Beninese singer, activist, and global music icon Angélique Kidjo has made history as the first Black African performer to be selected for a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. The announcement, made by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on July 3, 2025, places Kidjo in the Class of 2026—alongside global entertainment figures like Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Deepika Padukone, Demi Moore, and Shaquille O’Neal.
For Kidjo—a five-time Grammy-winning African music icon—this milestone goes far beyond personal recognition. It’s a symbolic affirmation of African cultural leadership on the global stage, solidifying her legacy as a creative force who has redefined the place of African music in global entertainment.
A Pan-African Soundtrack: Four Decades of Musical Excellence
Born on July 14, 1960, in Ouidah, Benin, to a Beninese father and Yoruba mother, Angélique Kidjo’s early life was steeped in the performing arts. By age six, she was performing with her mother’s theatre troupe. A teenage rendition of Miriam Makeba’s “Les Trois Z” brought her national attention and launched her musical journey.
Kidjo left Benin in 1983, during a period of political unrest, and settled in Paris, where she developed her signature sound—a fusion of traditional West African music with jazz, funk, Latin, soul, and gospel. Her 1991 breakthrough album Logozo became the first African album to break into the Billboard World Music Top 10.
Over her career, she has released 16 studio albums, with standout works including:
- Black Ivory Soul(2002)
- Eve(2014)
- Celia(2019)
- Mother Nature(2021) — which earned her a fifth Grammy Award
Each album reveals Kidjo’s ability to blend African musical heritage with global sonic innovation, often addressing themes of identity, justice, and empowerment.
Angélique Kidjo is renowned not only for her music but for the caliber of her cross-cultural collaborations. She has worked with legends like Carlos Santana, Sting, Bono, Alicia Keys, Philip Glass, and Peter Gabriel, while championing a new generation of African artists such as Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Davido, The Cavemen., and Mr Eazi.
Her 2020 Grammy win over Burna Boy’s African Giant became a moment of mentorship and solidarity. On stage, she said:
“This award is for Burna Boy. He is one of the young artists from Africa changing how the world sees our continent and recognizes African music as the foundation of global sounds.”
Championing African Girls and Global Justice
As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002 and founder of the Batonga Foundation, Kidjo has used her platform to promote girls’ education, women’s rights, and youth empowerment in rural Africa. Her foundation delivers secondary education and entrepreneurial skills to adolescent girls across Benin and West Africa.
Her activism has earned global recognition, including:
- TIME 100 Most Influential People(2021)
- Polar Music Prize(2023)
- Honorary doctorates from Yale, Berklee College of Music, UCLouvain, and Middlebury College
First Black African Music Icon Honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Until now, Charlize Theron, a white South African actress, was the only African-born star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2005). Angélique Kidjo’s induction as the first Black African music artist marks a powerful cultural milestone and a victory for representation in global entertainment.
“This recognition is not just for me,” Kidjo said. “It is for every African girl who dreams big. It is for the continent whose rhythms, stories, and spirit I’ve carried across the world.”
Hollywood Walk of Fame Chairman Peter Roth commended the Class of 2026, noting that each honoree reflects “excellence, legacy, and global inspiration.”
The Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony will take place sometime over the next two years. When that day comes, Hollywood Boulevard won’t just celebrate a name—it will honor a cultural legacy spanning continents, generations, and genres.
For Africa, for music, and for women in the arts, Kidjo’s star is a landmark achievement, symbolizing the unstoppable rise of African excellence in the global cultural arena.
