Five-time Grammy Award winner Angelique Kidjo was honoured on Tuesday as the first Black African to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in a ceremony celebrating her more than four-decade career and influence on global music.
The Beninese-French singer, 66, unveiled the star at a glitzy event on the Los Angeles thoroughfare attended by film and music industry figures.
“We Africans don’t know what we’ve given to the world,” Kidjo said. “Without us, there’s no music possible on this planet.”
After thanking her team and family, she performed for the audience.
Born in Benin, Kidjo has released 18 albums and built an international career spanning more than 40 years. She has been recognised as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, named among Africa’s 50 most iconic figures by the BBC, and listed by The Guardian among the world’s 100 most inspiring people.
Harvey Mason Jr. of the Recording Academy described her as a “rare artist.”
“Your example has elevated our global music community, and your work continues to remind us that music is more than entertainment; it’s connection,” he said. “This star is a permanent symbol; it’s not going anywhere, and it’s a symbol of your achievements. But your legacy, it lives in the people that you’ve touched, that you’ve inspired, the barriers that you’ve broken, the connections you’ve created all around the world.”
Actor Willem Dafoe praised her stage energy and commitment.
“The first time I saw Angelique perform live, I thought her music, her dancing, her commitment were incredible,” he said. “She is, without a doubt, the hardest-working woman in show business.”
Dafoe also highlighted her humanitarian efforts through the Batonga Foundation, which works to empower girls and young women in Africa.
“This is not a token celebrity involvement; it is an extension of what she does with her music. She stirs us, lifts us up, and reminds us that we’re all connected, and that love and understanding is the way,” he added.
