The music of Angelique Kidjo-the queen of African crossover pop-has invited comparisons with Grace Jones, Tina Turner and Chaka Khan. Indeed, her explosive stage energy, razor sharp voice, and fearlessly funky dance pocket puts her in a camp with these divas of western pop, but Kidjo rankles at the oft-heard criticism that she has abandoned her African roots. She grew up in Benin, a sliver-like West African nation that marks a crossroads between the Islamic civilizations that came from the north and the older, black African cultures. Her village, Ouidah, lies in a region steeped in traditional African religion, and she still returns there for inspiration.

Raised in an artistic family, Kidjo sang rock and r&b with her musician brothers before moving to Paris in 1983. There, she lent her voice and percussion prowess to various jazz and pop projects, including Archie Shepp's 1988 Mama Rosa. In 1991, backed by Chris Blackwell and Mango Records, she worked with Miami producer Joe Galdo to create Logozo, the record that launched her worldwide career and earned her commercial radio play in the US. Fiercely committed to musical adventurism and to the cause of human rights, Kidjo sailed the most progressive currents in Afropop from the start. She had reserves choice words for those who found her slick sound un-African. "The world is getting smaller and smaller," she said in the early '90s. "I sing about problems that are not only in Benin or Africa. I write for everybody."

Kidjo toured the U.S. with Africa Fête in 1993, and produced two more powerful albums for Mango. When big changes came down at Island--ending Mango--Kidjo was the only African singer to stay with the mother label. By the them Kidjo produced her next release, Oremi (1998), she was living in Brooklyn, rather than Paris, collaborating with R&B and jazz musicians--Kelly Price sings on the release--and singing some tracks in English. Kidjo's version of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" is a knockout. Kidjo's 2002 release, Black Ivory Soul is a rich exploration of Brazilian music.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre