Angélique Kidjo has made history as the first African musician and first Black African to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, adding one of the entertainment industry’s most visible honors to a career spanning more than four decades.
The Benin-born singer, songwriter and activist received the 2,854th star in the Recording category during a ceremony on Aug. 18 at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard. The event brought together figures from the music and film industries, including Recording Academy Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. and actor Willem Dafoe.
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For Kidjo, 66, the recognition extended beyond her individual career. Speaking at the ceremony, she pointed to Africa’s enormous contribution to the development of global music, telling the audience: “We Africans don’t know what we’ve given to the world. Without us, there’s no music possible on this planet.”
Kidjo has built an international career that has crossed musical and cultural boundaries. A five-time Grammy winner, she has released 18 albums and become one of Africa’s most internationally recognized performers. Her work has also extended into advocacy and humanitarian initiatives, particularly through the Batonga Foundation, which supports girls and young women in Africa.
Her Hollywood recognition reflects the growing international visibility of African musicians and the influence of African sounds on popular music around the world. Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez described Kidjo as an artist whose work has reached audiences across generations and continents.
The ceremony also highlighted the breadth of Kidjo’s influence beyond music. Dafoe praised her stage presence and energy, while Mason Jr. emphasized the way her career has connected artists and audiences across borders.
The recognition has also been celebrated in Benin. President Romuald Wadagni said Kidjo had etched her name into history and described the achievement as a reflection of the creativity and cultural contribution of the country she represents.
Hollywood additionally declared Aug. 18 Angélique Kidjo Day, further marking the occasion as a significant moment in the singer’s career.
For African music, the significance of the moment extends beyond the star embedded in Hollywood Boulevard. Kidjo’s achievement places an African musician at one of the world’s most recognizable entertainment landmarks and provides another measure of how far African artists have traveled in the global music industry.
After decades of recording, performing and advocating for African communities, Kidjo now has a permanent place on Hollywood Boulevard — a recognition that links her personal journey with the wider story of African music’s growing global reach.