Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo has called for more African artists to follow her path after making history as the first African musician and first Black African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Kidjo was honoured during a ceremony in Los Angeles on August 18, where she became the latest African-linked figure to receive recognition along the famous Hollywood Boulevard.
Reacting to the historic achievement, Kidjo emphasised in an interview with BBC Africa that the recognition should not end with her, expressing hope that more Africans will attain similar milestones on the global entertainment stage. “The question that comes to my mind is, how many African artistes can follow? It can’t be just one. We as Africans now want to do R&B, we want to do jazz, we want to do all of those things but where did all these genres come from? Without the blues brought by the slaves in America, there’s no R&B.” she revealed.
The five-time Grammy Award winner has spent more than four decades building an international career while promoting African music, culture and causes. “What I’ve tried to do throughout my career is remind everybody around the world everywhere I go that everybody is African first and the music they have been playing and enjoying is all from Africa.”
For Kidjo, the Hollywood honour represents more than a personal career achievement, but also a moment of greater visibility for African talent and creativity on the global stage.