Five-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo has become the first Black African performer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Beninese music icon was honoured on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, during a ceremony in Los Angeles, where she unveiled 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. Actor Willem Dafoe and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. were among the speakers.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also proclaimed August 18 as Angélique Kidjo Day in Hollywood ahead of 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.
Speaking at the ceremony, the 66-year-old singer described the honour as a milestone not only for her career but also for African music.
“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.
Kidjo expressed hope that the recognition would open doors for other African artists.
“It’s not just my star, it’s our star,” she said, adding that although she may be the first, she would not be the last.
After thanking her family, team and supporters, Kidjo celebrated the moment by breaking into song and dancing as those gathered watched.
Mason Jr. praised the singer for her artistic achievements and her influence 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 had “elevated our global music community” and demonstrated that music was “more than entertainment; it’s connection.”
Dafoe, who has been friends with Kidjo since 2002, also praised her energy and commitment as a performer.
“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.”
The actor also highlighted Kidjo’s humanitarian work through the Batonga Foundation, which supports the education, leadership and economic empowerment of girls and young women in Africa.
“This is not a token celebrity involvement; it is an extension of what she does with her music,” Dafoe said.
Born on July 14, 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 has since built an international career spanning more than four decades and 18 albums.
Her sound blends West African musical traditions with funk, jazz, R&B, gospel and Latin influences. She has collaborated with international artists including Burna Boy, Alicia Keys, Sting, Bono, Peter Gabriel, Yo-Yo Ma and Philip Glass.
Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards, beginning with Djin Djin in 2008. She later won for Eve in 2015, Sings in 2016, Celia in 2020 and Mother Nature in 2022.
Her other accolades include the 2023 Polar Music Prize and recognition on TIME magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.
Legacy Beyond Music
Beyond her music career, Kidjo has established herself 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 opportunities 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, alongside figures including Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Demi Moore, Shaquille O’Neal, Josh Groban and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
The historic recognition places Kidjo among Hollywood’s celebrated figures while marking a significant milestone for African music on one of the world’s most recognisable entertainment landmarks.