Angélique Kidjo Unveils “Mother Nature” Music Video Featuring Sting, In Collaboration With Environmentalist/Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand
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New Album Mother Nature Out June 18 (Universal Music Group)
Angélique Kidjo has unveiled a new preview of her forthcoming album Mother Nature (June 18 / Universal Music Group). The album’s title track is an anthem for the earth, and arrives with a music video featuring an appearance and vocals from 17-time Grammy Award winning artist Sting, and is made in collaboration with environmentalist, photographer and director Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The video features fans from three continents, dancing together, to celebrate mother earth and to call for her protection.
Angélique, a 4-time GRAMMY winner and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, sings: “Mother Nature has a way of warning us / A time bomb set on a lost countdown / Do you hear it, will you stop it, won’t you listen?”
The release of “Mother Nature” also coincides with the United Nations’ World Environment Day which was Saturday, June 5. Angélique also opened the UNDP Rome Centre’s One Earth Dialogue and Conversation, more information here.
“I want this record to inspire people to think about their connection to Mother Nature, and how dear this Earth is to us,” says Angélique. “Without nature, we don’t exist—it nurtures us, it nourishes us, and it does that with absolutely no judgement. And even though nature is under attack from our industries, she’s still always so generous.”
On Mother Nature Kidjo joins forces with some of the most captivating young creators of West African music including Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi, Salif Keita, Burna Boy, Shungudzo, Zeynab, Lionel Loueke, Sampa The Great, Blue Lab Beats, Ghetto Boy, EARTHGANG, and -M-. Producers that worked on the album include Kel P (Burna Boy), James Poyser of The Roots, Vtek, Rexxie, Synematik, Blue Lab Beats, -M-, Brad Thomas Ackley, David Donatien and Dany Synthé. The album also represents a newly heightened awareness of her own musical legacy and remarkable influence she's had on younger generations. She began writing it in 2019 and it was created over the past year in quarantine.
Read more on the album in this Rolling Stone feature that ran with the album announcement, plus coverage from Pitchfork, the NY Times, and a conversation with NPR’s All Songs Considered program.
Angélique Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today, with Time Magazine calling her "Africa's premier diva.” She has recently performed and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Amanpour, was profiled by the NY Times, opened for Vampire Weekend at Madison Square Garden, and hosted NPR's Tiny Desk series celebrating GlobalFest this past January.
Mother Nature Tracklist:
1. Choose Love
2. Dignity (with Yemi Alade)
3. Africa, One Of A Kind (with Mr Eazi & Salif Keita)
4. Mother Nature
5. Do Yourself (with Burna Boy)
6. Meant For Me (feat. Shungudzo)
7. Omon Oba (with Zeynab & Lionel Loueke)
8. Free & Equal (with Sampa The Great)
9. Fired Up (feat. Blue Lab Beats & Ghetto Boy)
10. Take It Or Leave It (with EARTHGANG)
11. Mycelium (with -M-)
12. One Africa (Indépendance Cha-Cha)
13. Flying High
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