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Summary
Grammy-winning Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo is set to become the first African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Grammy-winning Beninese singer and global music icon Angélique Kidjo is set to make history as the first African artist to receive a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognised Hollywood icon.
The 64-year-old singer, known for her dynamic fusion of West African music with funk, jazz, and R&B, was among the 35 honourees announced for the 2026 Walk of Fame class by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
This milestone places Angélique alongside fellow honourees including American pop sensation Miley Cyrus, French actor Timothée Chalamet, Indian actress Deepika Padukone, Filipino singer Lea Salonga, and sports legend Shaquille O’Neal.
Hailed as Africa’s “premier diva,” Angélique Kidjo has released 16 albums and earned five Grammy Awards over a four-decade career. Her powerful voice and artistic versatility have won her global acclaim, with collaborators ranging from Burna Boy and Sting to Philip Glass and Alicia Keys.
Born in Benin, Kidjo left for Paris in 1983 due to political oppression under the country’s then-communist regime. She began as a backup singer in France and launched her solo career with the album Parakou in 1990.
Beyond music, Kidjo is a tireless advocate for girls’ education and women’s empowerment. She serves as a UNICEF and Oxfam goodwill ambassador and runs her own nonprofit, the Batonga Foundation, which supports education for young girls across Africa.
Though she will be the first Black African performer to receive a star, Angélique joins Charlize Theron, a white South African actress, as one of only two African-born stars currently recognised on the Walk of Fame, which features more than 2,700 stars.
The exact date of her star unveiling has yet to be confirmed. According to Walk of Fame guidelines, honourees have two years to schedule their induction ceremony after being selected.
