Angélique Kidjo becomes the first African artist to receive a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame this Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The Beninese singer will be honored at 11:30 am Pacific time (6:30 pm GMT) at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, across from the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. It marks the 2,854th star awarded on the iconic avenue, granted to Kidjo in the Recording category.
The honor makes her the first African musician and the first Black African performer to receive this distinction, joining white South African actress Charlize Theron as the only other African figure on the Walk of Fame since 2005. For Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez, the tribute goes well beyond one woman’s career: Angélique Kidjo’s extraordinary artistry and global influence have inspired audiences across generations and continents, making her the first African artist honored for her remarkable contributions to music and culture around the world.
Kidjo will be joined for the occasion by prominent figures: actor Willem Dafoe, a four-time Academy Award nominee, and Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. The ceremony will be livestreamed on walkoffame.com.
Born in Cotonou, the singer left Benin in 1983 to settle in Paris, fleeing what she describes as the oppression of the communist regime then in power. Since then, she has established herself as one of the most recognized voices on the international music scene, with five Grammy Awards and the 2023 Polar Music Prize to her name, alongside a discography blending West African sounds with jazz, funk, and pop, through now-iconic tracks like Agolo, Wombo Lombo, and Afrika.
Benin ensured an official presence to mark the occasion. President Romuald Wadagni congratulated Angélique Kidjo the day before the ceremony and announced the dispatch of an official delegation to attend the star’s unveiling. That delegation will include the Minister of Culture and Benin’s ambassador to the United States, who will accompany the singer alongside Walk of Fame officials during the ceremony. In its statement, the Beninese government hailed « a source of national pride, » noting that the artist « has proudly carried Benin’s image on the international stage for forty years. »
Beyond her musical career, Angélique Kidjo is known for her commitment to girls’ empowerment through her Batonga Foundation, active notably in Benin and Senegal, as well as her role as a UNESCO goodwill ambassador, where she advocates for the restitution of African cultural artifacts held in Europe. This star comes just days after the release of her latest album, Hope!!.