As part of activities marking 40 years in the music industry, five-time Grammy Award-winner, Angélique Kidjo, will thrill fans at an upcoming concert scheduled for November 17, 2023, at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The announcement posted on her X (Twitter) account early this week, has already generated excitement among followers of the Wombo Lombo hitmaker, who has delivered back-to-back records throughout her career.
The concert, which forms part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, will celebrate the career-spanning catalog of one of Africa’s best-known artistes, who has been described by TIME magazine as ‘Africa’s Premier Diva.’
Organizers say the veteran musician will perform her greatest hits accompanied by the Chineke Orchestra, conducted by Chris Cameron.
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Special guests for the concert include Grammy-nominated trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf and Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour.
Angélique Kidjo, listed on TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2021, recently featured on Manodzi – a song on the 5th Dimension album by Ghanaian Afro/Dancehall performer Stonebwoy, which has gained millions of views on streaming platforms.
Kidjo, also the recipient of the 2023 prestigious Polar Music Prize, has become renowned for merging the West African traditions of her childhood with American R&B, funk, and jazz, alongside influences from Europe and Latin America.
Throughout her career, she has collaborated with high-profile artistes such as Sting, Philip Glass, Carlos Santana, Burna Boy, Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, and Peter Gabriel.
In line with the anniversary, the vibrant artiste has also announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand. She has been scheduled for a variety of activities from November 7, 2023, to June 2024, performing in cities including Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, and Adelaide.
As a performer, The Agolo singer’s striking voice, stage presence, and fluency in multiple cultures and languages have won the respect of her peers and expanded her following across national borders.
The BBC has included Angélique Kidjo in the list of the continent’s 50 most iconic figures, and in 2011, The Guardian listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. Forbes Magazine has ranked Angelique as the first woman in their list of the Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa.
In other recognitions worldwide, she is the recipient of the prestigious 2015 Crystal Award given by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the 2016 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award, the 2018 German Sustainability Award, and the 2023 Vilcek Prize in Music.