Ruhrtriennale - Celebrating 40 years

Concert

04.09.

Gießhalle, Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord

Celebrating the 40-year career of Africa’s powerhouse diva and global ambassador of change

Five-time Grammy award winner Angélique Kidjo has brought the soul of Africa to the world throughout a brilliant music career spanning more than 40 years. Born in Benin, Kidjo has always been about inclusivity, whether in her pan-African songs, or with numerous international collaborators, who include Sting, Alicia Keys and Carlos Santana. In her concert Celebrating 40 years, Kidjo blends Cuban salsa, Congolese rumba, soul, jazz, and West African musical traditions with modern African pop. Irresistible beats and radiantly joyful melodies carry important messages about the climate crisis and the struggle for freedom. Her vociferous activism is no mere sloganeering – in her youth, Kidjo actively opposed the dictatorship that ruled her homeland. As the first African woman to be appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she has been campaigning for girls’ education, against genital mutilation and early marriage. Amnesty International honoured Kidjo with its top human rights award for her work standing up to injustice. Reasons enough to celebrate Kidjo’s musical legacy and social impact with a joyous concert at Ruhrtriennale.

„Music for me is like a language; it’s such a powerful, transformative thing and we share it and add to it. I’ve never let any boundary stop me from being creative and taking music further.“

Angélique Kidjo