Angélique Kidjo will open the 37th International Festival Nuits d’Afrique next Wednesday at the MTelus.
The Franco-Benini singer, whose reputation is well established, will mainly present tracks from her latest album ‘Mother Nature’, on which she has collaborated with a variety of young artists who pushed her to push herself to push herself, but also to be proud were.
Photo Fabrice Mabillot courtesy of the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique
“I had a lot of guests on this album and I sing seriously like a man,” laughed the queen of West African music during an interview she gave to QMI Agency.
“I’m pushing my voice into areas, areas that I don’t usually go to, but I really like it,” she continued.
Use your music as a weapon
Mother Nature is a broadcast album that talks about the challenges of climate change, but also about the change that Angélique Kidjo wanted to hear from young African artists who are stars today, she explained.
Photo Fabrice Mabillot courtesy of the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique
“For me, imprisonment was violent. I didn’t leave my home for the first three months. I stayed to work in the garden and make music. “During that time, I saw people dear to me leaving,” she confessed.
“I see the damage in Africa [causés par les changements climatiques]the droughts that are coming one after the other, the harvests are getting harder, the farmers in the cities who don’t know what to do with themselves anymore,” continued the singer, who has worked in the industry for 40 years.
Finding it impossible to stay insensitive, Angélique Kidjo decided to weaponize her music and share it in response to a new beginning.
With Yemi Alade they created the play Dignity in response to police violence. She joins others in discussing the first article of the Declaration of Human Rights, the beauty of the African continent and the country sending urgent messages.
“[Les collaborateurs] have brought the entire black diaspora back into music and can talk to anyone. They are getting more and more creative and don’t ask for more from anyone. That was a game changer. They’re not afraid at all and I love it,” said the winner of five Grammys and a thriller.
“It’s amazing what professionalism young people radiate these days. Whenever the youngsters sent me their music and their tracks, everything was flawless. If someone had told me 30 years ago that everything would happen so quickly, I would have asked, ‘What were you smoking?’” she exclaimed, laughing.
His love affair with Montreal
A Montreal regular, she describes her relationship with the city as passionate and thoughtful.
“Every time I come [à Montréal], I laugh. I laugh so much my stomach hurts,” she said.
“I need Montreal in my life to find my friends to have big hugs. I miss it a lot,” she added.
Angélique Kidjo will open the Nuits d’Afrique International Festival at the MTelus next July 12th, which will last until July 23rd.