Welcome to this page about Angelique Kidjo Biography, Albums, Grammy Awards and Net worth in 2024, via Afrokonnect. In this article you’ll find interesting facts and information about the legendary Grammy award female musician. Incase you’re wondering, Angelique Kidjo is a Beninese singer, songwriter, a mother, an actress and a human rights activist.
Amongst other things she’s known for, Angelique Kidjo is a UNICEF international goodwill ambassador, in 2002 She became the first African woman to be appointed for that position.
Angelique Kidjo has won the Prestigious Grammy awards four times, making her one of the greatest artists in the international music scene. During her career Angelique Kidjo has released thirteen studio albums, among which are several hit singles, videos, soundtrack for movies, jingles and documentaries.
Angelique Kidjo Biography, Professional Career and Net worth in 2024
Now that we’ve given you a little background information about her let’s dive into the main business of the day, Angelique Kidjo was born on the 14th July 1960 in Ouidah, Benin. Her parent had nine children with Her father a Fon descent and her mother from Yoruba origin.
Because of her background while growing up, Angelique Kidjo is able to speak fluent in French, English and three other African languages including Fon and Yoruba. This is usually reflected in her style of music and even vocabulary.
Luckily for her both her parents were involved in music and entertainment, as her father was a musician and her mother a choreographer & theatre director. This also had a big impact and influenced her to music. At the age of 6 Kidjo was already performing with her mother’s theatre troupe, thereby giving her an early appreciation for traditional music and dance.
Gradually the passion grew and she started singing in her school band “Les Sphinx”, she also performed and sang for her brother’s rock rhythm and blues band for a while, as a teenager, Kidjo found success when her adaptation of Mariam Makeba’s Les Trois Z was played on the national radio. She started getting more and more airplays plus relevance, at the age of 20 Angelique Kidjo was already a professional singer.
Angelique Kidjo Biography, Grammy Career Albums and Net worth in 2024
According to Angelique Kidjo she’s inspired by varieties of music from African artists such as; “Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Wonder and Otis Redding, Fela Kuti, James Brown, and many others”.
In 1983 their was a political crisis and unrest in her country “Benin” which lead to Angelique Kidjo relocating to Paris, France. On getting to Paris she continued her music and started as a back-up singer in some local bands, in 1985 Angelique Kidjo became the front singer for Jasper Van’t Hof’s Euro-African jazz/rock outfit Pili Pili.
Albums and Discography
While she was at Pili Pili Angelique Kidjo released three albums namely;
- Jakko (1987)
- Be In Two Minds (1988)
- Hotel Babo (1990)
While she was still in France, she attended CIM, a reputable Jazz school where she studied Music. In 1988 Angelique recorded an album, Pretty, the album featured the songs “Ninive”, “Gbe Agossi” a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models.
The album became a success and as a result, made her tour all over West Africa. Subsequently, she released the solo album Parakou in the 1990s for the Open Jazz label.
Her works didn’t go unnoticed as she caught the attention of Island records. Blackwell signed her in 1991 where she recorded four albums for Island, in 2000 Angelique Kidjo got signed by Columbia Records, New York, and she recorded two more albums there.
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Angelique Kidjo Albums and Discography
Below is a list of her albums and released dates which includes;
- Pretty, 1981
- Parakou, 1989
- Logozo, 1991
- Aye, 1994
- Fifa, 1996
- Oremi, 1998
- Black Ivory Soul, 2002
- Oyaya, 2004
- Djin Djin, 2007
- Oyo, 2010
- Spirit Rising, 2012
- Eve, 2014
- Sings with the Ochestre Philharmonique Du Luxemborg, 2015
- Remain in Light, 2018
- Celia, 2019
Angelique Kidjo Grammy Awards, Recognition, Net worth in 2024 and Biography
Angelique Kidjo is a multi awardwinning singer and songwriter, her albums Djin Djin, Eve, Sings and Celia won the Grammy Awards in 2008, 2015, 2016 and 2020 respectively. She has received several local and international recognition Some of it include;
- Prix Decouverte RFI SACEM, 1991
- Octave RFI, 1992
- Prix Afrique en Creation, 1992
- Danish Music Awards, Best Female Singer, 1995
- Kora Music Awards, Best African Female Artist, 1997
- MOBO Awards, Best World Music Act, 2002
- Medaille De Vermeil De La Ville De Paris, 2004
- Africa-Festival Award, 2006
- SAFDA African Pride Award, 2006
- Crystal Award, World Economic Forum, 2015
- Conscience Award, Amnesty International Ambassador, 2016
- Antonio Carlos Jobim Award, 2007
- N.A.A.C.P Image Award for Outstanding World Music Album, 2008
- Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album, 2008
- Go Global World Music Award, 2008
- Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic, 2008
- Commander of the National Order of Benin, 2008
- National Council for Research on Women, 2009
- Afropop Hall of Fame, 2009
- New York Women’s Foundation, 2009
- Premio Tenco Prize, 2009
- Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, 2010
- Grand Prix Des Musiques Du Monde De La Sacem, 2010
- Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary World Music Album, 2011
- Prix Special de la Francophonie, 2011
- Champions of the Earth Award, 2011
- Miroir Awards, World Music of the Festival d’ete de Quebec, 2012
- Trophee Des Arts, FIAF French Institute, Alliance Francaise, 2012
Other Awards Also Include;
- Keep A Child Alive’s Award for Outstanding Humanitarian Work with Oprah Winfrey, 2012
- Lifetime Achievement Award from the African Diaspora Awards, 2012
- Songlines Music Awards, Best Artist Category, 2013
- Confederation Internationale des Societes d’Auteurs et Compositeurs (CISAC), 2013
- Arms Around the Child Award, 2014
- The Dag Hammerskjold Fund, 2014
- All African Music Awards, 2014
- Visionary Leadership Award, 2015
- Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album, 2015
- Mappie Award, 2015
- David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award, 2015
- Impact Award, Population Council Organization, 2015
- Grammy Award, Best Contemporary World Music Album, Sings, 2015
- All Africa Leadership Award, 2016
- Ambassador of Conscience Award, Amnesty International, 2016
- Officer of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, 2016
- African Movie Academy Awards, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, 2017
- Grand Prix Des Musiques Du Monde, 2017
- Charles de Ferry de Fontnouvelle Award, 2018
- Prix De L’Artiste Citoven, 2018
- First World Pioneer Award, Songlines Magazine Music Awards, 2018
- German Sustainability Award, 2018
- Musicultura Unimarche Prize, Universities of Macerata and Camerino, 2019
- Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, 2019
- Distinguished Artist Award, International Society for the Performing Arts, 2020
- Best World Music Album, 62 Annual Grammy Awards, 2020
Recognitions
- Africa’s premier Diva, Time Magazine, 2007
- 50 Most Iconic figures on the continent, BBC Africa, 2010
- One of the Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in art film, music and fashion The Guardian, 2011
- First woman among the 40 Most powerful Celebrities in Africa, Forbes Magazine, 2011
- The Undisputed Queen of African music, Daily Telegraph, 2012
- Africa’s greatest living diva, National Public Radio (NPR), 2013
- Most Influential Africans, New African Magazine & Jeune Afrique, 2014
- 100 most influential women, Forbes Afrique, 2015
Honorary Doctorates Degree
The following institutions have honored Kidjo with an honorary doctorate degree;
- Yale University
- Berklee College of Music
- Middlebury College
- UCLouvain University
The Batonga Foundation
The name Batonga initially came from one of the songs sang by Kidjo. Also, the initiative has several partnering organisation which supports its mission. It is an obvious fact that Angelique Kidjo is an activist, passionate about women and girls education.
Aside from being the UNICEF international goodwill ambassador and champion of several campaigns, she co-founded The Batonga Foundation. The foundation was created in 2006 alongside Mary Louise Cohen and John R. Philips.
Basically, it seeks to reach young women and girls in Benin with the knowledge and skills they need to be agents of change in their own lives and communities. It supports primary, secondary and higher institution for girls in Africa.
Also, it provides scholarship grants, builds secondary schools, increases enrollment, improves teaching standards, provides school supplies, supports mentor programs, explores alternative education models and advocates for community awareness of the value of education for girls.
Famous Angelique Kidjo Quotes
- Your brain is your greatest weapon, Connect it to your heart and you can go anywhere.”
- You cannot transform the society of the people if the people are not part of the change.
- It is proven that when women are educated, the ability of the country goes up immediately.
- It doesn’t matter what challenge you face, the most important thing is, when you fall, how you rise and how high you want to go, where you want to go from that rise on.
- I don’t care about the skin color, everybody is a human being, Beneath every skin color, you bleed red. That’s just the bottom line of the truth.
Angelique Kidjo Personal Life, Husband and Net worth in 2024
While she was in Paris Angelique met the love of her life “Jean Hebrial”. Jean is a French musician and producer who assisted her with musical productions. Due to the strong chemistry between them, they got married in 1987. In 1993 they gave birth to their daughter, Naimat Hebrial Kidjo. Naimat is an actress, writer and a source of inspiration to her mother.
Angelique Kidjo Net Worth in Dollars in 2024
Angelique Kidjo bas a multiple stream of income, aside her music she also write commercial books which also generates income for the Beninese American singer, songwriter and activist. From our research we estimated Angelique Kidjo net worth to be $5 million.
Angelique Kidjo Biography, Professional Career and Net worth in 2024
Conclusion
In conclusion, Angelique Kidjo stands as a musical luminary whose extraordinary career has transcended genres, borders, and cultural boundaries. With her powerful voice, magnetic stage presence, and unwavering commitment to advocacy, Kidjo has become a global icon in the world of music and beyond.
Her ability to seamlessly blend diverse musical influences, from traditional African rhythms to contemporary Western genres, reflects not only her immense talent but also her dedication to celebrating the richness of global musical heritage. Kidjo’s albums, adorned with Grammy Awards and critical acclaim, serve as sonic tapestries that weave together narratives of resilience, love, and the shared human experience.
Beyond her musical prowess, Angelique Kidjo’s activism and philanthropy underscore her belief in the transformative power of art. From championing the rights of women and children to advocating for social and political justice, Kidjo’s voice extends far beyond the stage, resonating as a force for positive change.
As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and a prominent advocate for education, health, and cultural preservation, Angelique Kidjo exemplifies the true essence of an artist who uses her platform to address pressing global issues. Her commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding and unity echoes in each note she sings and every cause she champions.
In a world where music serves as a universal language, Angelique Kidjo stands as a living testament to its ability to connect hearts and minds. Her enduring legacy serves as an inspiration for aspiring musicians, activists, and individuals who believe in the transformative power of art to create a more harmonious and just world.
With each performance, Kidjo continues to leave an indelible mark on the cultural landscape, reminding us that the beauty of music lies not only in its melodies but also in its capacity to unite, inspire, and bring about positive change. Don’t forget to share this Angelique Kidjo Biography, Albums, Grammy Award and Net worth in 2024 article via Afrokonnect. With this we’ve come to the end of this article, thank you for reading through.
