Angélique Kidjo

Time Magazine once described her as »Africa’s first diva«: For around four decades, Angélique Kidjo – who hails from Benin, trained in Paris and has lived in New York since the mid-1990s – has been making her mark on the international stage. Today, she is one of the most influential voices in world music. In the Great Hall, she will present her new album »Hope!!«

Award-winning singer
Her latest album »Hope!!« is both a tribute to Kidjo’s mother, Yvonne, and a plea for hope and humanity. Stylistically, this is reflected in the musical diversity: Afrobeat, Afropop and Highlife meet R&B and funk, intertwining with jazz, soul and Latin American grooves. In an interview, the singer – who has won five Grammys, amongst other awards – explains: »“With this album, I wanted to reignite a spark in people’s hearts and show just how much we need this joy and hope to preserve our humanity.”« It is music that lingers long after it has finished, reminding us that hope has nothing to do with passive waiting. A spark that endures!