The
Beninese-born singer won her 3rd Grammy for Best
World Music Album for “Sings,” a collection of her songs infused with Western
classical traditions in a collaboration with the Orchestre Philharmonique du
Luxembourg. She dedicated the award to the aspiring artists in the continent of
Africa.
This
is the second straight year that Kidjo has won the Best World Music Album
prize, after last year’s “Eve” that paid tribute to African women.
A
visibly happy Kidjo, dressed in a colourful African dress, ran to the stage to
accept the award and danced to James Brown’s “I Feel Good,” performed by a pit
orchestra.
“I
want to dedicate this Grammy to all the traditional musicians in
Africa, in my country, to all the young generation,” Kidjo said.
“Africa
is on the rise, Africa is positive, Africa is joyful,” she said.
“Let’s
get together and be one with music, and say no to hate and violence,” she said
to applause.
The
album merges African song writing and rhythms with European classical
instrumentation, a fusion on which Kidjo has repeatedly experimented.
Kidjo
described the album as an artistic challenge as traditional African bands
follow the lead of the soloist much more closely, unlike Western orchestras
that generally play off refined scores.
Kidjo,
who is based in New York and plans another concert at Carnegie Hall in the
upcoming season, said she was open to further work with artists of other
genres.
“I
work with everyone who believes that music is the tool of peace. For me, music
is the only form of art that connects the entire world,” she told AFP after
accepting the award.