New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Global pop star and three-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo has unveiled the music video for her re-imagined version of Talking Heads' iconic song "
Once In A Lifetime" - from the 1980 landmark album 'Remain in Light.' Her radical new version of the album will be released June 8 (Kravenworks Records) and Angelique will be performing "
Once In A Lifetime" with her band on Jimmy Kimmel Live on May 10.
Angelique, on the "
Once In A Lifetime" video: In the 1970s, under the dictatorship in my home country of Benin, it was really difficult to find music to listen to from the rest of the world. When I went into exile in Paris in 1983, I discovered so much new music, and among them was the song "
Once In A Lifetime". Initially, it felt strange to me. People said it was Rock and Roll, but it felt African somehow. When I performed in New York in 1992 at SOB's,
David Byrne was the first American artist to come see my show. Many years later, I discovered that Brian Eno and The
Talking Heads had been influenced by Fela Kuti and studied John Miller Chernoff's book African Rhythm and African Sensibility about the power of African music. "
Once In A Lifetime" was released at the start of the Reagan presidency, and you feel the anguish and anger in its lyrics. I feel the same tension in today's political climate. Bringing "
Once In A Lifetime" back to the African continent, with the help of superstar producer Jeff Bhasker,
Black Panther's percussionist Magatte Sow and guitarist Dominic James, feels so right today.
The film was created/directed by 25 year old Antoine Paley, a student at Luc Besson's Cité Du Cinema film school.
Angélique partnered with super producer and 2015 Grammy Producer of the Year Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Rolling Stones, Beyonce) for her version of 'Remain in Light,' which brings the landmark 1980 album by
Talking Heads full circle, back to the sounds of West Africa that inspired the original. It features appearances by Ezra Koenig, Blood Orange, Tony Allen, Antibalas Horns, Angélique's longtime guitarist Dominic James, and Magatte Sow (percussionist for the 'Black Panther' film score). Visual artist Kerry
James Marshall collaborated on the album artwork.
Angélique Kidjo is a three-time Grammy winner whom NPR has called "Africa's greatest living diva." Angélique has collaborated with Alicia Keys, Bono,
Carlos Santana and countless more, and her "Ifé" project found her performing three all-new Phillip Glass compositions in the Yoruba language. Angélique travels the world advocating on behalf of children in her capacity as a UNICEF
Goodwill Ambassador while her charitable foundation, Batonga, is dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa.
TOUR DATES:
May 28 - Coventry, UK @ BBC's The Biggest Weekend
June 01 - Warzburg, Germany @ Africa Festival, Talavera Mainwisen
June 08 - London, UK @ Royal Festival Hall*
June 09 - Cardiff, UK @ Cardiff Wales Millenium Centre*
June 17 - Neuchatel, CH @ Festi'neuch
July 09 - Vienne, FR @ Jazz a Vienne^
July 11 - Arles, Fr @ Theatre Antique
July 15 - Rotterdam, NL @ North Sea Jazz Festival^
July 20 - Juan Les Pins, FR @ Jazz a Juan^
July 26 - Vic-Fezensac, Fr @ Tempo
Latino CC%
July 28 - Katonah, NY @ Caramoor Center for
Music and the Arts
August 6 -
Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia*
August 7 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap*
August 9 - Denver, CO @ Denver Botanic Gardens*
August 10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre*
September 27 - New York, NY @ Central Park SummerStage*
* - 'Remain in Light' performance
^ - "Sheba" performance with Ibrahim Maalouf
% - "Angélique Kidjo's Tribute to Salsa" performance
