Beninese singer and songwriter Angelique Kidjo has achieved a groundbreaking milestone, becoming the first Black African artist and first African musician to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The five time Grammy Award winner received the 2,854th star in the Recording category on August 18, 2026, during a ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.
The ceremony drew an impressive gathering of entertainment figures, including American actor Willem Dafoe, Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr, Beninese born actor Djimon Hounsou, and Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold. Before the star was unveiled, Ron Frierson, president and chief executive of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, declared August 18 as Angelique Kidjo Day in Hollywood, cementing the historic nature of the occasion.
During her acceptance speech, Kidjo emphasized Africa’s profound contribution to global music, declaring that Africans don’t fully recognize what they have given to the world. She stated that without African influence, no music would be possible on the planet. The celebrated artist broke into song during the ceremony before dancing over her newly unveiled star, embodying the joyful spirit that has defined her career.
Mason Jr praised Kidjo’s achievements, describing the star as a permanent symbol that extends beyond the physical landmark to encompass the people she has inspired and the barriers she has broken throughout her four decade career spanning continents and musical genres.
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