Angélique Kidjo waxay noqotay halyeeyka Afrika ee helay quruxda Hollywood Walk of Fame
Angélique Kidjo, 66 jir ah, waxay taariikh ku dhistay Los Angeles markii ay noqotay halyeeyka Afrika ee helay quruxda Hollywood Walk of Fame, iyadoo sheegtay in quruxdaas ay tahay mid ka socota dhammaan qaaradda Afrika.
Taariikhda iyo guulaha caalamiga ah
Angélique Kidjo, halyeeyka Benin ah, waxay noqotay qofka Afrika ee ugu horreeyay ee helay quruxda Hollywood Walk of Fame, iyadoo horey u heshay afar koob Grammy iyo koobka Polar Music Prize 2023. Waxayna ka mid tahay 100-ka qof ee ugu saameynta badan ee Time ku xusay.
Kidjo waxay soo saartay 18 albom, waxayna heshay 17 codin Grammy, iyadoo albomkeeda ugu dambeeyay HOPE!! ay ka mid yihiin taageerayaal sida Pharrell Williams iyo Ayra Starr. Waxayna ka soo jeedaa Benin, waxayna u dhaqaaqday Paris 23 jir ah.
Aqoonsiga caalamiga ah iyo xirfadaha
Ceremooniyadda Los Angeles waxaa ka qayb galay akhriyaal sida Willem Dafoe iyo Djimon Hounsou, iyadoo Harvey Mason Jr, hoggaamiyaha Recording Academy, uu ku tilmaamay inay tahay 'qofka ugu shaqeyn badan adduunka.' Waxayna horey u shaqeyn jirtay Unicef, Oxfam iyo Batonga Foundation.
Kidjo waxay sheegtay inay horey u heshay codin Hollywood, laakiin aanay aqoonin ilaa ay arkay BBC. Waxayna sheegtay in Chris Blackwell, hoggaamiyaha Island Records, uu ahaa mid muhiim u ah guusha, isagoo siinayay inay u sameyso muuqaalkeeda.
Xusuusnimada Afrika iyo talooyinka
Kidjo waxay sheegtay in 'quruxdaas ay tahay mid ka socota dhammaan qaaradda Afrika,' iyadoo sheegtay in 'haddii aan ahayn Afrikan, ma ahan halkan.' Waxayna sheegtay in 'muusiggu wuxuu abuuraa iibka,' iyadoo talooyin ka bixisay in la aqoonsado halyeeyada Afrika.
Waxayna sheegtay in 'waxyaabaha cusub ee la xaqiijinayo waa kuwo qaali ah,' iyadoo sheegtay in halyeeyada Afrika ay u baahan yihiin in la siiyo fursad iyo dhaqaale. Waxayna sheegtay inay xasuusato in 'muusiggu wuxuu isku xiraa dadka kala duwan.'
Angélique Kidjo, a five-time Grammy winner from Benin, made history on Tuesday as the first African musician to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, dedicating the honour to the continent of her birth.
A Historic Moment in Los Angeles
At the ceremony in Los Angeles, Kidjo was joined by Hollywood actors Willem Dafoe and Djimon Hounsou, along with Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold, in a gathering filled with singing and dancing to celebrate her four-decade career. Harvey Mason Jr, CEO of the Recording Academy, praised her as 'the hardest working woman in showbusiness' and said she 'connected cultures, she's crossed borders, she's reminded audiences everywhere that while we may come from different backgrounds, her music unites in a way that few other things can.'
Dafoe compared her energy to that of James Brown, calling her 'without a doubt the hardest working woman in showbusiness,' while also describing her as 'not only an incredible performer... songwriter and musician, but also an incredibly kind and giving person and a real deal activist.' The event marked a milestone on the Walk of Fame, which now comprises more than 2,800 stars, with Kidjo joining Charlize Theron as the only African representatives.
Dedicating the Star to Africa
Kidjo told BBC Focus on Africa that the star belongs to the entire continent, saying: 'This star is for all the continent of Africa. Because if I was not African, would I be here?' She also highlighted the foundational role of African heritage in global music, stating: 'Without the blues brought by the slaves in America, there's no R&B, there's no rock and roll, there's no soul music, there's no jazz. All of it comes from Africa.'
She urged African nations to invest in their own artists, noting that most struggle to earn a living because they rarely receive the royalties they are owed. 'Let's celebrate our artists in their own right on the continent. Let's give them visibility, strength, because music creates economy,' she said, adding: 'We need to recognise our artists and create a system for them to make money on their continent and to participate also in creating jobs.' When asked about the significance of the honour, she replied: 'Changes that last take time.'
A Lifetime of Musical Achievement
Kidjo, who is 66 years old, has released 18 albums and has been nominated for 17 Grammy awards, winning five of them. She also won the 2023 Polar Music Prize and was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People two years earlier. Her latest album, HOPE!!, was released earlier this year and features tracks produced by Pharrell Williams, alongside collaborations with Ayra Starr, Quavo, Nile Rogers and Diane Warren.
Born and raised in Benin, Kidjo moved to Paris at age 23, citing oppression from the country's then-communist government as a reason for leaving. She signed with Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, in the 1990s, which launched her breakthrough album Logozo. She recalled how Blackwell supported her artistic identity, saying: 'I said to him at that moment… Can I do the music I want to do and keep my cultural identity without anyone imposing any other music on my shoulder? He said… It's no brainer.' She also revealed she was amazed to learn of her nomination a year ago, only believing it
