Angélique Kidjo und Youssou N'Dour

Born Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Housinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, the singer was immersed in traditional Beninese music as a child, as well as the sounds of Mriam Makeba, James Brown, Manu Dibango, Otis Redding, and Jimi Hendrix. By the age of six, Kidjo had joined her mother’s theatre troupe which expanded the singer’s influences, before joining her school band Les Sphinx. In 1981 whilst still residing in Benin, Kidjo released her debut album “Pretty” in collaboration with producer Ekambi Brilliant and brother Oscar. The singer supported the release by touring all over West Africa, before conflicts in Benin resulted in Kidjo relocating to Paris, France.

After graduating with a music degree from the jazz school CIM, Kidjo fronted the Euro-African band Pili Pili, whom she release three albums with: 1987’s “Jakko”, 1988’s “Be In Two Minds”, and 1990’s “Hotel Babo”. This period of activity made the adaptable singer one of the most revered live acts in Paris, and resulted in her signing with Island Records in 1991. Her major label debut “Logozo” was issued the same year, produced by Miami Sound Machine drummer Joe Galdo. Aided by the singles “We We” and “Batongo” the album topped the Billboard World Music chart upon release, and was supported by her first international tour.

The album “Ayé” followed in 1994 produced by David Z of Prince fame, spawning the worldwide hit single “Agolo”. 1995’s “Fifa” marked an alternative recording approach from Kidjo who opted to use eight-track tape recorders and microphones. The singer and her team of engineers headed to Benin to record a host of rhythms, vocals, and dancers, which added a wealth of character and depth to the album style. Kidjo’s subsequent album “Oremi” saw a return to the progressive, cross-genre appeal of her earlier albums, adopting the sounds of hip-hop, Afro-Celtic, and rock in various forms.

On top of her own releases, the singer has been known to contribute her music to popular culture soundtracks, including: “Ace Ventura”, “Street Fighter”, “The Simpsons”, “Krippendorf Tribe”, and “Blood Diamond”. After a move to Columbia Records, Kidjo released the album “Black Ivory Soul” which features Carlinhos Brown, Vinicius Cantuária, Daniella Mercury, and Dave Matthews. The full-length “Oyaya!” arrived in 2004, followed by a pair of collaborative albums with Razor & Tie: “Djin Djin” in 2007 and “Ōÿö” in 2010, featuring Roy Hargrove, John Legend, and Diana Reeves. As a tribute to the beauty and resilience of African women Kidjo release the studio album “Eve” in January 2014. Like her album “Fifa”, “Eve” was recorded in West Africa using only tape recorders and topped the Billboard World Music Chart.

As a young child N’Dour was taught how to sing by his mother, and throughout his teens began performing publicly. At age 19 the singer joined the Star Band, one of Senegal’s most popular bands at the time, which, two years later, with N'Dour as leader, underwent a name change to Super E’tolle de Dakar. With a mix of influences, N’Dour helped pioneer the genre mbalax, combining the uptempo rhythms of African, Caribbean, and pop. Known for his four- or five-octave vocals the singer made his European debut in 1984, and American debut in 1985.

It wasn’t long before the talented singer earned the attention of revered artists, including Paul Simon who invited N’Dour to sing on his “Graceland” album. He later performed alongside Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Sting on the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! tour in 1988, and toured with Peter Gabriel. Despite this popularity N’Dour was yet to release an internationally distributed album, however, “The Lion” arrived in 1989, featuring the single “Shaking the Tree” co-written by Peter Gabriel.

The singer and percussionist subsequently signed with Spike Lee’s 40 Acres & Mule label and earned a Grammy nomination for his 1991 album “Eyes Open”. After producing an African opera for the Paris Opera in 1993, N’Dour released his 1994 album “The Guide” featuring the popular duet with Neneh Cherry “Seven Seconds”.

N’Dour's popularity and critical success continued into the new millennium, aided by a number of greatest hits compilations and the albums “Nothing’s In Vain” in 2002, the Grammy winning “Egypt” in 2004, “Rokku Mi Rokka” in 2007, “I Bring What I Love” in 2010, and “Fatteliku” in 2014. In 2012 N’Dour was appointed as the minister of tourism and culture in Senegal by Prime Minister Abdoul Mbaye, and remains one of the most international renowned and celebrated Senegalese musicians in history.