Artist, activist, multi-Grammy-Award winner and 2023 Polar Music Prize recipient Angélique Kidjo, and Afrobeats superstar Davido, who recently sold out Madison Square Garden, share their new single and video “JOY”.
The single serves as the second collaboration from Kidjo this year following her previously released single “ Sunlight To My Soul,” with Diane Warren (“Only Love Can Hurt Like This,” “Rhythm of the Night,” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”) and the Soweto Gospel Choir, signaling a new chapter in a storied career that stretches over four decades.
The collaboration is the second for Kidjo and Davido who first worked together on ‘”NA MONEY” from Davido’s 2023 album, Timeless, and earlier this year performed together at Davido’s sold-out O2 Arena show. The two musicians came together in New York City during the summer to work on “JOY”. Their natural resonance and musical bond led to a song that radiates positivity and highlights the significance of resilience – messages are expressed in both Yoruba and English within the track.
Angélique Kidjo, noted by TIME Magazine as one of the most influential people in the world, Kidjo’s striking voice, stage presence and fluency in multiple cultures and languages have earned respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders. Kidjo has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. Her 2021 album, Mother Nature, features collaborations with young creators of West African music, Afrobeats, Afro-pop, dancehall, hip-hop, and alt-R&B, such as Burna Boy, Sampa The Great, Yemi Alade, and Earthgang. Showing off the range in her music, other recent collaborations include works with Jimmy Buffett, Philip Glass, and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as her new African Symphony project with famed arranger Derrick Hodge, which had its US debut at the Kennedy Center earlier this year. No matter what type of collaboration she is exploring, her visionary work always marries deep musical tradition with forward-thinking innovation.
Kidjo’s illustrious career includes the Grammy-winning albums Mother Nature (2021), Celia (2019), Sings with the Orchestre Philharmonique Du Luxembourg (2015), EVE (2014), and DJIN DJIN (2007). As well as her other 11 albums, including her acclaimed 2018 interpretation of The Talking Heads’ Remain in Light and her memoir, Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music, which also garnered widespread critical acclaim.
In 2024 Davido has cemented his position as a global force within music. Often called “The King of Afrobeats”, the American-born, Nigerian-raised icon has amassed over +5 billion streams and over +1.2 billion video views across his 13-year career. The most followed Afrobeat artist across social media, Davido has been a forerunner in connecting the world to Afrobeats. In 2023 Davido became the first African artist to top iTunes Album Chart with the release of his +1B streaming and world acclaimed 4th studio album “Timeless” garnering three Grammy nominations including Global Music Album of the Year for “Timeless”, Global Music Performance for “Feel” and Best African Musical Performance for the hit smash “Unavailable”. Davido’s 2023 hot streak also includes his U.S and International sold-out Timeless tours, and “Timeless'” record-breaking streaming numbers, Davido also expanded his leadership on social media with the success of his Tik Tok “Unavailable” dance challenge surpassing +100M video view creations.
Earning over 30 awards and nominations internationally including 2023’s Grammy, BET, EMA and VMA Award Nominations. Featured on the cover of Forbes magazine in 2023, Davido is a global media powerhouse with countless television and media appearances including, The Tonight Show, Live with Jimmy Kimmel, The Daily Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Complex, Uproxx, New York Times, and Apple’s Zane Lowe among others.
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