Kidjo was born in Ouidah, Benin. Her father is Fon from Ouidah and her mother is Yoruba . She grew up listening to James Brown, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, and Santana.
By the time she was six, Kidjo was performing with her mother's theatre troupe, giving her an early appreciation for traditional music and dance. She started singing in her school band Les Sphinx and found success as a teenager with her adaptation of Miriam Makeba's "Les Trois Z" which played on national radio. She recorded the album Pretty with the Camerounese producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs Ninive, Gbe Agossi and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris in 1982.
While working various day jobs to pay for her tuition, Angelique studied music at the CIM, a reputable Jazz school in Paris where she met and married musician and producer Jean Hebrail with whom she has composed most of her music. She started out as a backup singer in local bands. In 1985, she became the front singer of the known Euro-African jazz/rock band Jasper van't Hof's Pili Pili. Three Pili Pili studio albums followed: Jakko(1987) Be In Two Minds (1988, produced by Marlon Klein) and Hotel Babo (1990). By the end of the 1980s, she had become one of the most popular live performers in Paris and recorded a solo album called Parakou for the Open Jazz Label.
She was then discovered in Paris by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell who signed her in 1991. She recorded four albums for Island until Chris Blackwell's departure from the label. In 2000 she was signed in New York by Columbia Records for which she recorded two albums.
Her musical influences include the Afropop, Caribbean zouk, Congolese rumba, jazz, gospel, and Latin styles; as well as her childhood idols Bella Bellow, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Miriam Makeba and Carlos Santana.
She has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002. With UNICEF, she has traveled to many countries in Africa. Reports on her visits can be found on the UNICEF site. Kidjo founded The Batonga Foundation which gives girls a secondary school and higher education so they can take the lead in changing Africa. The foundation is doing this by granting scholarships, building secondary schools, increasing enrollment, improving teaching standards, providing school supplies, supporting mentor programs, exploring alternative education models and advocating for community awareness of the value of education for girls.
She has campaigned for Oxfam at the 2005 Hong Kong WTO meeting, for the their Fair Trade Campaign and travelled with them in North Kenya and at the border of Darfur and Chad with a group of women leaders in 2007 and contributed to the video for the In My Name Campaign with Will I Am from The Black Eyed Peas. She has hosted the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in Alexandria, Egypt on November 26th, 2007 and on November 15th, 2008
Dje Dje L'Aye
Angélique Kidjo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doudoudou ou
Do dede we dje, ha gbe elo
O ho dido dessou, bio yeyi la
Do aguidi de ma dje ha, gbe elo
O gbe sin le mando, o gan minde la
Dje dje l'aye
Dje dje l'aye, we dje ha gbe min se a
Do dede we dje ha gbe elo
O nou wiwa dessou, bio yeyi la
Do tagba de man dje ha, gbe elo
Ale de do gbe min, e dossou la
The lyrics to Angélique Kidjo's song Dje Dje L'Aye are in a West African language called Fon, and they talk about the resilience and perseverance of the human spirit. The repetitive refrain "dje dje l'aye" means "the day will come" and is a reminder to keep going, even when faced with adversity. The song starts with the sound of drums and percussion, which are the traditional instruments used in the Fon culture to communicate and celebrate.
As the song progresses, Kidjo's powerful voice takes over, singing about the struggles of life and the need to continue pushing forward. The lyrics mention a variety of challenges, from financial hardship ("o ho dido dessou") to the difficulty of finding one's place in the world ("do aguidi de ma dje ha"). However, despite these obstacles, the refrain "dje dje l'aye" reminds us that there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
Overall, Dje Dje L'Aye is a powerful and uplifting song that celebrates the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The upbeat rhythm and Kidjo's soaring vocals make it impossible not to feel inspired and energized by this empowering anthem.
Line by Line Meaning
Doudoudou ou
Repetition of sounds without meaning; possibly used to establish rhythm or tone.
Do dede we dje, ha gbe elo
I have inherited a legacy, and I must use it to better my community.
O ho dido dessou, bio yeyi la
Through hard work and determination, I will make progress and achieve success.
Do aguidi de ma dje ha, gbe elo
With the guidance of my ancestors, I will achieve my goals and improve my environment.
O gbe sin le mando, o gan minde la
With unity and cooperation, we will overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
Dje dje l'aye
I am alive and ready to take on the world.
Dje dje l'aye
I am alive and ready to take on the world.
Dje dje l'aye, we dje ha gbe min se a
I am alive and will use my talents to make a positive impact in my community and beyond.
Do nou wiwa dessou, bio yeyi la
Through diligence and hard work, I will achieve success and make progress.
Do tagba de man dje ha, gbe elo
With the help of my ancestors, I will use my inherited legacy to create positive change.
Ale de do gbe min, e dossou la
Together, we will build a better future for ourselves and our community.
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Jean Louis Pierre Hebrail, Angelique Kidjo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kwame Atoapoma Oteanankanduro
on Summertime
Awesome! Haa, I want the lyrics in the language she sang in.