"Without the blues brought by the slaves in America, there's no R&B, there's no rock and roll, there's no soul music, there's no jazz. All of it comes from Africa."
Angélique Kidjo recently told the BBC. Indeed, several prominent genres that have come to define music in the 21st century trace their roots to African folk songs.
This begs the question, why is the continent's music industry not as developed as that of America and Europe, especially in terms of returns for musicians, advancement in recording technology, and well-defined distribution networks? Why do African musicians strive to ape the West in several aspects of their music and even dressing, yet they are supposed to be the originators and, in this case, pacesetters in matters of music? Can one make it big in the world of music without necessarily struggling to Americanize or Anglicize or westernize their music?
Angélique Kidjo is the response to this intriguing question. She is the epitome of African music. The five-time Grammy Award winner has typified Africanness throughout her four-decade music career. Although she has spent almost her entire adult life in Paris, far detached from her native Benin, she has managed to retain her Africanness throughout her career, and this comes out glaringly in her music. She carried the Yoruba and Fon rhythm from Benin with her to Europe and has managed to spruce it up with influences from other civilizations Afropop, funk, jazz, reggae, etc., to dress it for a global audience, in essence bringing African music to the world. On stage, her trademark short natural hair gives an impression of an artist who holds African values dear to her heart, while her energetic dance moves, quite reminiscent of Tshala Muana, the Queen of Mutwashi, leave no doubt that the title of Mama Africa finds a fitting head to wear after the demise of Miriam Makeba of South Africa.
With numerous Grammy nominations, five wins, and close to 20 albums up her sleeve, Angélique Kidjo is not your ordinary musician but a revered figure whose fame transcends the edges of music fame to something close to a global icon.
She was born Angélique Kpasseloko Kidjo in Ouidah, in what was then the French colony that is today known as Benin, in West Africa. Her father was Yoruba, while her mother was a Fon. Her father was a musician, while her mother was an actor, a parentage that answers any questions about her inspiration for singing and acting. It is under her mother's tutelage that she graced the theatre for the first time, at the age of six. For her singing, she began with the school choir and had her first recording while a high school student. Her journey to Paris to study law turned out to be a turning point for her music. It wasn’t just the pull factor powered by better prospects and a thirst to succeed; in action, the political turmoil back home also acted as a push factor for immigration. The city offered the talented and determined Beninese an opportunity to study music, a development that saw her overlook her initial choice of career, which had been her wish to become a family lawyer.
It was at the CIM College that she met French producer Jean Hébrail, who would later become her husband and central pillar in her success in music. From performing as her backup singer, fortune opened the floodgates of success to the young Angélique Kidjo, who swiftly transitioned into a recognized musician. If a musician’s success is gauged by the awards they have won as the sole yardstick, then very few would match this songbird from Benin. She has struck a goal haul where even bigger names could not manage a hat-trick or even a brace, to borrow football jargon, particularly when it comes to the prestigious Grammy Awards.
Her 2008 album Djin Djin, produced at Electric Lady Studios in New York, won her a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album. The Afrobeat album featured Amadou Bagayoko on guitar, Habib Faye on bass, Poogie Bell on drums, and Branford Marsalis on saxophone. Her other Grammy victories came through the albums Eve, Sings, Celia, and Mother Nature, in 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2022, respectively.
She has also won a Kora Award in the category of Best Female Artist. This came in 1997. Her other major honors include the Polar Music Prize, MOBO Award, NAACP Image Award, Edison Award, Antonio Carlos Jobim Award, Songlines Music Award, and many more. In August 2026, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first African musician and first Black African to receive the honor. August 18 was subsequently declared Angélique Kidjo Day.
If her success in music is not sufficiently narrated by the many awards, then the occasions, concerts, and events she has graced also corroborate the story of one of Africa’s most decorated musicians. Angélique Kidjo has graced some of the world’s most prestigious stages and events. Her appearances include the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo in 2011, the Mandela 46664 Concert in Cape Town, the Africa Live concert in Dakar in 2005, the Grammy Awards in 2020, and the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony in 2021, among many others. She also performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2023, the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2024, and the Grace for the World concert at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City in 2025.
The greatness that hasn’t been factored in by her awards and events may as well be visible through the big names she has collaborated with in her four-decade winding career. These are Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, and Peter Gabriel, among many other big names in the industry. She has also involved herself deeply in humanitarian issues. She runs the Batonga Foundation, which champions the education and empowerment of girls across the continent, among several other philanthropic ventures. This is also exemplary of her love for Mama Africa.
Now in her 60s, Angélique towers above many of her peers in music, and the star of her success continues to shine even beyond music. She inspires many an African girl, with her rise epitomizing the optimism that the background into which one is born or raised does not in any way limit one’s achievements or restrict one’s success.
Most importantly, Angélique’s success is testimony that an artist can retain her African identity and still excel to attain the apex.
BY JEROME OGOLA
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