IMN - International Music Network

Thursday March 24, 2011

from www.indianexpress.com

Songstress with a SOUL

Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo on early beginnings, her future plans and how music fuels her life.

Time Magazine calls her Africa’s premier diva. Her fans believe that she is Africa’s most internationally celebrated female musical exponent. Meet Angelique Kidjo, a Grammy Award-winning, celebrated Jazz singer, composer and performer, who performed in Mumbai recently. The artiste who was born in Benin has won the hearts of several people across the globe with her striking voice, philanthropic work and fluency in multiple languages. Her genre of music is largely identified as African and World. Apart from collaborating with artistes like Bono, Peter Gabriel and Carlos Santana, Kidjo has also mesmerized audiences on countless stages, including performing at the concert to kick-start the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

In her new album Oyo, Kidjo revisits the music that was instrumental in her artistic formation in Benin, the country whose communist dictatorship she fled in the early ‘80s. In this album, she even reinterprets a song — Dil main chupa ke pyar ka from the 1953 Hindi film Aan.
In an exclusive interview with Screen, she shares her passion for music and her Indian connection.

Were you excited to perform in India?
I was very excited and was looking forward to play in front of the Indian public as I respect your culture very much. I have been to Mumbai before. I performed there once with the great Trilok Gurtu. I had a very fond memory of the city, its honking cabs and incredible market. I love Indian fabrics. I am sure I’ll find time to visit the textile market again!

Why did you choose Jazz as a genre?
I have never done the same kind of album. So now my fans know that my musical style will always evolve. But in a way there is a strong unity in all the music I have done: they are all influenced by my African roots. And these roots, throughout the history of slavery, have traveled far away from my hometown. This is why I never feel I’m lost!

You have infused different genres like Afropop, Caribbean Zouk, Jazz, Gospel and Latin styles in your music. What prompted you to do so?
I think the biggest influence for me was traditional music from my country Benin. At age six, I could sing all the folk songs: the first time I sang on stage, it was the traditional Atcha houn that is featured on Oyo. As a teenager, I discovered with my brothers the music from America and England. I would not change my musical education as being exposed at an early age to the creativity of the ‘60s and the funkiness of the ‘70s was a blessing for me.

You are involved with a lot of philanthropic activities. What prompts you to be so actively involved in it?
When I started to work with UNICEF, I discovered that education is the only long-term solution to change the face of the African continent. Girls in Africa (and I am pretty sure in India also) have a lesser access to education so I decided to support them in five countries in Africa. Because I realize how lucky I was as a little girl to have a loving family that provided education and health care for me. I need to give back to my continent so that everyone can have the same opportunity.

What are your future plans?
I just recorded a song for a Lullaby album with Carla Bruni, Martha Wainwright and Madonna. I sung for the next Red Hot and Rio album. I am working on a concert with the Luxembourg Orchestra, and on a book. My life is so busy, I don’t have time to get bored.

What kind of music did you grow up listening to and which artistes did you idolize?
I think Miriam Makeba is my greatest influence. Her success showed me that you could be an African woman and be successful, respected and be an ambassador of your continent. It was great growing up with eight brothers and sisters, amidst a variety of culture and musical traditions. It has shaped my musical career: people always note that my style is not purely traditional, it is because not only did I learn all the traditional songs but also the music from Stax, Motown and… Bollywood.

How would you define your music?
I am convinced that music is a universal language and that it has the power to create a bond between people from different cultures. It helps us understand each other better. You don’t need to be an Indian to like Sitar or Tabla. It’s the same thing with African music.

Read the entire article here