Angélique Kidjo & Davido by Emmanuel ‘APMWORLD’ Agbeble
HISTORIC CARNEGIE HALL PERFORMANCE TO KICK OFF NORTH AMERICAN LEG OF 40TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO MUSIC
Currently performing on the European leg of her world tour, multi-Grammy-Award winner and 2023 Polar Music Prize recipient Angélique Kidjo and Afrobeats superstar Davido reunite to share the music video for their smash single “JOY.” The latest offering sees Davido and Kidjo reuniting with Dammy Twitch, the same director who shot the music video for their first-ever collaboration “NA MONEY,” featured on Davido’s 2023 Timeless album.
The two titans of African music first started working on “JOY” after a chance reunion in New York City this summer and just days ago managed to carve out time from their busy schedules to meet up again in St. Tropez where they shot the song’s official music video with additional footage filmed in Nigeria. Bursting with color and infectious energy, the natural resonance and musical bond between them radiates positivity, while the lyrics – expressed in both Yoruba and English – highlight the significance of resilience. First released last month, “JOY” entered the Nigerian National Airplay charts at #7 and boasts a Top 20 position in South Africa’s Airplay charts. The single serves as the second collaboration from Kidjo this year following her previously released single “Sunlight To My Soul,” with Diane Warren (“Only Love Can Hurt Like This,” “Rhythm of the Night,” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”) and the Soweto Gospel Choir, signaling a new chapter in her storied career that stretches over four decades.
Prior to the music video’s release, it was recently announced that Kidjo will be included in the soundtrack of the forthcoming hip-hop musical adaptation of the 1995 Cannes-winning (Best Director and Palme d’Or) film La Haine. Active as ever, Kidjo just wrapped up a stunning performance at Rock In Rio which saw her in the middle of the crowd of thousands dancing with her fans. Later that day, she linked up with Grammy-award-winning artist and South African popstar Tyla which gave the two artists a chance to express their mutual admiration for each other and the responsibility that comes with carrying the torch of African music to the next generation.
Kidjo will continue to perform across Europe during October before returning to the US for a handful of shows, including a historic performance in celebration of her accomplished 40-year career at New York’s Carnegie Hall this November. Backed by the Color of Noize Orchestra conducted by Derrick Hodge, the evening will feature hits from Kidjo’s extensive catalog as well as legends like Miriam Makeba, Fela Kuti, and more, plus special appearances by leading artists of the African diaspora and beyond. Tickets are available here.
Upcoming Angélique Kidjo Tour Dates
10/5 – Paris, France @ La Gaite Lyrique / Le Festival de la Francophonie
10/6 – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg District @ Rockhal
10/7 – Paris, France @ La Sainte Chapelle
10/9 – Morges, Switzerland @ Theatre de Beausobre
10/10 – Fribourg, Switzerland @ Theatre Equilibre
10/12 – Voiron, France @ Le Grand Angle
113 – Marseille, France @ Fiesta des Suds / Esplanade du J4
Oct-15 – Orleans, France @ Theatre d’Orleans
Oct-16 – Chartres, France @ Theatre de Chartres
Oct-20 – Katowice, Poland @ NOSPR
Oct-22 – Troyes, France @ Les Nuits de Champagne
Oct-24 – The Hague, Netherlands @ Paard Van Troje (PAARD)
Oct-26 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Gulbenkian
Nov-2 – New York, NY @ Carnegie Hall
Nov-13 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
Nov-14 – Amherst, MA @ Tillis Performance Hall at UMASS
Feb-13/2025 – Manchester, UK @ Bridgewater Hall (Philip Glass Festival)
Feb-15/2025 – Paris, France @ Philharmonie de Paris
Mar-2/2025 – Fairfax, VA @ George Mason University Center for the Arts
Mar-20/2025 – Montreal, QC, Canada @ Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
Mar-22/2025 – Philadelphia, PA @ Zellerbach Theatre
Mar-25/2025 – Toronto, Ontario @ Koerner Hall
Mar-30/2025 – Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Symphony Hall
About Angélique Kidjo:
Noted by TIME Magazine as one of the most influential people in the world, Kidjo’s striking voice, stage presence and fluency in multiple cultures and languages have earned respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders. Kidjo has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. Her 2021 album, Mother Nature, features collaborations with young creators of West African music, Afrobeats, Afro-pop, dancehall, hip-hop, and alt-R&B, such as Burna Boy, Sampa The Great, Yemi Alade, and Earthgang. Showing off the range in her music, other recent collaborations include works with Jimmy Buffett, Philip Glass, and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as her new African Symphony project with famed arranger Derrick Hodge, which had its US debut at the Kennedy Center earlier this year. No matter what type of collaboration she is exploring, her visionary work always marries deep musical tradition with forward-thinking innovation.
Kidjo’s illustrious career includes the Grammy-winning albums Mother Nature (2021), Celia (2019), Sings with the Orchestre Philharmonique Du Luxembourg (2015), EVE (2014), and DJIN DJIN (2007). As well as her other 11 albums, including her acclaimed 2018 interpretation of The Talking Heads’ Remain in Light and her memoir, Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music, which also garnered widespread critical acclaim.
About DAVIDO:
In 2024 Davido has cemented his position as a global force within music. Often called “The King of Afrobeats,” the American-born, Nigerian-raised icon has amassed over +5 billion streams and over +1.2 billion video views across his 13-year career. The most followed Afrobeat artist across social media, Davido has been a forerunner in connecting the world to Afrobeats. In 2023 Davido became the first African artist to top the iTunes Album Chart with his world-acclaimed 4th studio album Timeless, which garnered 1B+ streams, three Grammy nominations including Global Music Album of the Year for Timeless, Global Music Performance for “Feel” and Best African Musical Performance for the hit smash “Unavailable.” Davido’s 2023 hot streak also includes his U.S and International sold-out Timeless tours, and Timeless record-breaking streaming numbers, Davido also expanded his leadership on social media with the success of his TikTok “Unavailable” dance challenge, which has surpassed +100M video views.
Earning over 30 awards and nominations internationally including 2023’s Grammy, BET, EMA and VMA Award Nominations. Featured on the cover of Forbes magazine in 2023, Davido is a global media powerhouse with countless television and media appearances including, The Tonight Show, Live with Jimmy Kimmel!, The Daily Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Complex, Uproxx, New York Times, and Apple’s Zane Lowe among others.
CONNECT WITH ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO:
