Spotlight On: Angelique Kidjo
ABOUT THIS WEEK’S SHERO IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
For our first SHERO In The Spotlight conversation of 2021, I wanted to set the tone for the new year, by sharing a story of strength, resilience, and unshakeable belief in the power of music and of self. The BBC just listed our guest as one of the 100 Most Inspiring and Influential Women From Around the World for 2020. She was the first woman featured on the 2019 CNN list of Africa's Biggest Music Stars, In 2011 The Guardian named her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women In The World. And Forbes Magazine ranked her as the first woman in their list of The Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa. In 2016 she was given the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award. Angelique Kidjo is from Benin, West Africa, and has overcome every obstacle on her way to becoming an internationally known artist, singer, performer, and activist. Her absolute commitment to her path meant fleeing a communist regime, and living in exile for six years. In 2020, she turned 60, and won her fourth Grammy. To hear her tell it, she knew from the time she was a child that she wanted to be a singer or a human rights lawyer, and in a sense, Angelique fulfilled both of those dreams through her advocacy and activism on behalf of children and gender equality, as a Unicef and Oxfam Goodwill Ambassador. She has also created her own charitable foundation, the Batonga Foundation for Girls Education in Africa.
Our playlist features songs from new album releases to look forward to at the start of the new year! We’ll hear from Ani Di Franco, The Staves, Tash Sultana, Celeste, Lana Del Rey, London Grammar, and Arlo Parks.
The Radio SHERO of the week is Jet from 88.5 SoCal (KCSN) who helps to close EP8 with her guest DJ Pick: Suzanne Santo “Blood On My Knees”.