Angelique KidjoClient Information
24 April, 2026Print
Angélique Kidjo Turns Joy Into a Revolution on New Album HOPE!! — Out Today on Parlophone / Warner Music
Featuring Pharrell, Quavo, Ayra Starr, Davido, Nile Rodgers, Charlie Wilson, IZA, PJ Morton + MoreForthcoming Performances on TODAY Show, Tamron Hall + More
Praise from Elle Africa, The Times UK, Pitchfork, Billboard, Forbes + More
Watch Album Trailer HERE, Stream / Order HOPE!! HERE
April 24, 2026 // Angélique Kidjo has released HOPE!!, her exhilarating new album out now via Parlophone / Warner Music. The full-length follow-up to 2021’s GRAMMY-winning Mother Nature, HOPE!! is a groove-heavy, galvanizing body of work that channels unbridled joy as a unifying force—an antidote to despair and a conduit for healing in troubled times. Dedicated to Kidjo’s late mother Yvonne, the album finds the 5-time GRAMMY-winning global icon expanding her world-spanning sound across 16 new recordings that boldly transcend genre while showcasing her larger-than-life presence and captivating voice.
HOPE!! is packed with major collaborations, including Pharrell (featured and producer on three songs), Quavo, Ayra Starr, Davido, Nile Rodgers, Charlie Wilson, IZA, PJ Morton, and more—alongside songs by Diane Warren and Pharrell and production from Shizzi and others. Recorded in Paris and Los Angeles, the album was crafted alongside many of Africa’s most electrifying musical voices, with additional contributions from The Cavemen, Fally Ipupa, Dadju, Diamond Platnumz, and more.
Leading up to today's release, Angelique has been featured on the cover of Elle Africa, The Times UK, Pitchfork, Billboard, Forbes, and more, and next week will appear on the TODAY Show and Tamron Hall. Check your local listings for air timings.
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“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,” says Kidjo. “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.”
Today’s release arrives following two standout singles that introduced the album’s emotional and sonic range: “Fall On Me” (feat. PJ Morton) and the full-circle collaboration “Aye Kan (Are You Coming Back?)” (feat. Ayra Starr), which also arrived with a warmly cinematic music video filmed at NYC’s legendary Power Station. Across the album, Kidjo’s ever-expanding creative universe bridges generations and geographies—moving from Afro-pop and soul to funk, R&B, and global rhythms with effortless command. [Photo Credit: Brantley Gutierrez] In September 2025, Pharrell Williams invited Kidjo to perform at his Grace For The Worldconcert in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City—an encounter that sparked three original songs written and produced by Pharrell in Paris and tailored to Kidjo’s voice and spirit. Kidjo also wore a Louis Vuitton suit designed by Pharrell at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards. Elsewhere, the album culminates with an emotional, philharmonic rendition of “Malaika,” arranged for symphony by Derrick Hodge and featuring Florent Pagny, inspired by the song that Kidjo says was her mother’s favorite. Kidjo has had a tremendous past few years, including being named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list and winning the Polar Music Prize in 2023. She also performed “Jerusalema,” a song featured on HOPE!! that earned Kidjo her 16th GRAMMY nomination, at the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame in Paris in 2024. |
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Stream / Order HOPE!! HERE TRACK LIST: 1. Bando feat. Pharrell and Quavo 2. Aye Kan feat. Ayra Starr 3. No Stopping Us 4. Fall On Me feat. PJ Morton 5. Oyaya feat. Nile Rodgers and IZA 6. Superwoman feat. Dadju 7. I'm On Fire feat. The Cavemen 8. You Can 9. Kakua feat. Diamond Platnumz 10. Sunlight To My Soul feat. Soweto Gospel Choir 11. For Me feat. Charlie Wilson 12. Big Heart 13. Jerusalema 14. Joy feat. Davido 15. Nadi Balance feat. Fally Ipupa, The Cavemen, Sheila Maurice-Grey 16. Malaika feat. Florent Pagny
TOUR DATES: April 25, 2026 - Stanford, CA - Bing Concert Hall May 3, 2026 - La Jolla, CA - The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center May 6, 2026 - Cenon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine - Le Rocher de Palmer May 8, 2026 - Halle (Saale), Germany - Georg Friedrich Handel Halle May 12, 2026 - Paris, France - L'Olympia May 13, 2026 - Luxembourg - Luxembourg Philharmonie (Gast Waltzing & Friends) May 16, 2026 - Brighton, England - Brighton Dome May 24, 2026 - Würzburg, Germany - Wurzburg Africa Festival June 5, 2026 - Dublin, Ireland - National Concert Hall (Ife, with the Irish National Symphony) June 19, 2026 - Venice, Italy - Teatro Goldoni / Biennale Teatro (solo with piano) June 25, 2026 - Niort, France - Niort Jazz Festival July 3, 2026 - Hendaye, France - Festival Musikolore July 6, 2026 - Vienne, France - Jazz à Vienne (w/ Fatoumata Diawara) July 26, 2026 - Anduze, France - Jazzoparc August 21, 2026 - Burlington, VT - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts August 23, 2026 - New York, NY - Venue TBA September 21, 2026 - Bern, Switzerland - Bierhubeli September 22, 2026 - Geneva, Switzerland - Alhambra November 9, 2026 - Gdynia, Poland - Siesta Festival |
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