With DJIN DJIN, her new release on Razor & Tie, Angélique Kidjo comes home.  The four-time Grammy-nominated, much-celebrated singer, composer and performer began in the Beninese port village of Cotonou, where she launched her career at age six.  The political turmoil in her country led her to relocate to Paris, the capital of world music, and then ultimately to New York City, where she now resides.  Her striking voice, stage presence and her fluency in multiple cultures and languages won respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders.  It also earned her access to humanitarians who sensed the passion in the words of her songs, resulting in her long-term dedication to global charity work.

Kidjo has traveled far and mesmerized audiences on countless stages, speaking out on behalf of the children in her capacity as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.  Now with DJIN DJIN and the return to her musical roots, Kidjo has truly closed the circle in her life as she brings international artists to the musical world of her native country.Producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Morrissey) helps to bring each track on DJIN DJIN to full sonic bloom. Recorded at Electric Lady Studio in New York, with participants gathered in a studio made intimate by carpets, couches, and home-like accoutrements, these performances testify to the power of music to simultaneously unify and free those who make it and hear it.

“When we had finished our recording, we were all so sad because we had come together as a family, all within just two weeks,” Kidjo recalls. “Music brings us together, but after the music is over, you go back to your home, to your neighborhood, knowing that you can make a difference. You have to be proud of who you are. Whether you were born in America or Africa, you can celebrate life.”

Kidjo’s point is as simple as it is profound: The celebration only begins with DJIN DJIN and will last as long as you want it to after that.