Angelique Kidjo Announces Album With Pharrell, Nile Rodgers, and More

"I started singing when I was six years old, and I'm grateful every day that I still get to live my passion and do what I love with my life. At the same time I know that many people struggle to find joy, especially when there's so much to worry about in our world today. With this album I wanted to put some fire back in people's hearts, and show how much we need that joy and hope to keep our humanity going."

"Hope!! is dedicated to Kidjo's late mother, who Kidjo remembers for her optimism and strength. Hope!! closes with a rendition of the Swahili love song "Malaika," her mother's favorite song."

Angélique Kidjo announces Hope!!, her follow-up to 2021's Mother Nature, arriving April 24 on Warner Records. The album is dedicated to Kidjo's late mother and celebrates her optimism and strength, closing with a rendition of the Swahili love song "Malaika," her mother's favorite. The project features prominent collaborators including Pharrell Williams, who produced three tracks in his Paris studio, alongside Nile Rodgers, Ayra Starr, Quavo, Charlie Wilson, and others. Kidjo aims to inspire joy and hope amid global challenges. The first single, "Fall on Me" featuring PJ Morton, is now available. Kidjo will support the album with a North American and European tour beginning March 26 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, concluding in July in Vienne, France.

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