Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Angélique Kidjo

Role / Field:

Esteemed French-Beninese musician, activist, and cultural ambassador.

Born:

1960-07-14

Century / Era:

1960s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo ( born 14 July 1960) is a French-Beninese musician, actress, and activist. Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards and a Polar Music Prize. She has collaborated with artists including Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, John Legend, Philip Glass, Bono, Yo-Yo Ma, and Burna Boy. She is the second African artist — and the first of African ethnicity — to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She performed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on July 23, 2021. In 2021, Time magazine included her in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Kidjo is fluent in five languages: Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen (Mina) and English. She sings in all of them, and she also has her own personal language, which includes words that serve as song titles such as "Batonga". Kidjo often uses Benin's traditional Zilin vocal technique and vocalese.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo was born in Ouidah, French Dahomey, in what became Benin. Her father is from the Fon people of Ouidah and her mother from the Yoruba people. Her father was a musician, and her mother worked as a choreographer...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adam Clayton — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Irish-English bassist and founding member of the globally renowned rock band U2.
• Adam Schiff — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Long-serving Democratic politician, former Congressman, and current U.S. Senator from California.
• Aimee Mann — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Literary American singer-songwriter known for sardonic lyrics about the underdog.
• Alphonse Mucha — Shared historical date (07-14 · Died) (1939): Master of Art Nouveau, famed for decorative posters and The Slav Epic.
• Anne Golon — Shared historical date (07-14 · Died) (2017): French author, best known for the bestselling Angélique novels.
• Albert Camus — Historical peer (Died in 1960) (1960): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Alex Gorsky — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): American businessman, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson.
• Alan Parker — Historical peer (Died in 2020) (2020): Acclaimed English filmmaker known for genre versatility and numerous BAFTA and Golden Globe wins.
• Albert Uderzo — Historical peer (Died in 2020) (2020): Pioneering French comic artist, co-creator of the iconic Astérix series.
• Aaron Beck — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• 1960 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1960
• July 14 (07-14) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 14

Frequently Asked Questions about Angélique Kidjo