Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo is set to make history this month as the first Black African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The five-time Grammy Award winner will be honoured on August 18 with the 2,854th star on the famous boulevard, marking a landmark moment not only in her career but also for African music on the global stage.
The unveiling ceremony will take place at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard, opposite the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with acclaimed actor Willem Dafoe and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. expected to speak in her honour.
Kidjo’s recognition crowns a career spanning more than four decades, during which she has become one of Africa’s most celebrated musical exports.
Born in 1960 in Benin, then known as Dahomey, she released her debut album Pretty in 1981 before relocating to Paris two years later amid political unrest in her home country. She later settled in Brooklyn, New York, where her international career flourished.
Known for blending traditional West African rhythms with jazz, funk, R&B and pop, Kidjo has released 18 studio albums and won five Grammy Awards. Her catalogue includes classics such as Agolo, Batonga and Wombo Lombo, alongside recent collaborations with some of Africa’s biggest stars, including Burna Boy, Davido and Ayra Starr.
Beyond music, Kidjo has established herself as a passionate advocate for children’s rights and education across Africa. She also appeared in the film The Woman King, contributing the soundtrack duet Keep Rising.
Her latest milestone comes years after being named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people and further cements her legacy as one of Africa’s greatest cultural ambassadors.
Until now, South African-born actress Charlize Theron was the only African-born personality with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Kidjo’s induction marks the first time the honour has been awarded to a Black African artist, adding another historic achievement to an already distinguished career.
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