Angélique Kidjo

The J Files Podcast

Angélique Kidjo's powerful voice, infectious enthusiasm and fusion of African rhythms and dancefloor-ready pop music has had the world grooving for close to four decades.

Born in Benin, the singer songwriter and activist moved to Paris in her 20s and is now based in New York. Since the early 1990s albums like Logozo and Ayé and hits like 'Agolo' 'Batonga' and 'Wombo Lombo' caught the attention of music fans and DJs in Australia and around the world.

Angélique Kidjo is an artist who is constantly pushing the boundaries. As well as singing her own songs in many different languages, she's covered artists like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Talking Heads (her 2018 re-imagining of Remain In Light is a standout). And she's collaborated widely—from Sampa The Great to Phillip Glass and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hear interviews with Angélique from her many tours down under, as well as from tour promoter Mark Sydow who brought her to Australia for the first time, African music broadcaster Stani Goma, and former triple j World Music Show presenter Jaslyn Hall.