Angélique Kidjo made her name in France. But it was in the United States that she became a phenomenon. Winner of five prestigious Grammy Awards, named international ambassador for Unicef and invited to take part in major international events, the singer has colored world pop with African hues, forging collaborations with the most illustrious musicians of her time. Meet an artist with an atypical career and a major influence, before her concert at the Fête de l'Humanité on Sunday September 15, on the Angela Davis stage.

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This Wednesday, Angélique Kidjo performs live with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. “It has been a program we have been talking about for a while now,” Kidjo told WTOP. “The thing that was important for me was to come and pay tribute to the music that has inspired my music from the 60s (Miriam Makeba, Fela Kuti and Youssou N’Dour) all the way down to today with the music of Burna Boy, Rema and all the young kids that grew up listening to my music. Music has informed me about the diversity of our shared humanity.”

Renowned music legend Angélique Kidjo celebrated her recent win at this year’s Telecel Ghana Music Awards. Her collaboration with Stonebwoy on the track “Manodzi” featured on his 5th Dimension album, was honoured with the “Record of the Year” award at the prestigious event".

In a new episode of Inside Africa, CNN joins five-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo who is on tour celebrating her 40th anniversary at the top of the global music industry. She says: “Being on stage for me is just the best thing ever. It’s the best place, and the safest, and the most beautiful place that exists on earth for me.” The Beninese star is out to change perceptions of ‘African music’ one audience at a time: “People still think that classical music has nothing to do with African music. That there is any music on this planet that has nothing to do with Africa. So, why is Africa the cradle of humanity? Where do we come from? And the way that we can dissociate ourself, for me, is a manifestation of fear. Because the narrative that I’ve been told about Africa is so negative, that no one wants to be associated with it. So, if you want to change the narrative, let’s start with music.”

CNN joins five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo backstage on her global anniversary tour, and brings Davido, Stonebwoy and Yo-Yo Ma along for the ride.

Beninese-French singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo is a force of nature. Now in her early 60s, her voice is as strong and percussive as ever, her dancing as energetic and playful, her enthusiasm as infectious and her message of empowerment and justice as heartfelt and resounding. In her concert at Perth Concert Hall last Thursday night, she was the embodiment of this year’s Festival theme of Ngaangk (the sun), a female deity in Noongar cosmology who is equally a source of warmth, light, nourishment and protection.

Angélique Kidjo will be in Sweden later this month to accept the Polar Prize. The award is one of the music industry’s most prestigious prizes, recognizing the most influential people in the business. Past winners include some of Kidjo’s collaborators, including Paul McCartney. Kidjo is only the third musician from Africa to win the Polar Prize. Since her music career began, she’s championed music from her home continent.

Music icon Angélique Kidjo is celebrating 40 years in music this year - marking the occasion with a concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. [...] The singer takes every opportunity to use her voice and her platform to campaign for the betterment of humanity, as she sees it. She is a Unicef and Oxfam goodwill ambassador, and has her own charity, Batonga, dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa. [...] Young African artists have an opportunity to bring about positive change for a continent facing many challenges, she says. So is she mentoring any of these younger artists? "We talk," she says. "Like at this concert. Apart from doing music I always tell them, 'You have a responsibility."