Beninese singer-songwriter, Angelique Kidjo, was announced the winner of the Best World Music Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
She beats Nigeria’s Burna Boy and three other nominees to win the Grammy on Sunday at the Staples Center, Los Angeles.
Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known as Angélique Kidjo, is a Beninese singer-songwriter, actress, and activist who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. In 2007, Time magazine called her “Africa’s premier diva”.
The Grammy Award nominees are albums containing at least 51 per cent playing time of new vocal or instrumental World Music recordings.
Kidjo, 59, now with her fourth Grammy win overall in the category, is known for her hit songs “Agolo”, “We We”, “Adouma”, “Wombo Lombo”, “Afirika”, “Batonga” and “Celia”.
Others nominated in the category alongside Burna Boy are Altin Gun, “Gece”, Bokante & Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley, “What Heat”, Nathalie Joachim with Spektral Quartet, “Fanm D’Ayiti”, and Angelique Kidjo, “Celia”.
With his 2020 nomination, Burna Boy joins the likes of Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti and King Sunny Ade in getting listed in that category at the Grammy Awards.
Other Nigerian Grammy nominees include Babatune Olatunji, Wizkid, Timaya, and Kah Lo. Sikiru Adepoju won the Grammy Awards in 1991 and 2009.
Born Damini Ogulu, Burna Boy has had a remarkable career, especially in the past one year.
In 2019, the singer was the recipient of several coveted awards including Best International Act at the BET Awards
Meanwhile, Mitchell Obama can now add Grammy winner to her resume, after snagging the award on music’s biggest night for Best Spoken Word Album, for the audiobook of her memoir “Becoming.”
Her win on Sunday gives the Obama household its third Grammy: former president Barack Obama has already snagged two Grammys in the same category for his books.
She faced an eccentric group of rivals that include Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys for “Beastie Boys Book” and John Waters, the director-performer known for his transgressive cult films, for “Mr. Know-It-All.”
Early prizes handed out at the pre-gala event went to Lady Gaga, who won two for her soundtrack for the hit film “A Star Is Born,” and Beyonce, who nabbed the prize for best music film for “Homecoming.”
