Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo has officially been honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first African musician and the first Black African performer to ever receive the prestigious recognition.
The five-time Grammy Award winner was celebrated at a star-unveiling ceremony held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard, directly across from the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Kidjo received the 2,854th star on the iconic walk, honoured in the Recording category as part of the Walk of Fame’s Class of 2026.
Ahead of the unveiling, Ron Frierson, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, declared August 18 as “Angélique Kidjo Day” in Hollywood. The ceremony, hosted by Variety correspondent Angelique Jackson, drew a star-studded crowd including actor Willem Dafoe, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., Benin-born actor Djimon Hounsou, and Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold, all of whom turned out to celebrate the milestone.
Speaking at the event, Kidjo reflected on the significance of the honour for African artists everywhere. She told the crowd that Africans often underestimate what they have given the world musically, adding simply that there would be no music on the planet without African contributions.
Born in Benin and now based between the US and France, Kidjo has built a career spanning more than four decades and 18 albums, blending Afropop, jazz, funk and world music into a sound that has earned her the nickname “Africa’s premier diva.” Beyond her five Grammy wins, she is a bestselling author, a UNICEF and Oxfam ambassador, and founder of the Batonga Foundation, which supports girls’ education across Africa. Her latest project, the album HOPE!!, features collaborations with Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers and Quavo.
With this honour, Kidjo joins South African-born actress Charlize Theron as one of the very few Africans to hold a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and becomes the first ever from the continent to receive one for music. For a growing generation of African artists reshaping the global music landscape, her star stands as a landmark moment and a symbol of just how far African music has travelled.
Listen to Angélique Kidjo
Aye Kan (Are You Coming Back?) feat. Ayra Starr, from her 2026 album HOPE!!:
Agolo, one of her best-known classics:
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