
Angélique Kidjo becomes first black African selected to get Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Kidjo is a widely celebrated musician; she has won five Grammy awards and received critical praise for her studio albums, such as her cover of Talking Heads' Remain in Light.
On Wednesday, the 64-year-old singer was one of the 35 stars announced to receive a star. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the other names include Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Demi Moore, Emily Blunt, Rachel McAdams, Gordon Ramsey, Rami Malek and Stanley Tucci.
Kidjo published her full-length debut in 1981 and since then has released more than 15 albums. Her music has been influenced by a range of sounds, including Fon music, pop, Afro-funk, jazz and R&B. She was raised in Benin but moved to Paris in 1983.
South African actor Charlize Theron previously received a star in 2005 and was also the first South African to win an Oscar for Best Actress.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has more than 2700 stars. The date when Kidjo's star will be installed has not been announced yet.
A Walk of Fame star selection comes with an $85 000 sponsorship fee, which pays for the creation, installation, and maintenance of the star.
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