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Angelique Kidjo
(Benin)
Biography
Angélique Kidjo is one of the biggest names in African music
since the beginning of the 1990s. Born into a very musical family, she began to sing with her brothers in the
Kidjo Brothers Band. By 1985, she went to Paris to pursue her career, first as a backing
vocalist, and from 1984, she was the lead singer of Dutch afro-jazz group Pili Pili.
Today, she hardly needs an introduction anymore... With her own band since 1988, she recorded the album « Parakou », which was already a huge success. In 1998, she moved to New York with her husband and daughter. The next three albums, « Oremi » (1998), « Black Ivory Soul » (2002) and « Oyaya ! » (2004) form a trilogy, exploring the African roots in, respectively, North American, Brazilian and Caribbean music.
In 2007, Angelique returns with an album that partly goes back to here Beninese roots, but also seeks for cross-over with various international styles, and the album features a large number of guests such as Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, Peter Gabriel, Amadou and Mariam, Ziggy Marley, and Branford Marsalis. She won a Grammy Award in 2008 for this album « Djin Djin » in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category. Her 2010 album « Oyo » was nominated in the same category. She received a Grammy for Best World Album 2014 and 2015!
Today, she hardly needs an introduction anymore... With her own band since 1988, she recorded the album « Parakou », which was already a huge success. In 1998, she moved to New York with her husband and daughter. The next three albums, « Oremi » (1998), « Black Ivory Soul » (2002) and « Oyaya ! » (2004) form a trilogy, exploring the African roots in, respectively, North American, Brazilian and Caribbean music.
In 2007, Angelique returns with an album that partly goes back to here Beninese roots, but also seeks for cross-over with various international styles, and the album features a large number of guests such as Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, Peter Gabriel, Amadou and Mariam, Ziggy Marley, and Branford Marsalis. She won a Grammy Award in 2008 for this album « Djin Djin » in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category. Her 2010 album « Oyo » was nominated in the same category. She received a Grammy for Best World Album 2014 and 2015!
Angélique Kidjo
Born: in Ouidah, Bénin, July 14, 1960, as Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsina Kango Manta Zogbin
Style: Afro-funk
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Mother Nature | 2021 | Decca | |
| Celia | 2019 | Verve Forecast | |
| Remain in Light | 2018 | Kravenworks KR 1002 | Revisiting Talking Heads' album Remain in Light |
| Sings | 2015 | 429 Records | With the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg |
| Eve | 2014 | 429 Records | |
| Spirit Rising - Live from Guest Street | 2012 | Razor & Tie | |
| Oyo | 2010 | Razor & Tie Records/Naïve | |
| Djin Djin | 2007 | Razor & Tie Records (USA) / | Odeon Records (EMI, Europe) |
| 20th Century Masters - The Best of Angelique Kidjo | 2005 | Universal Music | The Millennium Collection |
| Oyaya ! | 2004 | Sony Music/Columbia | |
| Black Ivory Soul | 2002 | Sony Music | |
| Keep on Moving (Best of...) | 2001 | Wrasse Records WRASS 030 | Compilation album |
| Oremi | 1998 | Island CID8070 / 524 521-2 | |
| Fifa | 1996 | Mango 162 531 039-2 | |
| Ayé | 1994 | Mango 518 432-2 | |
| Logozo | 1991 | Mango CIDM 1091 | |
| Parakou | 1989 | Island Records 74321 20790-2 | F: Island Records 848 219-2 |
| Pretty | 1980 | LP | Produced by Ekambi Brilliant |
Sources
Page added March 1999