FirstWorks to Present Angélique Kidjo At The Vets

Members of the community are invited to attend, and Media are welcome to cover a radiant concert performance by Angélique Kidjo on February 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at The VETS. FirstWorks welcomes Kidjo, a four-time Grammy Award winner, back to Providence for a concert featuring the high-octane numbers that have cemented her place on the international scene. Extolled as "Africa's premier diva" by Time Magazine, Angélique Kidjo is recognized worldwide for her singular, extraordinary voice and diverse influences, ranging from Afropop to gospel, from Congolese rumba to rhythm and blues. Using joy and pride as transcendent tools of empowerment, she will share boundless creative classics along with new music from her recently released album, "Mother Nature."

"Mother Nature" was written and recorded while in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the album focuses on the pressing topics of environmental preservation and human rights. The result is a truly visionary body of work, rooted in a deep understanding of musical tradition yet endlessly forward-thinking and inventive. The album was recently nominated for "Best Global Music Album" in the upcoming 64th Grammy Awards.

"Without nature, we don't exist - it nurtures us, it nourishes us, and it does that with absolutely no judgement," explained Kidjo. "And even though nature is under attack from our industries, she's still always so generous."

"FirstWorks is proud to connect audiences with iconic artists on stage indoors. The euphoria of an Angélique Kidjo performance is unsurpassed - this is one of those shows you will remember for the rest of your life," said Kathleen Pletcher, FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director. "We cheered Angélique over her tremendous achievements of singing at the Tokyo Olympic Opening Ceremony, being hailed as "THE QUEEN" by Apple Music, and her recently sold-out concert at New York City's Carnegie Hall."

Tickets to the Sunday, February 13, 2022 7:00 p.m. performance at The VETS are $39-$69 (including a $4 VETS restoration fee) and are available now at http://firstworks.org.

Kidjo will remain in Providence for a FirstWorks education residency which will include a Creative Conversation at Mt. Pleasant High School. Schools interested in becoming FirstWorks Education partners can contact FirstWorks Education Director Jamil Jorge at 401-421-4278 or jjorge@firstworks.org for more information.

This program is made possible in part with support from the Providence Tourism Council and FirstWorks Earth First Supporters: National Grid Foundation, CDQ Charitable Trust and Nordson Corporation Foundation.

About Angélique Kidjo

Four-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today, a creative force with thirteen albums to her name. Time Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2021. The BBC has included her in its list of the continent's 50 most iconic figures, and in 2011 The Guardian listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. Forbes Magazine has ranked Angelique as the first woman in their list of the Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa. She is the recent recipient of the prestigious 2015 Crystal Award given by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the 2016 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award, and the 2018 German Sustainability Award.

As a performer, her striking voice, stage presence and fluency in multiple cultures and languages have won respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders. Kidjo has cross-pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. For more information about Angélique Kidjo, visit: http://www.kidjo.com

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