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
PAPA
Angélique Kidjo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Papa papa papa
Papa papa papa
Chorus 1
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye
Verse 1
Aminke la nan mou lonlon le hihe yamin
Papa yoya
Lonlon deka kpoe mou le dji la gbe yamin lo
Papa yoya
Chorus 2
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye
Verse 2
Aminke la nan mou lonlon le hihe yamin
Papa yoya
Lonlon deka kpoe mou le dji la gbe yamin lo
Papa yoya
Guitar riff
Reintro
Papa papa papa
Papa papa papa
Chorus 3
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye
Verse 3
Aminke la nan mou lonlon le hihe yamin
Papa yoya
Lonlon deka kpoe mou le dji la gbe yamin lo
Papa yoya
Breakdown
Chorus 4
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Vamp out
Aaaa
Papa yeye va homin la
Papa yeye va homin la
Aaaa
Aminke la nan mou lonlon le hihe yamin
Papa yeye papa yoya
Papa yeye papa yoya
Papa yeye non bio papa yoya
The song "Papa" by Angélique Kidjo is a tribute to her father. The song opens with the repetition of "Papa papa papa," which sets the emotional tone for the rest of the song. The chorus, "Ae mandjro papa olon yin, Papa yeye va homin la," roughly translates to "My father, come help us," and portrays a deep sense of longing and desperation for a loved one's presence. The verses describe scenarios in which life gets tough, and the singer looks to her father for guidance and support. In the breakdown, the song reaches a peak in emotion as Kidjo sings, "Aminke la nan mou lonlon le hihe yamin, Papa yeye papa yoya," which means "even though I'm grown up, I still need you, Papa."
Line by Line Meaning
Papa papa papa
The repeated call for Papa brings a sense of longing and urgency, indicating a deep desire for connection and guidance.
Ae mandjro papa olon yin
The singer is calling out to her father, using her native tongue to express her need for his presence and support.
Papa yeye va homin la
The singer refers to her father as 'yeye', meaning 'father' in her native language, and speaks of him leading and guiding her in life's journey.
Aminke la nan mou lonlon le hihe yamin
The singer reflects on her childhood memories and speaks of sitting close to her father, feeling his warmth and protection.
Papa yoya
The singer repeats the phrase 'Papa yoya', which could be interpreted to mean 'Daddy is here' or 'Daddy is listening'.
Lonlon deka kpoe mou le dji la gbe yamin lo
The singer speaks of being carried by her father, feeling safe and secure in his arms, as he walks her through life's challenges.
Aaaa
An emotional vocalization brings intensity and depth to the singer's plea for her father's presence and guidance.
Papa yeye va homin la
The singer repeats her call for her father's leadership and guidance, emphasizing the significance of his role in her life.
Papa yeye papa yoya
The singer repeats phrases from earlier verses, connecting her childhood memories with her present longing for her father's presence.
Papa yeye va homin la
The song ends with a repetition of the singer's plea for her father's guidance, making it clear that her love for him and need for his protection will never diminish.
Writer(s): Angelique Kidjo, Jean Hebrail
Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rita Nyampinga
Why don't you do a full version of this song. My best on Djin Djin. Pleaseeeer