasn’t relented in her strive for excellence, constantly reaching for musical highs as well as contributing to the social and economic wellbeing of the African people through her advocacy and social works.
Kidjo was born and raised in Benin in 1960 to a Yoruba mother and a Fon father. Her parents and older sibling were music lovers and, as a child, Kidjo absorbed the music they listened to: Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Aretha Franklin, Manu Dibango, Wilson Pickett, Fela Kuti, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and Stevie Wonder, among others. She began her music career at six after rendering an impromptu performance at her mother’s theatre troupe. In 1981, at the age of 21, she released her first album ‘Pretty’ with the assistance of Cameroonian Makossa legend Ekambi Brillant. The album made Kidjo a star in her home country and neighbouring countries.
A few years later, Kidjo was forced to flee Benin due to the difficult political climate orchestrated by Mathieu Kérékou, the country’s leader at that time. She settled in Paris, France where she began attending Centre d’informations musicales (CIM), a school of jazz and contemporary music. It was in Paris that Kidjo immersed herself in the proponents of what is known as world music, fusing her African influences with foreign genres and sounds. In 1991, after signing with Island Records, she released her major label debut album ‘Logozo.’ The project enjoyed both critical and commercial success and cemented Kidjo’s style of singing in different African languages—Fon, Yoruba, Goun, Mina—and in French as well as her made-up language.
She followed up ‘Logozo’ with ‘Ayé’ (1994). The album spawned the hit track “Agolo,” whose music video celebrated African religions (featuring a Zangbeto masquerade and the serpent deity Ayida-Weddo) and earned Kidjo her first Grammy nomination. Her 1996 album ‘Fifa’ was the first time Kidjo added English to her repertoire of languages she sang in. The album, for which she enlisted the help of percussionists in villages across Benin, was deemed as Kidjo’s crossover attempt as it blended her signature African-inspired rhythms with Funk, Hip-Hop and Pop, with “Wombo Lombo” being the lead single. She continued her musical foray into newer grounds with ‘Oremi’ (1998), ‘Black Ivory Soul’ (2002) and ‘Oyaya!’ (2004). The three projects were Kidjo’s way of starting a conversation with the African tradition and its roots in the United States, Brazil, and the Caribbean.
On ‘Oremi,’ Angelique Kidjo collaborated with American musicians Branford Marsalis, Kelly Price and Cassandra Wilson, and performed a reinterpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.” On ‘Black Ivory Soul,’ she added her spin to Brazilian sounds, alongside acts like Rubens De La Corte, Vinicius Cantuária, Carlinhos Brown and Gilberto Gil. ‘Oyaya!’ saw her give her take on Caribbean sounds such as Salsa, Bolero, Meringue, Calypso and Ska, with Alberto Salas and Henri Salvador. She kept up the fusion of musical cultures on ‘Djin Djin’ (2007), featuring a reinterpretation of French composer Maurice Ravel’s 1928 orchestral piece “Boléro” and other acts such as Amadou & Mariam, Alicia Keys, Ziggy Marley, Carlos Santana, among others. ‘Djin Djin’ gave Kidjo her first Grammy win for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2008. Her 2010 album ‘Õÿö’ was dedicated to the music of her childhood, including traditional music, Miriam Makeba’s songs, Yoruba interpretations of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” and Carlos Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti,” and homages to Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I Love You” and James Brown’s “Cold Sweat.”
In her 2014 autobiography Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music, which Kirkus Reviews termed as “warm, lively and compassionate,” Angélique Kidjo shines a light on her childhood, early beginnings as an artist and her rise to becoming a Grammy-Award–winning artist, and her work as a UNICEF ambassador (since 2002) and founder of Batonga Foundation, which champions education and empowerment of adolescent girls in Africa. That same year, she released ‘EVE,’ named after her mother and dedicated to her experiences as an African woman; the project scooped the Grammy plaque for Best Contemporary World Music Album. A year later, she collaborated with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra on ‘Sings,’ which restructured 11 songs across her discography into orchestral pieces. It also won Kidjo her third Grammy award.
Three years after ‘Sings,’ Angélique Kidjo received an epiphany. She was humming American Rock band Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime”—a song she first heard three months after she arrived in Paris—when a friend told her the name of the group responsible for the song. Kidjo had conversed with David Byrne (Talking Heads’ lead vocalist) but she hadn’t known it was his voice on the song. Kidjo listened to Talking Heads’ 1980 album ‘Remain in Light’ (from where “Once in a Lifetime” was housed) for the first time and decided she would cover the project. In 2018, she released her album titled after Talking Heads’ ‘Remain in Light,’ planting the rhythms of the band onto African drums and percussions. In a 2022 interview, Kidjo and Byrne shared their thoughts on music in Africa and the diaspora, African traditional practices and the political situation in Africa, especially Nigeria.
As the years have passed, Angélique Kidjos’s influence has grown, both on the African continent and in international spaces. She has graced stages around the world, from Cape Town to Dakar to New York to London to Paris to Sydney to Oslo. Her discography has also inspired younger generations of artists who have sampled and interpolated her music, including Burna Boy and Yemi Alade. In 2010, BBC’s Focus On Africa Magazine included her among its list of 50 African Icons; in 2011, The Guardian added her as one of the top 100 women in art, film, music and fashion and Forbes put her in the list of 40 most powerful celebrities in Africa; and in 2021, TIME named her in its list of 100 Most Influential People in the world. In 2015, she was awarded the prestigious Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland for her humanitarian work.
On the musical side, Angélique Kidjos’s talent and knack for experimentation never waned. In 2019, she released ‘Celia,’ an Afrobeat-inspired album-length interpretation of songs across the discography of Cuban singer Celia Cruz, whose music Angelique Kidjo first heard as a teenager in 1974. ‘Celia’ won the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, Kidjo’s fourth Grammy win. On 2021’s ‘Mother Nature,’ Kidjo tackled the issues of global warming and political corruption, while also making space for some of Africa’s reigning music stars in the likes of Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi and Sampa the Great. “They have something to say about where Africa is and where it is going,” she said of the artists to The Guardian. “This was really a delight – it gives me energy and a good feeling.” She also worked with young African music producers in the mould of Kel-P, Vtek and Rexxie. A year before, when Kidjo received her Grammy plaque for ‘Celia,’ she dedicated her win to Burna Boy, saying, “Four years ago on this stage, I was telling you that the new generation of artists coming from Africa are going to take you by storm. And the time has come.”
Angelique Kidjo, recognising her legendary status, hasn’t shied away from collaborating with this new generation of African artists, making guest appearances on songs from Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Somi, Omawumi and Sampa the Great. Her latest collaboration alongside The Cavemen on Davido’s “NA MONEY” drew praise and highlighted her ever-present star quality. Speaking to Forbes Africa about the current African superstars, she said, “What I learned from them is their professionalism – it’s mind-blowing. Every music that had been sent was spotless. I had waited for this day… And on top of being artists, these are entrepreneurs, they understand they have to be free. [In my time], I had to sign a contract for 10 years… These kids have the right to do whatever they want. They sat back and learned from my experience, and the experiences of Youssou N’Dour, and Salif Keita. And they don’t want to take that road. They want to be free in their own right and they are right to be free.”
Last year, Kidjo’s collaboration with French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf ‘Queen of Sheba’ delved into the life of the famed Ethiopian monarch and intersected the connections between Africa and the Middle East. It is the constant drive for reinvention that has kept Angélique Kidjo in the conversation as one of the respected names in world music. She has continued to defy the odds, serving as an inspiration for artists on the African continent on how to build a lasting career and legacy. Two weeks ago, Kidjo was awarded the 2023 Polar Music Prize, becoming the third African act to win the distinguished award after South Africa’s Mariam Makeba who won in 2002 and Senegal’s Youssou N’dour won in 2013.
“To be awarded the Polar Music Prize is humbling. I have no words to say how important this is for me. It comes with a sense of responsibility that is bestowed upon me as an artist to continue to do great work,” Kidjo said. “My passion for music has always been unwavering. Being on stage for me is like being in paradise – it’s my sanctuary. It’s my place to link and to connect with my fellow human beings. That is something that I’m grateful for every day.”
Featured image credits/NATIVE
ICYMI: First NBA Academy showcase in Africa to be held in Senegal
Luwa.Mp4 Releases Riotous Debut Album, ‘punKstA*’
Across the album’s 12 tracks, Luwa.Mp4 continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock,...
Rising singer and rapper Luwa.Mp4 has released his debut album titled ‘punKstA*.’ The underground star who has been on a release spree all year long, announced the imminent arrival of his debut only a couple of days ago with a cryptic trailer video and an Instagram caption that simply read ‘PUNKSTA* MONDAY.’
Before the arrival of ‘punKstA*,’ the rising fusion star had been showcasing his diligence and talent with a consistent output that has seen him put out over a dozen songs since the start of the year. A string of singles led to a 6-pack titled ‘lore skooL,’ while a deluxe version that housed 5 new songs came just a month later.
His debut album’s lead single, “pUNK FANTASY,” arrived in late July, setting the stage for what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the underground star’s burgeoning career.
Across the album’s 12 tracks, the eclectic singer continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock, Afropop, Hyperpop, and Rap into something uniquely different. Tracks like “Pure Water,” which was previously teased on Cruel Santino’s Subaru Live Stream, the abrasive, Tecno-influenced “pROMISED NEVERLAND,” and the more laidback “pEEp MY RIDE” put on display the sort of varied, autotune-soaked approach that has set him apart and helped carve a growing niche.
While Luwa decided to go solo on his debut, credited as the only recording artist, the album was brought to life by a cast of talented producers like frequent collaborator TOPSY, Emyboi, JTRN, 3CB, FVKK.ANDI and Jeremy Cartier.
Listen to ‘punKstA*,’ here.
Keep reading...
Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
Keep reading...
The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
Keep reading...
