Angélique Kidjo

Five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo believes that music has the power to connect cultures, preserve history and inspire change.

Born in Benin, Kidjo says music was part of her life from the very beginning. "I didn't decide to become a musician," she explains. "It was music that chose me." Growing up, she was surrounded by traditional music from Benin alongside sounds from across Africa and around the world, experiences that would later shape her distinctive musical style.

She began singing in her school band, Les Sphinx, and found success as a teenager when her recording of Miriam Makeba's Les Trois Z was played on national radio. At the age of 20, she recorded her first album, Pretty, before relocating to Paris in 1983, where her international career began.

Throughout her career, Kidjo has celebrated African culture while exploring its influence on global music. She believes the continent's musical traditions have shaped genres including the blues, rock and roll, R&B, country and funk. Reflecting on her work, she says, "No music in the world can exist without the music that comes from the African continent."

Angelique_Kidjo_02Wiki

Kidjo also sees music as a way to connect generations. Collaborating with younger artists has reinforced her belief in the creativity of Africa's youth. "My music... pushes them to realize what they can achieve," she says, adding that today's digital technology gives young musicians opportunities that did not exist when she began her career.

Beyond music, Kidjo has worked with UNICEF since 2002 to improve the lives of children and women. She says her role is "to listen and work with communities on the ground," supporting practical, sustainable solutions to challenges such as malnutrition and preventable disease.

Unicef Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo gets aquatinted with 3-month-old Bethlehem Teferiflikr

Alongside Mary Louise Cohen and John R. Phillips, Kidjo founded the Batonga Foundation, which empowers vulnerable girls and young women in Benin through education, financial literacy and leadership training. She has also campaigned for women's rights across Africa and, in 2010, was appointed by the African Union as one of 14 Peace Ambassadors in support of peace and security across the continent.

Looking ahead, Kidjo continues to create new work, including an opera, while remaining committed to humanitarian service. "As long as there are governments and societies in the world unable to protect children's rights," she says, "I will continue to support UNICEF." Through both her music and advocacy, she continues to champion African culture while working to create opportunities for future generations.