Beninese music superstar and five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo, became the first African artist to be honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The news was made on Wednesday during a Hollywood Chamber of Commerce gathering in Los Angeles to present the Class of 2026 honourees.
Kidjo, whose four-decade music career has included Afrobeat, jazz, funk, and traditional West African sounds, was honoured alongside 34 other worldwide entertainment figures, including Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Shaquille O’Neal, Deepika Padukone, and Lea Salonga.
Her designation is part of a list approved by the Hollywood Walk of Fame board of directors on June 25 after examining hundreds of global nominations.
Recipients are supposed to plan their star ceremonies within two years.
Kidjo was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1960 and ascended from the streets of West Africa to become one of the continent’s most powerful musical exports.
Her key albums, including Logozo (1991), Black Ivory Soul (2002), Eve (2014), Celia (2019), and the Grammy-winning Mother Nature (2021), are believed to have not only broken down language and cultural barriers but also transformed how the world listens to African music.
Kidjo’s musical collaborations have spanned continents, from work with Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, and Bono to more recent cross-generational duets with Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Davido, and Mr Eazi.
In 2023, her duet with Davido, Na Money, became a continental smash, followed by Joy, a 2024 song celebrating African resilience and solidarity.
Off the stage, Kidjo has dedicated her life to campaigning and education, particularly for young African girls.
As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she has played an important role in campaigns supporting gender equality, access to education, and girls’ rights.
She also founded the Batonga Foundation, which offers secondary education and vocational training to adolescent females in rural Benin and elsewhere.
Her humanitarian initiatives have gained her recognition from institutions such as the BBC, TIME Magazine, and Amnesty International.
Reacting to the announcement, chairman of the Walk of Fame selection committee, Peter Roth, said, “These talented individuals have made significant contributions to the world of entertainment, and we are thrilled to honour them with this well-deserved recognition.”
Other honourees for 2026 include Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Josh Groban, and Gordon Ramsay, the culinary superstar.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was the only choice in the sports entertainment category.
