Angélique Kidjo makes history for Africa with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Angélique Kidjo has achieved a historic milestone for Africa by receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first African musician to be honored in this way. Her powerful voice and unique ability to blend West African musical styles with funk, jazz, and R&B have garnered her a global fanbase.

During the ceremony, the five-time Grammy award winner, originally from Benin, emphasized the profound impact of African music on the world. "We Africans just don't know what we've given to the world, and what we continue giving to the world for the music to exist. Without us, there's no music possible on this planet," she stated.

Kidjo, 66, was joined by her family, friends, and notable figures including Hollywood actors Willem Dafoe and Djimon Hounsou (also from Benin), and Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold. For over four decades, Kidjo has introduced African sounds to international audiences, incorporating influences from her native Benin with funk, jazz, and pop.

As her legacy was cemented in Los Angeles, Kidjo expressed gratitude and reflected on the significance of the honor. "The star for me means that my vision of the world as a small village is a reality," she said upon the unveiling on Tuesday. "It doesn't matter where we come from, what language we speak, which skin colour we have. We are human. It's one human family."

Kidjo's journey began in Benin, but she relocated to Paris in 1983 due to the oppressive communist government then in power. She recounted to the BBC in 2023, "From the moment the communist regime arrived in Benin, I became aware that the freedom we enjoy can be snatched away in a second."

The Walk of Fame ceremony was a vibrant celebration of Kidjo's career, featuring singing and dancing. Her extensive career includes collaborations with prominent artists such as Burna Boy, John Legend, Bono, and Alicia Keys. Her most recent album, "HOPE!!", released earlier this year, features tracks produced by Pharrell Williams and collaborations with Ayra Starr, Quavo, Nile Rogers, and Diane Warren. In total, she has released 18 albums and received 17 Grammy nominations, winning five.

Beyond the Grammys, Kidjo was awarded the 2023 Polar Music Prize and was recognized as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People two years prior.

Actor Willem Dafoe lauded Kidjo at the event, calling her "without a doubt the hardest working woman in showbusiness." He recalled his first live performance experience: "The first time I saw Angélique perform live, I thought her music, her dancing, her commitment were incredible." The "Spider-Man" star likened her energy to that of soul singer James Brown, whom he referred to as the "hardest working man in showbusiness." Dafoe further praised her as "not only an incredible performer... songwriter and musician, but also an incredibly kind and giving person and a real deal activist."

Kidjo serves as a goodwill ambassador for Unicef and Oxfam, and co-founded the Batonga Foundation, which supports vulnerable young girls and women in Benin.

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy (which oversees the Grammy awards), also commended Kidjo at the Los Angeles gathering. He stated, "She's connected cultures, she's crossed borders, she's reminded audiences everywhere that while we may come from different backgrounds, her music unites in a way that few other things can."

Kidjo joins Charlize Theron, a white South African actress, as an African representative on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which features over 2,800 stars.