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Hailing from the West African nation of Benin and residing in New York City and Paris, the 63-year-old's music cross-pollinates the West African traditions of her upbringing in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and modal jazz, all while drawing inspiration from Europe and Latin American influences.
The 63-year-old's most recent album, Mother Nature, addresses racial inequity and the climate crisis. Her collaborations with artists from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and the United States draw inspiration from significant historical and current events, including the youth-led movement against Nigeria's corrupt Special Anti-Robbery Squad, the American Declaration of Independence, Black Lives Matter protests, and Benin's 60th independence anniversary.
She has been recognised as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people and The Guardian's Top 100 Inspiring Women in the world. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and was awarded the prestigious 2023 Polar Music Prize. As a humanitarian, she founded Batonga, a foundation dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa. Today, the foundation reaches more than 8000 young women and girls in Benin, and has expanded its work to Senegal, where it is positioned to reach another 6000 in the coming months.
Supporting Angelique in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide is Maatakitj: a Noongar name meaning 'long legs like a spear' and the affectionate stage name of Clint Bracknell, a musician from southern WA and Professor of Indigenous Languages at the University of Queensland.
The show are as follows: Perth Concert Hall February 29; Brisbane's Queensland Performing Arts Centre March 4; Melbourne's Hamer Hall March 5; Sydney Opera House March 6; Auckland Town Hall March 9; Adelaide Festival Centre March 12.
Visit https://www.kidjo.com/tour for tickets.
