Story
Angélique Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Kpasseloko Manta Zogbin Kidjo (born 14 July 1960), better known as Angelique Kidjo, is a Grammy Award-winning African musician.
She is a famous Beninese singer, songwriter, actress and civil rights activist.
She is an international goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and a multiple-time Grammy Award winner.
Beninese singer
Angelique Kidjo |
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 Angélique Kidjo: History • Biography • Photos |
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| Wiki Info & About Data | |
| First and last name: | Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo |
| Stage name: | Angelique Kidjo |
| Born: | July 14, 1960 (63 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Ouidah, Benin |
| Nationality: | Beninese, American |
| Height: | 1.72 m |
| Parents: | Yvonne Kidjo, Franck Kidjo |
| Siblings: | Oscar Kidjo |
| Husband • Spouse: | Jean Hébrail (d. 1987) |
| Boyfriend • Partner: | do not apply |
| Children: | Naima Hebrail Kidjo |
| Job: | Musician • Actress |
| Net value: | 5 million USD |
Early Life & Education
In Ouidah, Benin, Angelique Kidjo was born into a large family of nine on July 14, 1960. He has an older brother named Oscar Kidjo.
Her mother, Yvonne Kidjo, is Yoruba, and her father, Franck Kidjo, is of Fon descent. She speaks French, English, and three other African languages, including Fon and Yoruba, due to her heritage.
Angelique Kidjo’s mother was a dancer and theater director, and her father was a musician. Both her parents loved music. As a result, she began performing at age 6 with her mother’s theater troupe, sparking an early interest in traditional music and dance.
She sang in her high school band Les Sphinx and joined her brother’s blues and rhythm rock band.
Angelique Kidjo became famous as a teenager after Miriam Makeba’s cover of Les Trois Z was played on radio stations across the country. At the age of 20, she achieved professional vocal success.
Several African musicians, including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Wonder, Otis Redding, Fela Kuti and James Brown, have had a significant impact on Angelique Kidjo.
Career
Because of political unrest in her native Benin, Angelique Kidjo moved to Paris in 1983 because she could not pursue an independent career as an artist there. She began joining several local bands as a backup singer. She later became the lead singer for Jasper Van’t Hof’s African jazz/rock group Pili Pili in 1985.
At Pili Pili, Jakko (1987), Be In Two Minds (1988) and Hotel Babo (1989) were the three albums that were released (1990). She also attended CIM, a famous jazz school, to study music.
In 1988, Angelique Kidjo released her debut album titled Pretty. It was with Oscar Brilliant, brother of Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brillant. It features the songs Ninive and Gbe Agossi, a tribute to singer Bella Bellow, one of her idols.
She was able to tour throughout West Africa due to the album’s success. Then, in the 1990s, she recorded the solo album Parakou for the Open Jazz label.
Chris Blackwell of Island Records later came across her and signed her to their roster in 1991 after hearing about her solo album and her work with Pili Pili. For Island, she also produced four albums before Chris Blackwell left the company.
Columbia Records signed Angelique Kidjo in New York in 2000, where she released two albums. After that, she continued to release successful albums. Her first book, Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music, was released in 2014. Additionally, she released a book titled La voix est le miroir de l’ame.
CD
- Nice, 1981
- Parakou, 1989
- Logozo, 1991
- Yes, 1994
- FIFA, 1996
- Oremi, 1998
- Black Ivory Soul, 2002
- Oaya, 2004
- Djin Djin, 2007
- Oyo, 2010
- Rising Spirit, 2012
- New Year’s Eve, 2014
- Singing with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestre philharmonique du Luxembourg), 2015
- Stay in the Light, 2018
- Celia, 2019
Batonga Foundation
Angelique Kidjo is an activist committed to the education of women and girls. She co-founded the Batonga Foundation, served as an international goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and promoted several initiatives.
The charity was founded in 2006 by John R. Phillips and Mary Louise Cohen.
Its main goal is to provide women and girls in Benin with the knowledge and capabilities they need to make a difference in their own lives and communities. It supports African female enrollment in primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions.
In addition, it provides school supplies, supports mentoring programs, considers alternative educational models, builds high schools, increases enrollment, raises teaching standards, scholarships, building high schools and raising community awareness about the importance of girls’ education.
One of Angelique Kidjo’s songs was the basis for the nickname Batonga. The program also has a number of partners helping to achieve its goals.
Personal life
While in Paris, Angelique Kidjo met Jean Hébrail. She received support from French producer and musician Jean Hébrail for her musical endeavors. They had such a good relationship that they decided to get married in 1987.
Then, in 1993, they gave birth to daughter Naima Hebrail Kidjo.
The mother uses Naima Hebrail Kidjo, an actress and author, as her main inspiration.
Net value
Beninese-American singer, songwriter, activist, and activist Angelique Kidjo has a net worth of $5 million.
Social Media
- Twitter: @AngeliqueKidjo
- Instagram: @AngeliqueKidjo
- Facebook: Angelique Kidjo
- YouTube: Angelique Kidjo
