The true spirit of Africa reverberated at the 62nd Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, United States on Sunday. Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo took to the state to provide an electric performance much to the delight of all gathered at music’s biggest night.
Angélique Kidjo brings true Spirit of Africa to the Grammys
‘‘You know that all music comes from Africa right? We are all Africans right? I want to celebrate our shared humanity by singing with you and teaching you the song you are about to sing’‘. That was her opening to get all gathered on their feet to the tune of African music.
Kidjo was one of the biggest winners of the night sweeping the Best Music Album for her ‘‘Celia’‘. The ‘‘Malaika’‘ singer is not new to the Grammys. This is her fourth win on music’s biggest stage and the only African to reach that height.
WATCH NOW: angeliquekidjo has our audience singing to “Afirika” https://t.co/iPjts7zMCt #GRAMMYPremiere #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/HAmOaWLD5U— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (RecordingAcad) January 26, 2020
“Four years ago on this stage, I was telling you that the new generations of artists coming from Africa gonna take you by storm and the time has come,” Kidjo said. “Celia Cruz, for me she’s the goddess of salsa. She’s the queen of salsa. She is one of those artists that taught me at a young age that my gender cannot define who I am, that I can do everything I wanted to do”, she said while accepting the award.
Kidjo beat fellow nominees Altin Gün (Gece), Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley (What Heat), Burna Boy (African Giant) and Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet (Fanm D’Ayiti). She also gave an audience-rousing performance of “Afrika”.
She hails from Benin in the West of Africa. She’s a song writer and is globally known for her diverse musical influences.
Picture: Recording Academy/ GRAMMYs