Accessibility links
Angélique Kidjo Angélique Kidjo artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Angelique Kidjo

Angélique Kidjo
New Music Friday For June 8: Six Albums You Should Hear Now

Jorja Smith's debut album, Lost & Found, is one of the standouts for June 8 releases. Rashid Babiker/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Rashid Babiker/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday For June 8: Six Albums You Should Hear Now

The best albums of June 8 include the candid, introspective rock of Snail Mail, the jazzy, laid-back R&B of British singer Jorja Smith, the sultry pop of Lykke Li, and more.

New Music Friday For June 8: Six Albums You Should Hear Now

Listen · 22:18
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/617853603/618141239" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Angélique Kidjo Connects Talking Heads With Her African Roots

"It doesn't matter how hard the subject is, make it danceable," Angélique Kidjo says. Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Angélique Kidjo Connects Talking Heads With Her African Roots

The first time Kidjo heard Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime," she knew it was an African song. Almost 35 years later, her new cover album sounds as if it really had been conceived in West Africa.

Angélique Kidjo Connects Talking Heads With Her African Roots

Listen · 7:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/616145303/616733868" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
New Mix: James Blake, Luluc, Angelique Kidjo Covers Talking Heads

Clockwise from upper left: James Blake, Luluc, Angelique Kidjo, Gabriella Cohen Courtesy of the artists hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artists

All Songs Considered

New Mix: James Blake, Luluc, Angelique Kidjo Covers Talking Heads

All Songs Considered hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton share this week's must-hear music, including an incredible new cut from singer James Blake, guitar rock from New Zealand, and more.

New Mix: James Blake, Luluc, Angelique Kidjo Covers Talking Heads

Listen · 40:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/614179068/615111250" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
First Listen: Angélique Kidjo, 'Eve'

Angélique Kidjo's new album, Eve, comes out Jan. 28. Pierre Marie Zimmerman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Pierre Marie Zimmerman/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Angélique Kidjo, 'Eve'

The power of Kidjo's unflappable voice, the range of her emotional expression, the stellar musicians who back her and the infectious energy that courses through her songs transcend any native tongue.

Eve

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/262401474/262402740" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

  • Buy Featured Music

    Song
    Eve
    Album
    Eve
    Artist
    Angélique Kidjo
    Label
    429 Records
    Released
    2014

    Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?

Angélique Kidjo On Mountain Stage

Angélique Kidjo. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

toggle caption
Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Angélique Kidjo On Mountain Stage

The Benin-born artist has been called "the undisputed queen of African music." In this performance, she pays homage to the great Miriam Makeba and performs songs from her latest album, Eve.

Angélique Kidjo On Mountain Stage

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/306834422/306854579" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Sing The Truth! Live In Concert

L-R: Lizz Wright, Angelique Kidjo and Dianne Reeves perform at the 2011 Detroit Jazz Festival. Jeff Forman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Jeff Forman/Courtesy of the artist

Toast Of The Nation

Sing The Truth! Live In Concert

WBGO

Three women with superhuman voices — Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves & Lizz Wright — have been touring together under the banner Sing The Truth! The idea is to perform songs of empowerment and love.

Sing The Truth! Live In Concert

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144530471/144500592" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Angélique Kidjo Shouts Out Africa's Women With Funk And Fire

Angélique Kidjo's 10th album, Eve, is dedicated to the women of Africa. Pierre Marie Zimmerman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Pierre Marie Zimmerman/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Music Reviews

Angélique Kidjo Shouts Out Africa's Women With Funk And Fire

Kidjo's latest album, Eve, started when she was swept into a group of singing women in Kenya. She then took her music to Benin, traveling its width and breadth and recording nine different choral groups to back up her own lead vocals.

Angélique Kidjo Shouts Out Africa's Women With Funk And Fire

Listen · 4:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/267741551/268404411" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Angélique Kidjo Shares The 'Shiver' Of Hearing A Beautiful Voice

Angélique Kidjo's new album, Eve, showcases the voices of women from Kenya and her home country of Benin. Pierre Marie Zimmerman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Pierre Marie Zimmerman/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Angélique Kidjo Shares The 'Shiver' Of Hearing A Beautiful Voice

'I had a vision," says the singer, whose latest album showcases the voices of women from Kenya and her home country of Benin.

Angélique Kidjo Shares The 'Shiver' Of Hearing A Beautiful Voice

Listen · 10:29
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/265246056/266231393" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
World Cafe Looks Back: World Music

Angélique Kidjo.

Jed Root hide caption

toggle caption
Jed Root

World Cafe

World Cafe Looks Back: World Music

XPN

David Dye recalls the incredible world music artists who've appeared on World Cafe in the past 20 years, including King Sunny Ade, Angélique Kidjo and Bela Fleck; plus Ry Cooder on producing Buena Vista Social Club.

World Cafe Looks Back: World Music

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/141479824/141479865" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Angelique Kidjo: The Sounds Of Benin

Angelique Kidjo. Alexei Hay hide caption

toggle caption
Alexei Hay

Music Interviews

Angelique Kidjo: The Sounds Of Benin

Growing up on the southern coast of Benin, Kidjo was surrounded by music, both at home and in the crowded marketplaces nearby. On her new album, Oyo, she pays tribute to some of the artists who influenced her, and further cements her status as a unique voice.

Angelique Kidjo: The Sounds Of Benin

Listen · 7:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/125390625/125707759" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Angelique Kidjo On World Cafe

Angelique Kidjo. Alexei Hay hide caption

toggle caption
Alexei Hay

World Cafe

Angelique Kidjo On World Cafe

XPN

On her latest album, Oyo, Kidjo pays respects to the artists who influenced her by offering her take on some of their songs. Her version of Santana's "Samba Pa Ti" is just one of the songs the African singer performs in this World Cafe session.

Angelique Kidjo On World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/125689117/125689116" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Angelique Kidjo: Dancing Her Way To The Front

Angelique Kidjo. Nabil Elderkin hide caption

toggle caption
Nabil Elderkin

Favorite Sessions

Angelique Kidjo: Dancing Her Way To The Front

WFUV On-Air: Music Discovery Starts Here

Kidjo's music is completely contagious, with rhythms that sound like a complex combination of soul and Brazilian music. At its core, though, her work reflects her West African roots. Hear a complete concert Kidjo recorded for WFUV in New York City.

Angelique Kidjo In Concert On WFUV 2/8/10

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/125592466/125638917" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

World Cafe

Angelique Kidjo: Music of the World

XPN

The title of Kidjo's latest album, Djin Djin, translates to "seize the day" — an appropriate directive from the West African singer, whose career spans 20 years. Kidjo fuses Afro-funk, salsa, reggae, gospel, jazz and more with American rock, pop and soul.

Angelique Kidjo in Studio on World Cafe - 05/01/2007

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/9946853/9947233" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Browse archive or search npr.org