Another award for the “African diva” Angélique Kidjo! After winning a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album for her project Mother Nature, Angélique was named one of the three winners of the Polar Music Prize 2023.
As written on their website, “The Polar Music Prize is an international music prize celebrating the power and importance of music.”
The organizers issued a communiqué on the morning of March 28 to announce that she is a winner of the aforementioned Prize.
“The Polar Music Prize 2023 is awarded to Angélique Kidjo from Benin. A unique and unstoppable artist and songwriter. Angélique Kidjo speaks and sings in five languages: Fon, French, Yorùbá, Goun and English. Angélique grew up in Cotonou, surrounded by the dynamic Beninese culture and listening to music from all over the world: soul, jazz, reggae, afrobeat, pop, classical. When a communist dictatorship tried to silence her, she moved to Paris and became even more active. Angélique Kidjo invented the word batonga, a response to those who think girls don’t belong in schools, and runs the Batonga Foundation, which seeks out girls and provides them with education. Bono has said of her, “In Africa’s new morning, Angélique Kidjo is the warmth of the rising sun”.
Polar Music Prize
Angélique Kidjo expressed her pride at being awarded the Polar Music Prize 2023 along with Blackwell and Pärt. The first, her musical godfather, has been “one of the key figures in the development of popular music for half a century” according to the Swedish jury. Estonian Arvo Pärt is “the world’s most performed now living composer” according to the same jury.
❤️So proud to be the laureate of the Polar Music Prize (the most prestigious music prize in the world!) along with my musical godfather Chris Blackwell (the founder of Island Records who discovered me!) and along with the great composer #Arvopärt .
Angélique Kidjo, Facebook page
Thanks to all my fans, my family, my team and to the African continent which has inspired me and supported me all these years!!! ❤️❤️❤️
The Ouidah native has been an artist for over 30 years and has won several awards, including 5 Grammy Awards.
The Polar Music Prize has produced a detailed biography of the laureates on their website. They have also created Spotify playlists of their discographies.
You can discover the sounds that have inspired and shaped generations of music lovers around the world.
Ardiès Sianou
Published on Afro impact
