Credits:

Angelique Kidjo

Description:

While working for children around the world as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and co-founding the Batonga Foundation to support the education of girls in Africa, over the past 30 years she has established herself as one of the most singular and extraordinary voices in international music, inspiring many artists with her ingenuity, eclectic principle, and boundless creativity, Angelique Kidjo has inspired many artists and is a four-time Grammy Award winner, and her new album follows 2019's "Celia" (a Grammy Award-winning and critically acclaimed tribute to Celia Cruz). A truly visionary work, endlessly forward-thinking and original, yet rooted in a deep understanding of musical traditions born from working with many musical descendants, including some of the most fascinating young creators of West African music, Afrobeat, Afropop, dancehall, hip-hop, and alternative R&B. Kidjo fulfilled the promise he first made when he won the 2016 Grammy for Best Global Music Album, and repeated and proudly proclaimed after winning Best World Music Album in 2020.The time has come for a new generation of artists coming from Africa to take you by storm." This work is the result of a renewed awareness of his own musical heritage, and Kidjo, a native of Benin, West Africa, says, "For many years I concentrated only on making music that made me happy and was true to who I am, but as time went on, I realized the impact my songs had on the younger generation As time went on, I began to realize the impact my songs have had on the younger generation. This album is about how we can take that influence and move things forward together." The work addresses issues such as racial inequality and climate change, and once again proves the rare ability of longtime activists to translate complex themes into bright, joyful music.The list of up-and-coming artists includes Zimbabwean-American singer-songwriter Shungudzo, Nigerian singer-songwriter Yemi Alade, Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer-songwriter/rapper Burna Boy, hip-hop duo from Atlanta EARTHGANG, Zambian singer-songwriter Sampa The Great, Nigerian singer-songwriter Mr. Eazi, and more. EARTHGANG, Zambian singer/songwriter Sampa The Great, Nigerian singer/songwriter Mr. Eazi, and many more up-and-comers as well as heavyweight artists like Lionel Loueke and Salif Keita! If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is that we are all part of the same ecosystem and that this planet is all we have. If we are to survive, we must recognize our shared humanity and learn how to live together. There is no other way." This is a powerful piece of work that puts my thoughts into a new work!