Fri Apr 04, 2025

Sometimes you just can't stand still. Your foot starts tapping in slow, rhythmic time...one..two..three..four. Next, your head's bobbin' to accompany your foot, chin jutting out, one..two..three..four. Now, arms up, the swaying starts and then things really heat up, you're movin' and a groovin', can't stop, don't want to. It's Angélique Kidjo after all.

The five-time grammy award winner breezed into Koerner Hall and took Toronto by storm. Another five, the number of languages Ms. Kidjo speaks and sings in - Fon, French, Yorübá, Gen (Mina) English and five plus another five, her music mixing jazz, hip-hop, zouk, Zairean rumba, samba, salsa, funk, gospel, Cameroonian makossa, and various Beninese traditions (hers from home) was a veritable trip five times around the globe.

With 16 albums, Ms. Kidjo was named one of the top 100 most influential people in the world. Clearly so as she commanded the stage facing a packed crowd of AK enthusiasts and novices alike. With the ease of a conductor, the energy of a dancer and the joy of a child, Anjélique, flanked by her band and banter- mates; keyboardist Etienne Stadwijk, bassist Chelton Grey, Marcos Lopez on congas/djembe and Joshua Keitt on the full kit roared through a seventeen song set that left the audience satiated like a big holiday dinner . Two covers by The Talking Heads (yes, those Talking Heads) and two by the "Queen of Salsa" Celia Cruz, Ms. Kidjo bounced through her own faves like "Take It Or Leave It," "Do Yourself" and of course, "Joy" to the aptly named "Choose Love", "Mother Nature" and "Free and Equal".

All of this as folks danced in the aisles, on balconies and the lucky ones who were invited on stage, as The Lady sang and  danced into our hearts and souls.

x.com/angeliquekidjo
facebook.com/angeliquekidjo

instagram.com/angeliquekidjo/