Angélique Kidjo Crowned Best in World Music at 62nd Grammy Awards

This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

• Angelique Kidjo is a singer, songwriter, and activist from Benin.
• She has won four  Grammy Awards
• CNN featured her in 2019’s Africa’s biggest music stars
• She is UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador 

Beninese singer-songwriter, Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known as Angélique Kidjo, was announced the winner of the Best World Music Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards.

Her album Celia, was named the 2020 Best World Music Album Grammy Award winner.

The album pays homage to the late Afro-Cuban singer Celia Cruz.

Born in Havana in 1925, Celia Cruz, a black woman, left Cuba with her first group La Sonora Matancera in 1959, when Fidel Castro toppled the dictator Fulgencio Batista from power. Celia Cruz, known for her aversion to the Castro regime, would join Tito Puente’s orchestra in 1966, and her recordings for the Fania label helped to construct the legacy of salsa, the American “melting pot” in which Spanish-speaking immigrants borrowed from the intricacies of Afro-American jazz and vice versa.

While accepting her award, she lauded the wealth of new talent coming from the African continent.

“Four years ago on this stage, I was telling you that the new generation of artists coming from Africa are going to take you by storm. And the time has come. This is for Burna Boy. Burna Boy is among those young artists that come from Africa that is changing the way our continent is perceived and the way African music has been the bedrock of every music.”

https://youtu.be/rySNpgvMQAo

Burna Boy via his Twitter feed congratulated Angelique Kidjo on her win.

https://twitter.com/burnaboy/status/1221912185355423744?s=20

Here is a full list of winners at the 2020 Grammys:

Song of the Year:
Billie Eilish, “Bad Guy”
Best Rap/Sung Performance:
DJ Khaled feat Nipsey Hussle & John Legend, “Higher”
Best Rap Album:
Tyler, the Creator: Igor
Best Pop/Solo Performance:
Lizzo, “Truth Hurts”
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Look Now
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Lil Nas X feat Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Best R&B Album:
Anderson .Paak, Ventura
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Lizzo, Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)
Best R&B Song:
PJ Morton feat JoJo, “Say So”
Best Traditional R&B Performance:
Lizzo, “Jerome”
Best R&B Performance:
Anderson .Paak feat Andre 3000, “Come Home”
Best Rock Album:
Cage The Elephant, Social Cues
Best Rock Song:
Gary Clark Jr, “This Land”
Best Rock Performance:
Gary Clark Jr, “This Land”
Best Rap Song:
21 Savage feat J Cole, “A Lot”
Best Rap Performance:
Nipsey Hussle feat Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy, “Racks in the Middle”
Best Music Film:
Beyonce, Homecoming
Best Music Video:
Lil Nas X feat Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
Dan + Shay, “Speechless”
Best Comedy Album:
Dave Chappelle, Sticks & Stones
Best Song Written for Visual Media:
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper, “I’ll Never Love Again”
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born