Angélique Kidjo to be Honoured with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Legendary Beninese singer and humanitarian Angélique Kidjo has become the first Black African performer to be selected for a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame, marking a monumental moment for African music and cultural representation on the world stage.

The announcement was made as part of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s Class of 2026, which also includes global celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Demi Moore, and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

Hailed during the press briefing as Africa’s “premier diva,” the 64-year-old Grammy-winning artist joins Charlize Theron, a white South African actress honoured in 2005, as one of only two Africans ever to receive this coveted honour. But Kidjo is the first Black African—and the first African musician—to have her name immortalised on Hollywood Boulevard, a pavement lined with more than 2,700 stars.

From Benin to Global Glory

Born in Ouidah, Benin, Kidjo’s journey began in the politically tense years of the 1980s, when she left her homeland for Paris to escape the oppressive communist regime. “From the moment the communist regime arrived in Benin, I became aware that the freedom we enjoy can be snatched away in a second,” she once said, reflecting on her enduring drive to amplify African voices and experiences through art.

Starting as a backup singer in France, Kidjo launched her solo career in 1990 with the album Parakou. Over the next four decades, she released 16 albums, became a five-time Grammy Award winner, and built an extraordinary global following.

Fusing traditional West African rhythms with elements of funk, jazz, Latin, and R&B, Kidjo’s sound is both distinctly African and globally resonant. She has collaborated with global icons including Burna Boy, Sting, Alicia Keys, and Philip Glass, bringing African musical traditions to mainstream audiences with elegance, power, and soul.

More Than a Musician: A Voice for Justice

Beyond her musical achievements, Angélique Kidjo is a devoted humanitarian. She serves as a UNICEF and Oxfam Goodwill Ambassador and is the founder of the Batonga Foundation, which advocates for education and empowerment of young girls across Africa.

Her music and activism have always been intertwined. Songs like Agolo, Afrika, and Eve have championed themes of women’s rights, cultural pride, and social justice—making her not only a performer but a pan-African torchbearer whose voice resonates far beyond the stage.

Kidjo’s work has consistently dismantled barriers and reshaped global perceptions of African women in music and leadership. As Afrobeats and Amapiano storm international charts, her recognition is a profound reminder that African creativity and resilience have long paved the way.

A Moment for the Continent

While no date has yet been set for her star’s unveiling, honorees typically have two years to schedule their induction ceremonies. The announcement has been widely celebrated across the continent and diaspora as a triumph for African excellence.

“This moment goes beyond personal recognition,” said one commentator. “It is a victory for Africa’s cultural heritage, for every young girl with a dream, and for the generations of African artists who laid the groundwork but were never acknowledged.”

Her selection comes at a time when African voices are rising globally—through literature, fashion, cinema, and especially music. From Lagos to Johannesburg, Nairobi to Accra, Kidjo’s star represents a new era of continental affirmation and global respect.

A Legacy Etched in Stone—and Sound

Curious, bold, and always evolving, Angélique Kidjo has described herself as a lifelong learner. “My nickname was ‘when, why, how?’,” she once shared. That curiosity has led her from the streets of Cotonou to Carnegie Hall, from small-town stages to the Grammys—and now to the Walk of Fame.

Her legacy is not just one of awards or honours, but of empowerment, excellence, and fearless artistry.

As the African proverb says, “Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.” Angélique Kidjo has spent her life rewriting the narrative—this time, with Africa as the author, the voice, and the star.

Editor’s notes:

For generations, Africans have created, danced to, and revered their music—from the royal courts of Oyo to the highlife streets of Accra, the griots of Mali, the soul of Soweto, and the drum rhythms of the Congo Basin. We did not need validation from the West to recognise our legends. Angélique Kidjo is not great because Hollywood says so. She is great because Africa said so, long ago.

Today, African genres like Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Afro-jazz dominate global charts. African artists headline festivals in Paris, New York, Tokyo. But these aren’t sudden successes—they’re the fruits of decades, even centuries, of creativity, resilience, and cultural confidence.

Hollywood may be celebrating her now, but Kidjo has long carried Africa’s sonic identity to global heights, often without Western media even noticing. Her power has never been dependent on their applause.

Kidjo’s recognition is beautiful—but let’s be clear: African music does not begin at the moment the West begins to listen. It does not gain legitimacy from a star on Hollywood Boulevard. That star is a symbol—important, yes—but symbolic nonetheless.

Kidjo herself has always understood this. Her activism through the Batonga Foundation, her work with UNICEF and Oxfam, and her consistent use of her platform to celebrate African women and African dignity speak to a legacy rooted in service and pride—not celebrity.

“I became aware that the freedom we enjoy can be snatched away in a second,” she once said, reflecting on her early life under authoritarian rule in Benin. That understanding of freedom is what she has always sung about. Her art is not for decoration—it is for liberation.

The announcement of her star is not a revelation—it is a recognition. It tells the world what Africans already know: that our art matters, our voices resonate, and our culture stands tall, with or without global applause.

So yes, let the star shine on Hollywood Boulevard. Let them finally inscribe her name in brass. But the truth is, Angélique Kidjo has always been a star—etched in the hearts of African people, in the rhythms of her homeland, and in the voices of a new generation she continues to inspire.