Five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo will become the first Black African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 18 August at 11:30am PT. The ceremony will take place at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard, across from the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where she will be honoured with the 2,854th star in the Recording category.
The milestone belongs not only to Kidjo but to the entire African continent. Joining her at the ceremony will be actor Willem Dafoe, a four-time Academy Award nominee, and Harvey Mason Jr., chief executive of the Recording Academy and MusiCares. Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez praised Kidjo’s extraordinary artistry and global influence, saying the honour recognises her remarkable contributions to music and culture worldwide.
Born in 1960 in Dahomey, now Benin, Kidjo released her debut album Pretty in 1981 before moving to Paris in 1983 to escape civil unrest under the country’s then-communist government. She later settled in Brooklyn, New York, and built a career spanning more than four decades and 18 albums that blend West African traditions with funk, jazz, and R&B. She has won five Grammy Awards and was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
Her collaborators include global stars such as Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, Philip Glass, Sting, and Alicia Keys. Beyond music, Kidjo has used her platform to advocate for children’s rights and education across Africa. She also appeared in the film The Woman King, starring Viola Davis, and contributed the duet “Keep Rising” to its soundtrack.
Until now, the only African-born recipient of a star on the Walk of Fame was Charlize Theron, a white South African actress, who received hers in 2005. Kidjo’s induction as the first Black African music artist marks a significant shift in the recognition of African talent at the highest levels of global entertainment.
The ceremony will cement Kidjo’s legacy as a cultural bridge between Africa and the world, underscoring the growing influence of African artists on the international stage.
