IMN : Updates for Angélique Kidjo

Listen: Angélique Kidjo, tUnE-yArDs and ?uestlove Cover Fela Kuti

IMN

June 1st, 2012

from Consequence of Sound

Check Out: tUnE-yArDs and ?uestlove cover Fela Kuti
By Chris Coplan

tUnE-yArDs and The Roots’ ?uestlove have joined forces to cover Fela Kuti’s “Lady” for an upcoming tribute compilation called Red Hot + FELA. The track, which also features rapper Akua Naru and African singer Angélique Kidjo, is now available to purchase through iTunes.

The compilation is the first collaboration between AIDS charities (RED) and Red Hot Organization (though Red Hot has a long history of such efforts). Proceeds will benefit the charities’ fight against AIDS through popular culture and consumer product. According to Billboard, the entire compilation is tentatively set for release later this fall.

The single’s release also marks the kick-off for the (RED) RUSH TO ZERO campaign, which benefits an initiative to end mother-to-child HIV with, among other things, a celebrity auction featuring lots from The xx, The Black Keys, Metric, and more.

Stream the new song here

Angelique Kidjo Covers Fela Kuti with ?uestlove and tUnE-yArDs

IMN

May 25th, 2012

from OkayAfrica

?uestlove, Angélique Kidjo, tUnE-yArDs & Akua Naru Cover Fela Kuti

Red Hot + FELA — a new Fela Kuti compilation created in partnership by the Red Hot Organization and the (RED) campaign — will feature a cover of the afrobeat king’s “Lady” by Okayafrica patrón ?uestlove, Benin’s premiere diva Angélique Kidjo, singer/rapper Akua Naru and indie experimental outfit tUnE-yArDs.

The single, available June 1 on iTunes, will coincide with a ten-day fundraising campaign to end mother-to-child HIV contraction by 2015 called (RED) Rush To Zero.

Read the full article here

REVIEW: Angelique Kidjo - Spirit Rising

IMN

May 23rd, 2012

from Grooveguide

Album Review: Angelique Kidjo – Spirit Rising
By Ricardo Kerr

Angelique Kidjo is a singer-songwriter from the small West African nation of Benin who has been making albums since the early nineties.

Her music is a lively type of soul/funk that is clearly indebted to the sounds of her homeland as well as taking cues from Latino and Calypso styles. Spirit Rising is her first live album and she’s brought along quite the assortment of guest vocalists for the occasion, such as Josh Groban and Vampire Weekend singer Ezra Koenig. American Jazz singer Diana Reeves adds her talents to a very unconventional but powerful take on Rolling Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter’, quite a contrast to her faithful rendition of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’. While there are some quieter moments, Spirit Rising never becomes sombre; it has an amazing party atmosphere that speaks to how impressive the original live performance must have been to witness.

Read the full article here

REVIEW: Angélique Kidjo Spirit Rising

IMN

May 15th, 2012

from BBC

Angélique Kidjo Spirit Rising Review
By Martin Longley

Although documenting the current state of Angélique Kidjo’s stage show, her first live album also acts as an alternative greatest hits selection. The bounding, charismatic singer from Benin has been increasingly active on the touring circuit in recent years, whether solo, or as part of her Sing the Truth! collaboration with fellow vocalists Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright.

Spirit Rising was recorded live in Boston by PBS, hopping around from Kidjo’s oldest signature numbers to a clutch of diverse cover versions, interpreted with a swift flow of guest stars. The band operates as a solidly balanced wall of Afro-pop brashness, but there are still speedy flurries designed to spotlight bass, percussion, guitar or piano, even if these outbreaks are just as swiftly dispatched. The prime focus is the songs themselves, and Kidjo’s always absolutely central vocal, invariably as rhythmic and punchy as the surrounding drum work.

Any Kidjo performance is always inflated by her natural exuberance, and this quality is carried across by the recording. If ever a festival is flagging, Kidjo can reinvigorate its crowds. Afrika and Agolo are the best-known songs from her old repertoire, and they appear here in sleekly dashing form.

Dianne Reeves guests on two songs, particularly shining on the Afro-stomp reading of Gimme Shelter, before filling Monfe Ran E with gospel-soul emoting. Some of the other covers are less successful, partially due to an unimaginative selection of over-familiar works. Hence Redemption Song, which has lately become a most fashionable Bob Marley choice. Curtis Mayfield’s Move On Up is invigorated by the guesting saxophonist Branford Marsalis, but Summertime is another overdone ditty, and Ravel’s Bolero even more so, as Kidjo enunciates its rhythms in such a closely-shadowing manner. It’s the opposite of scatting subtlety. When Senamou kicks in towards the end, it’s clear to see that this typically pan-African propulsion is where Kidjo’s best work lies.

Read the full article here

INTERVIEW: Angélique on, well, Everything…

IMN

April 25th, 2012

from Songlines

Angélique on, well, everything….
by Sophie Marie Atkinson

It’s not often that you get the chance to come into contact with one of your own idols, yet alone have an extended discussion with them about everything from the current state of African politics to feminism; human rights and own personal heroes.

In preparation for the Globe Rocker feature in issue #84, I had a chat with Angélique Kidjo while she was in New York on her way to Australia for a gig. As ever, it was nigh impossible to cram everything that she had to say into a one-page piece, especially with someone as wonderfully verbose as Angélique, so I have decided to share with you some bits and pieces that didn’t make the final cut… On Amy Winehouse and Adele: “One of my greatest musical loves was Amy Winehouse. She was a great talent and I was so sad when she passed away. I had the chance to meet and hear her sing in the early 2000s and she was just so young and talented. But at the same time you could feel this fragility in her. I don’t know if anyone could have helped her or saved her, but for me, every time, with a talent like that, it’s just a tragedy when we lose them. “And Adele [showing that no one is immune…] she’s another British talent who is just amazing. She sings wonderfully, she’s so young and yet already she sings right on the note. She’s so in tune, it’s freaking scary and moving.” On the term ‘world music’: “I never liked it. It’s always the rich countries that give us different names, so Africa is not a country, it’s the third world. Who decides what is what?

“Africa is the cradle of humanity, therefore if you call it third world, you’re denying where you come from. And it’s the same thing with music.

“In every media we’re talking about Africa and saying Africa is poor. Yet you have so many companies in Africa, they make billions of dollars every year, and yet none of them will stand up and say Africa is not poor. We are raping Africa out of its resources. “We’re taking anything we can from the Africans, and we are stopping them from being self-sufficient and to stand on both of their feet, and the same thing goes with music. Africa has given so much to the world in music, I mean, blues would not exist… and rock and roll without blues doesn’t exist. But people go on denying to every single citizen of Africa, the right to be and to do whatever they want to do. So my question always is, is colonisation over, or is it still going on? “Who has the right to dictate our lives? Who has the right to dictate that my music is world music? Who has this right to say I cannot be played on prime time? Who has got the right to decide that? The public is stupid enough not to listen to that, and we have feed the public with crappy music, because that’s the way it goes.” On feminism: “I’ve been raised by strong women. My grandmother, my mother, my aunties, taught me being a woman is a great blessing, and you shouldn’t let anyone take that away from you. It doesn’t matter what somebody says, without us there’s no humanity. It doesn’t matter how much a man tries to make you believe that you are under his watch, or under his thumb, he is much more under your thumb than you are, because he can’t live without you. What threat do we pose to men that they have to decide our fate? And they have to decide what we have to do, how we have to dress, how we have to talk? Who gives them that right, it’s not written anywhere that men have to dictate to women; what is it that they are afraid of? “Denying that right to women is denying the right to yourself, because if you don’t like women, how can you love your children? It doesn’t make sense, the women are the mothers of your children, so if you don’t respect them, you don’t respect yourself, and it’s such a very weird dynamic, and I don’t understand how men can be so disrespectful towards women, and yet call them the mother of their children.” On human rights: “The law is weakened by human beings. Laws don’t serve justice, because if you have money, you get away free, even if it’s a sentence, then it is always different from the one that is poor, so this justice system, does it work for everybody or for just some people that play around with it? “The same thing goes with human rights; does human rights apply to everybody, if yes, how can the rich countries justify what they do in Africa, knowing that what they are doing will jeopardise of the most vulnerable people, the women and the children?”

Read the full article here

REVIEW: Angelique Kidjo & Vusi Mahlasela in Melbourne

IMN

April 5th, 2012

from The Age

Angelique Kidjo & Vusi Mahlasela at Melbourne Recital Centre

Vusi Mahlasela may have arrived as the support act for Angelique Kidjo but he left with the audience standing and cheering as though they’d come to see him. The South African singer-songwriter is – like Kidjo – an activist and artist, and his performance resonated with a calm authority as he shared his concerns for the future of his country.

Mahlasela’s rich and full-bodied voice is flecked with an unexpected sweetness that softens the directness of his lyrics. His four-piece band provided a supple backbeat for many of his songs, though the most affecting numbers were those accompanied only by acoustic guitar and minimal percussion, keeping Mahlasela’s vocals front and centre.

Angelique Kidjo mesmerised the audience with the sheer beauty of her voice when she opened her set with an a cappella version of Atcha Houn, a traditional Beninese song. Later she offered a poignant tribute to her father with Petite Fleur (sung as an intimate, jazz-tinged duet with bassist Itaiguara Brandao) and an exquisitely unadorned Malaika.

But most of the evening was dedicated to dynamic, dance-friendly numbers that saw Kidjo pacing the stage as she sang, coaxing the band to energetic peaks and chiding the audience for remaining in our seats. As Latin, Afro-pop and even disco rhythms fuelled the music’s fervour, Kidjo headed into the auditorium to dance with us (by now we were all on our feet), her potent voice never faltering as she encouraged a mass stage invasion for her ecstatic finale.

Read the full article here

WATCH: Angelique Kidjo and Esperanza Spalding EMP Keynote

IMN

March 23rd, 2012

From NPR’s The Record

Watch The EMP Pop Conference Keynote
By: Jacob Ganz

The EMP Museum’s Pop Conference was started in 2002 as a place for writers, academics, fans, musicians and the otherwise musically-obsessed to meet and discuss issues and theories about the world of music. The theme of the 2012 conference is “Sounds of the City,” and The Record is going to be there all weekend.

The event, presented by NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, kicks off tonight with an opening keynote panel moderated by our own Ann Powers (Ann’s husband, Eric Weisbard, is the primary organizer of the conference, and she’s been on the conference’s committee since 2002). That keynote will feature Angelique Kidjo, Esperanza Spalding, Santigold and Himanshu Suri of Das Racist. It should be fun, but if you’re not in New York, don’t worry: you can watch the whole thing live, right here, starting at 7:00 p.m.

The whole weekend should be fun. Dozens of panels will showcase papers written by hundreds of really smart writers (some of whom contribute to this space). For more action, follow @annkpowers. When I see her, I’ll make sure to ask how Stephen Colbert’s paper got rejected.

To read more click here

VIDEO: Angélique Kidjo Concert at United Nations

IMN

February 27th, 2012

Angélique Kidjo in concert at the United Nations General Assembly Hall, New York City

On Tuesday, February 28th, at 7p.m., Angélique Kidjo will perform in concert at the United Nations General Assembly Hall, to benefit global efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM). This concert is presented by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations in cooperation with the United Nations, UNFPA and UNICEF.

Go to www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast to follow the concert live through the official UN webcast.

Spirit Rising

IMN

February 21st, 2012

ANGELIQUE KIDJO TO RELEASE FIRST LIVE ALBUM, SPIRIT RISING, ON FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Features Performances With Josh Groban, Dianne Reeves, Ezra Koenig and Branford Marsalis
Concert Aired On PBS Nationwide With Performance From the FELA! Dancers
Watch the “Spirit Rising” Trailer here

(New York, NY) – Razor & Tie artist Angelique Kidjo will release her new live album, Spirit Rising, on February 21st 2012. The 16 track album was recorded in Boston when Kidjo partnered with PBS and WGBH for a captivating live performance featuring special guests Josh Groban, Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis, and Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend). The record features a collection of Kidjo originals and covers including the Curtis Mayfield classic “Move On Up.” Angelique Kidjo will tour the US in early 2012 (tour dates below).

Joining Kidjo on Spirit Rising is her band of highly accomplished musicians, including Christian McBride on upright bass (also on her last studio album OYO), Thierry Vaton (piano), Dominic James (acoustic and electric guitar), Daniel Freedman (drums), Magatte Sow (percussion) and Marvin Sewell (electric guitar). Also featured are a trio of horn players from Berklee College, the Borromeo String Quartet and the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College. The album showcases Kidjo’s breathtaking voice and exuberant spirit that can only be heard during one of her magical live performances. The Boston Globe said of the performance, “The special captures the African singer in fierce form…. Kidjo’s appeal cuts across not only genres, but also generations….. Kidjo proves she can rattle the rafters.”

The 90 minute concert was filmed in Boston at WGBH’s studios and has aired nationwide on PBS since December 2011. The concert is available on DVD through WGBH and is the first ever documentation of Kidjo’s vibrant live performance. Also included on the DVD are five additional songs and a bonus interview with Angelique. The entire show is Kidjo’s personal tribute to her homeland, and the beauty and experiences of the African culture she grew up with and continues to embrace. Joining Angelique and the impressive array of musicians playing with her are the dancers of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical FELA!

Born in the West African country of Benin, Angelique Kidjo is a critically acclaimed recording artist deemed “Africa’s premiere diva” by Time Magazine. Kidjo was included by the BBC in its list of Africa’s Most Iconic Figures and The Guardian has listed her as one of the Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. In October 2011, Forbes listed Angelique as the first women in their list of their 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa. Kidjo’s 2008 album Djin Djin won the Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music album at the 50th Grammy Awards and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding World Album in 2008, while her 2010 release OYO was nominated in the same category at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Kidjo’s internationally celebrated repertoire includes collaborations with artists including Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Joss Stone, and more. Known for her dynamic and uplifting music, she has translated her distinctive work in the arts to that of philanthropy; by promoting education for girls in Africa through her foundation, Batonga, and as a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. Kidjo has participated in several global events including the first 46664 Concert in Cape Town hosted by Nelson Mandela, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Concert in Johannesburg.

Spirit Rising Track List:
1. Tumba
2. Afirika
3. Redemption Song
4. Agolo
5. Gimme Shelter (with Dianne Reeves)
6. Malaika
7. Summertime
8. Batonga
9. Pearls (with Josh Groban)
10. Kelele
11. Move On Up (with Branford Marsalis)
12. I Think UR a Contra (with Ezra Koenig)
13. Lonlon – Ravel’s Bolero (with Branford Marsalis)
14. Monfe Ran E (with Dianne Reeves)
15. Senamou
16. N’Yin Wan Nou We

ANGELIQUE KIDJO TOUR DATES
Feb 25 – St. Thomas, USVI – Reichold Center for the Arts, UVI
Mar 2 – Davis, CA – Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts – Chevron World Stage
Mar 3 – Stanford, CA – Dinkelspiel Auditorium – Stanford University
Mar 8 – Austin, TX – Texas Performing Arts – University of Texas at Austin
Mar 10 – Toronto, ON – The Royal Conservatory
Mar 23 – Blue Bell, PA – Science Center Theater – Montgomery County Community College
Mar 24 – Washington, DC – GW Lisner Auditorium – George Washington University
Mar 25 – Roanoke, VA – Shaftman Performance Hall – Jefferson Center

ANGELIQUE KIDJO LINKS
www.kidjo.com
www.facebook.com/angeliquekidjo
www.twitter.com/angeliquekidjo
www.youtube.com/angeliquekidjo
www.batongafoundation.org
For Press Assets: http://razorandtiepublicity.com/artistpage.php?artist=166

CONTACTS
Kerri Brusca / Jenna Rosen
Razor & Tie Media Relations
(212) 598-2255 / (212) 598-2293
kbrusca@razorandtie.com / jrosen@razorandtie.com
www.razorandtie.com www.razorandtiepublicity.com

Angelique Kidjo's 'Spirit Rising' @AmazonMP3

IMN

February 20th, 2012

US fans have the opportunity to get Angelique Kidjo’s new album a day early as part of @AmazonMP3’s Daily Deal today! Spirit Rising was recorded in Boston when Kidjo partnered with PBS and WGBH for a captivating live performance featuring special guests Josh Groban, Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis, and Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend). The record features a collection of Kidjo originals and covers including the Curtis Mayfield classic “Move On Up.”

Click below to purchase the album:

Angelique Kidjo Announces Sydney Opera House Show

IMN

January 26th, 2012

from Music Feeds

Angelique Kidjo Announces Sydney Opera House Show
By Brayden Darke

This April, one of the greatest forces in African music, Angelique Kidjo, will return to Sydney Opera House on the back of her appearance on the Bluesfest 2012 line-up. She’ll be joined by award-winning American blues singer/guitarist and songwriter, Keb’ Mo’ in his first Australian tour with a full band.

Angelique Kidjo has done more to popularise African music than any other contemporary. Fusing Afro-funk, salsa, reggae, gospel, jazz and more with shades of classic American rock, pop and soul, her booming voice and infectious, joyous stage presence make it impossible to stand still.

Speaking of the narrative style of her music, Kidjo has said, When your history is not written, you count on storytellers and traditional singers in Africa to tell you who you are, what your family’s about and what is going on in your society. This is what I do with my music, because I am a witness of my time.

Kidjo’s 2010 album Oyo, features John Legend, Bono and Dianne Reeves, and is deeply introspective, reflecting on the events that have brought her to this point. She has previously recorded with artists including Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel and Ziggy Marley.

Joining her is Keb’ Mo’, a mesmerising performer with a rich, distinctive, smoky voice. His music has long been regarded as a living link to the seminal Delta blues, and though his roots are in the Deep South, his success has spread worldwide. Keb’ Mo’ is one of those performers who have taken the blues beyond its traditional audience; with his wide-ranging, appealing music and infectious performances, and for the very first time he will be touring Australia with a full band.

Read the full article here

VIDEO: Angelique Kidjo at 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony

IMN

December 14th, 2011

Angelique Kidjo was honored to perform at the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony and Concert. Each year the Nobel Peace Prize Concert gathers a selection of talented musical artists from around the world to pay tribute to the year’s laureate. The resulting Concert is a virtual melting pot of melodies ranging in genre from classical to rap.

Use the links below to access live footage of her performances:

Afirika at the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert

Move On Up with Angelique Kidjo, Janelle Monáe, Jarle Bernhoft, Rosario Dawson, Ellie Golding, Jenifer Odessa, David Gray, Amy Lee, Miatta Fahnbulleh, World Youth Choir, and Norwegian Radio Orchestra at the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert

Malaika at the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert for recipients Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman.

Angelique Kidjo to Perform at Nobel Peace Prize Concert

IMN

December 7th, 2011

Each year the Nobel Peace Prize Concert gathers a selection of talented musical artists from around the world to pay tribute to the year’s laureate. The resulting Concert is a virtual melting pot of melodies ranging in genre from classical to rap.

Confirmed artists for the 18th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert include: Sugarland, David Gray, Jill Scott, Janelle Monáe, Ellie Goulding, Bernhoft, World Youth Choir, Evanescence, Angelique Kidjo, Ahmed Fathi & Miatta Fahnbulleh.

The Nobel Peace Prize Concert is a musical tribute held annually on 11 December to honor the year’s Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Performers from around the world are proud to join in celebration of this important event, which features music ranging from pop and rock to jazz, classical, blues and country. The special mix of celebrity, celebration and ceremony makes this event a magical night to remember. The award ceremony takes place at the Oslo City Hall in Norway and is attended by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Norwegian Government representatives, and other prominent guests, including members of the Norwegian royal family. Each year, more than 6,000 guests attend the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, which has been broadcast in around 120 countries and reaches more than 500 million viewers. The Concert at the Olso Spektrum features recording artists and performers from a wide range of musical genres, as well as the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Celebrity hosts help weave the story of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and laureate’s work together with the performances of a variety of musical artists.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 is to be divided in equal parts between three women: Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.The Norwegian Nobel Committee stated it is their hope that “the prize to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman will help to bring an end to the suppression of women that still occurs in many countries, and to realize the great potential for democracy and peace that women can represent.”

Emmy award-winning actress Helen Mirren will be one of the hosts for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Rosario Dawson, actress and activist in civic organizations, joins Mirren as the 2011 Concert Co-Host.

Angelique Kidjo "Pops at the Phil"

IMN

June 30th, 2011

ANGELIQUE KIDJO “POPS AT THE PHIL”
With the Luxembourg Philharmonic Ochestra, Conducted by Gast Waltzing

On June 8th 2011, Angelique set the audience of the Philharmonie Luxembourg on fire with her “Pops at the Phil” show.

The Grammy winning “Africa’s premier diva” (Time Magazine) performed some of her most famous songs arranged by conductor and composer Gast Waltzing with the 110 musicians of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, an 8-piece choir and a small combo of musicians. The renowned film composer Gast Waltzing was able to capture the energy and the intricacy of African rhythms in his arrangements of Angelique’s music. For the first time the classical world met with the warmth and beauty of African music. From the poignant adaptation of her classic Malaika to the irresistible groove of Afirika, Angelique and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra brought the audience to its feet for 3 encores.

Access videos and photos from the performance here

Grammy Award Winner Angelique Kidjo Gives Back to Africa

IMN

June 29th, 2011

From: 365 Give

I am honoured to be doing a guest post today from a remarkable women that is changing the part of the world she grew up in. It is the story of growing up in Africa as a young girl and the challenges faced because you are born a girl.

My guest is Angelique Kidjo.

“Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time Magazine has called her “Africa’s premier diva”.[The BBC has included Angelique in its list of the continent’s 50 most iconic figures and The Guardian has listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World.

This story is not about Angelique’s celebrity but it is about her life on Africa and how she is changing the world one girl at a time through education.

To read the full article click here