Angélique Kidjo Is Officially the First African Musician to Get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The multiple Grammy-winning artist was honored with the 2,854th Hollywood star for her extraordinary artistry and global influence across generations.
Beninese musician and actress Angelique Kidjo arrives to her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles on August 18, 2026.
by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images.
Beninese musician Angélique Kidjo has officially been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the 'Recording' category. The multigenerational artist becomes the first African musician and the first Black African to be honored with a star.
At the event, hosted by Variety Correspondent, Angelique Jackson, Kidjo was joined by Oscar-nominated actor Willem Dafoe and CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr.
"She's without a doubt the hardest working woman in show business… [she's also] an incredibly kind and giving person and a real activist," said Dafoe at the ceremony.
Mason Jr. added: "I spent much of my career among artists, and every once on a while, you experience someone whose impact extends beyond the stage… someone who isn't just an artist, but there's purpose behind the art. Angélique is absolutely one of those rare artists."
For Kidjo, this moment is much more than her, but about the undeniable cultural impact of the African continent on 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 in this planet," Kidjo mentioned in her speech.
This statement echoes what she told OkayAfrica in May for our Artist of the Month feature: “It’s not just my star, it’s our star."
Just before unveiling the star, Ron Frierson, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce officially declared August 18 Angélique Kidjo Day in Hollywood.
The ceremony also had Benin-born actor Djimon Hounsou and Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold in attendance, alongside friends and family of Kidjo.
For more than four decades, Kidjo has contributed to the vast catalogue of African music, bridging the sounds from her native Benin with funk, jazz, and pop, and earning five Grammy awards along the way.
"Angélique Kidjo's extraordinary artistry and global influence have inspired audiences across generations and continents," said Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez in a statement announcing the honor. "We are proud to honor her remarkable contributions to music and culture around the world."
That global influence is why she remains the blueprint for generations of African women in music. When OkayAfrica asked her about carrying that legacy, she said: “What I love about it is that they are themselves. I don’t want anybody to copy me, I want the young women of Africa to be and love themselves and to fight for what they want.”
Kidjo joins a superstar list of Black artists who have their permanent marker on the streets of Hollywood, including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, and Mary J. Blige.
