Beninese-French singer #AngéliqueKidjo, the five-time Grammy winner has officially written her name into history by becoming the first African musician — & the first Black African artist — to be honoured with a star on the legendary #HollywoodWalkofFame.A Landmark Moment for African MusicKidjo received the 2,854th star on Hollywood Boulevard, in the Recording category, at a ceremony held at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard, directly across from the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. She was selected as part of the Walk of Fame’s Class of 2026, joining a list of 35 honourees that includes names like Miley Cyrus, Josh Groban & Lyle Lovett.The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers the Walk of Fame, described the honour as recognition of Kidjo’s remarkable contribution to music & culture across the🌎Ahead of the unveiling, Chamber president Ron Frierson proclaimed August 18 “Angélique Kidjo Day” in Hollywood.The ceremony drew an A-list crowd, including actor Willem Dafoe & Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., both of whom🗣️about Kidjo’s decades-long influence on🌎music. Mason Jr. called the star a permanent symbol of an artist whose real legacy lives in the barriers she has broken & the artists she has inspired.4️⃣Decades of Breaking BarriersBorn in Cotonou, #Benin🇧🇯, Kidjo has built an international career spanning more than 40 years & 18 studio albums, blending #WestAfrican rhythms with jazz, funk, gospel & Latin influences. Her achievements include5️⃣Grammy Awards, the Polar Music Prize, a performance at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, & hosting NPR’s 1,000th Tiny Desk Concert. In 2021, TIME magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the 🌍.Over the years, she has collaborated with a wide range of artists across genres, including Burna Boy, Alicia Keys, Bono, Peter Gabriel & Yo-Yo Ma — cementing her reputation as one of the most important bridges between African music & the rest of the🌍.At the ceremony, Kidjo used her moment to honour Africa, that shaped her, & the enormous, often unacknowledged debt the🌍owed to African music. She then capped her🎤by singing & dancing over her freshly unveiled star, to the delight of the gathered crowd. Why It MattersKidjo’s star is a symbolic marker of how far African artists have travelled on the🌎stage, from Afrobeats topping international📊to African stars headlining festivals once considered out of reach. Kidjo’s recognition is a powerful reminder that Africa’s sound is already inside the door of the mainstream, & now permanently etched in concrete on one of the🌍’s most famous streets.Congrats to Angélique Kidjo — a proud moment for Benin, & for Africa🌎💎
