Angélique Kidjo in Portsmouth

Angélique Kidjo

Three-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today, a creative force with thirteen albums to her name. Time Magazine called her “Africa’s premier diva.” The BBC  included her in its list of the continent’s 50 most iconic figures, and in 2011 The Guardian listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. Forbes Magazine ranked Angélique as the first woman in its list of the Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa.

As a performer, her striking voice, stage presence, and fluency in multiple cultures and languages have won respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders. Kidjo has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk, and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America.

Angélique’s newest project, her interpretation of Talking Heads’ classic 1980 album “Remain in Light” was recorded with superstar producer Jeff Bhasker. Classic songs such as “Crosseyed and Painless,” “Once in a Lifetime” and “Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)” were reinterpreted with electrifying rhythms, African guitars and layered backing vocals.

Angélique has gone on to perform this genre-bending work with several international orchestras and symphonies including the Bruckner Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Philharmonie de Paris. Her collaboration with Philip Glass, titled “IFÉ: Three Yorùbá Songs,” made its US debut to a sold-out concert with the San Francisco Symphony in June 2015.

Categories: Concerts & Tour Dates