Beninese music icon and five-time Grammy winner, Angélique Kidjo, has made history as the first African artiste ever selected for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, during a conference by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles, unveiling the Class of 2026 honourees.
Kidjo, whose four-decade music career spans Afrobeat, jazz, funk, and traditional West African sounds, was named alongside 34 global entertainment figures including Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Shaquille O’Neal, Deepika Padukone, and Lea Salonga.
Her selection is part of a list ratified by the Hollywood Walk of Fame board of directors on June 25, after reviewing hundreds of global nominations.
Recipients are expected to schedule their star ceremony within two years.
Born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1960, Kidjo rose from the streets of West Africa to become one of the continent’s most powerful musical exports.
Her signature albums like Logozo (1991), Black Ivory Soul (2002), Eve (2014), Celia (2019), and the Grammy-winning Mother Nature (2021), are said to have not only broken language and cultural barriers but reshaped how the world listens to African music.
Kidjo’s musical collaborations span continents, from working with Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, and Bono, to more recent cross-generational partnerships with Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Davido, and Mr Eazi.
In 2023, her duet with Davido, Na Money, became a continental hit, followed by Joy, a 2024 anthem championing African resilience and unity.
Off-stage, Kidjo has dedicated her life to advocacy and education, especially for young African girls.
As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she has been instrumental in campaigns promoting gender equality, access to education, and girls’ rights.
She is also the founder of the Batonga Foundation, which provides secondary education and vocational training to adolescent girls in rural Benin and beyond.
Her humanitarian efforts have earned her accolades from institutions, including the BBC, TIME Magazine, and Amnesty International.
Reacting to the announcement, chairman of the Walk of Fame selection committee, Peter Roth said: “These talented individuals have made significant contributions to the world of entertainment, and we are thrilled to honour them with this well-deserved recognition.”
Other honourees on the 2026 list include Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Josh Groban, and culinary icon Gordon Ramsay.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was the sole pick in the sports entertainment category.
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