Celebrated five-time Grammy Award-winning artist Angélique Kidjo will grace stages in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, and Adelaide in February and March 2024, marking four decades of her illustrious musical career. The tour has been organised in collaboration with the Adelaide Festival.
Angélique Kidjo, renowned for her powerful vocals and captivating stage presence, has been a global icon for 40 years. Born in Benin, West Africa, and currently residing in New York City and Paris, her music seamlessly blends the West African traditions of her upbringing with elements of American R&B, funk, and modal jazz, while also incorporating European and Latin American influences. The tour will showcase her extensive repertoire, solidifying her position as one of Africa’s most prominent artists.
Joining Kidjo in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide is Maatakitj, the stage name of Clint Bracknell, a musician from southern Western Australia and Professor of Indigenous Languages at the University of Queensland. Maatakitj is a Noongar word meaning “long legs like a spear.”
Kidjo’s latest album, Mother Nature, boldly tackles two of the most pressing issues of our time: racial inequality and the climate crisis. She masterfully interweaves the personal and political, creating music that radiates optimism. Her collaborations with artists from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and the United States draw inspiration from significant historical and current events, including the youth-led movement against Nigeria’s corrupt Special Anti-Robbery Squad, the American Declaration of Independence, Black Lives Matter protests, and Benin’s 60th independence anniversary (coinciding with her birth). The title track, co-written with her husband Jean Hébrail and songwriter Jennifer Decilveo, is a powerful call to action, urging everyone to reflect on Earth’s essential connection to nature.
Her relentless creative energy has earned Angélique Kidjo recognition as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people and The Guardian’s Top 100 Inspiring Women in the world. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and was awarded the prestigious 2023 Polar Music Prize. Equally passionate about humanitarian work, she founded Batonga in 2006, a foundation dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa. Today, the foundation reaches over 8,000 young women and girls in Benin and has recently expanded its work to Senegal, where it is poised to reach an additional 6,000+ in the coming months.
Kidjo expresses her enthusiasm for the tour:
“Both Australia and New Zealand hold very fond places in my heart and I can’t wait to come back in 2024, which will also include my first performance in Auckland. It is great to be celebrating 40 years of performing on a continent which was one of the first to embrace my career! You have some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes and warm, welcoming people: thank you for accepting and supporting me every time I visit. The songs and stories of Mother Nature mean so much to me and I look forward to sharing them with you all.”
KEY INFO FOR ANGELIQUE KIDJO TOUR
WHERE, WHEN AND ON SALE DATES:
- Perth: 29 February 2024 / Tickets on sale 30 October
- Brisbane: 4 March 2024 / Tickets on sale NOW
- Melbourne: 5 March 2024 / Tickets on sale NOW
- Sydney: 6 March 2024 / Tickets on sale 24 November (VENUE TBC)
- Auckland: 9 March 2024 / Tickets on sale 15 November (VENUE TBC)
- Adelaide: 12 March 2024 / Tickets on sale NOW
“The undisputed queen of African music.” – London Telegraph
Have you seen Angélique Kidjo perform before? What’s your favourite album or song of hers?
For more events with links to France and the Francophonie happening in Australia, check out our What’s on in October.
