She was born July 14, 1960 in Ouidah, Benin, to Franck Kidjo, a government official, and his choreographer wife Yvonne. Benin is a small sliver of land that hits Nigeria from the west, and seems to stab the Atlantic straight down from the African continent. Ouidah is on the coastline.
Encouraged by her banjo-playing father and artistically gifted mother, Angelique grew up dancing, singing and listening to traditional Beninise music, Nigerian pop, and her brothers’ James Brown-inspired rock band. However, a new leftist regime took power in the country during the early ’80s and made her perform political anthems. She fled to Paris.
Working various day jobs to pay for law school, she hoped to become involved in the human rights field. She also attended the popular jazz school CIM, where she met her future husband, music producer Jean Hebrail. Instead of finishing her studies, “I decided I would try to touch poor people with my music,” she said. (Answers.com).
Having done some backup vocal work in her 20s, in 1985 she joined the European jazz-funk-African pop fusion band Pili Pili, and everything changed. Led by pianist Jasper van’t Hof, the group was a hit in Paris, becoming one of the most sought-after shows in town. It recorded three albums with Kidjo’s lead vocals at the foreground.
Her first solo album, “Parakou” (1989), recorded with her own band, attracted Island Records producer Chris Blackwell, one of the most influential names in the industry. Signing her to the label’s Mango title, her second album, “Logozo” came out in 1991, and her fan base erupted. With energetic dance-centric concerts, she often wore denim jeans with huge earrings and buzzed hair. Angelique became an icon.
Her first language is Fon, spoken by many from her country, but also French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and a few others show up in her lyrics. Her highly ambitious album, “Fifa,” included recordings of small-town Beninise musicians, and a few songs were performed in English. “I do the music I like,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be English or French or some African dialect. Music is music; it’s all about communication.” (Answers.com).
Kidjo was raised a Catholic but discovered that voodoo held some values and tenets she agreed with. She believes that all religions attempt to unlock the mysteries of the elements and humans’ placement among them. “In voodooism, we have a different God–you live with the wind, the sea, the sun — you live with nature.” (BBC.com).
Some of her albums, like “Djin Djin” (2007 ) featured cameo performances by Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, and Ziggy Marley. In the summer of 2001, Kidjo toured with the Dave Matthews Band, and following his successful “Supernatural” hit single, Santana brought Angelique on the road with him. He subsequently recorded her song, “Adouma,” from her “Aya” album on his 2002 album, “Shaman.”
On Jan. 7, 2014, her autobiography co-written by Rachel Wenwrick, “Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music” was published by Harper Collins. Alicia Keys wrote the foreword, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote the preface. President Bill Clinton, one of Kidjo’s friends, provided a quote for the jacket cover: “The only thing bigger than Angelique Kidjo’s voice is her heart.” (DrexelNow).
Besides being a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she has started her own Batonga Foundation to help support education for young African girls. She uses her position to speak out against violence in Darfur and for ending poverty and AIDS. She also campaigns for Oxfam — an international confederation of organizations working to find solutions for poverty and injustice — and is an advocate for international women’s rights.
