Angélique Kidjo makes history with Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo has become the first African musician and the first Black African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The five-time Grammy Award winner was honoured on Tuesday, during a ceremony in Los Angeles, where she received the 2,854th star in the Recording category.

The star was unveiled at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard, opposite the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, in a ceremony hosted by Variety correspondent Angelique Jackson. The event featured Academy Award-nominated actor Willem Dafoe and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. as guest speakers.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also proclaimed 18 August Angélique Kidjo Day in Hollywood before the unveiling.

The recognition makes Kidjo the first musician from the African continent to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the first Black African performer to earn the honour. She joins African-born honourees, including South African actress Charlize Theron, who received her star in 2005.

‘Not just my star, our star’

Speaking during the ceremony, Kidjo described the recognition as a milestone not only for herself but for African music and artists around the world.

“We Africans don’t know what we’ve given to the world, what we continue giving to the world; without us there’s no music possible [on] this planet,” she said.

The singer also expressed hope that her achievement would create opportunities for other African artists.

“It’s not just my star, it’s our star,” she said, while also noting that although she may be the first, she would not be the last.

Kidjo thanked her family, team and supporters before breaking into song and dancing over her newly unveiled star.

‘Living legacy’

Mason Jr. praised Kidjo’s artistic achievements and the influence she has had beyond music.

“This star is a permanent symbol; it’s not going anywhere, and it’s a symbol of your achievements,” he said. “But your legacy, it lives in the people that you’ve touched, that you’ve inspired, the barriers that you’ve broken, the connections you’ve created all around the world.”

He added that Kidjo’s work had elevated the global music community and demonstrated that music was “more than entertainment; it’s a connection.”

Dafoe, who has been friends with Kidjo since 2002, also celebrated her energy as a performer and humanitarian.

“The first time I saw Angélique perform live, I thought her music, her dancing, her commitment were incredible,” he said, describing her as “the hardest-working woman in show business.”

He also praised her humanitarian work through the Batonga Foundation, saying her advocacy was an extension of the message in her music.

Benin to global stardom

Born on 14 July 1960, in Ouidah, Benin, then known as Dahomey, Kidjo grew up surrounded by music before moving to Paris in 1983 amid political unrest in her home country.

She released her debut album, Pretty, in 1981 and went on to build an international career that has spanned more than four decades.

Her music draws from West African traditions while incorporating elements of funk, jazz, R&B, gospel and Latin music. Over the years, she has collaborated with global stars including Burna Boy, Alicia Keys, Sting, Bono, Peter Gabriel, Yo-Yo Ma and Philip Glass.

Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards, with her first coming in 2008 for Djin Djin. She subsequently won Best World Music Album for Eve in 2015, Sings in 2016, Celia in 2020 and Mother Nature in 2022.

READ ALSO: ‘Nollywood in Hollywood’ 2026 wraps up with red carpet moments, women-led films

Her other honours include the 2023 Polar Music Prize and recognition on TIME magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Milestone for African music

Beyond her music, Kidjo has built a reputation as a prominent humanitarian and advocate for women and girls.

She has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002 and founded the Batonga Foundation in 2006 to support education, leadership and economic empowerment for adolescent girls and young women in Africa.

Her latest album, HOPE!!, released in April 2026, features collaborations with artists including Pharrell Williams, Quavo, Davido and Ayra Starr.

Kidjo’s Hollywood Walk of Fame honour follows her selection as one of the 35 members of the Class of 2026. The class also includes Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Demi Moore, Shaquille O’Neal, Josh Groban and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

The milestone places Kidjo’s name among Hollywood’s most celebrated figures while marking a significant moment for African music on one of the world’s most recognisable entertainment landmarks.