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Vocalist Angélique Kidjo To Perform At Bass

Updated: Friday, March 2 2012, 02:28 AM CST
By Rob Faubion, Austin On Stage www.austinonstage.com

Vocalist Angélique Kidjo To Perform At Bass Hailed as “one of Africa’s most globally successful performers” by Billboard Magazine, international vocalist Angélique Kidjo comes to Austin for one night at Bass Concert Hall on Thursday, March 8, at 8 p.m.  Texas Performing Arts hosts the Grammy Award winner, who ranks among one of the greatest forces in African music.
    
With eleven international albums and a Grammy Award for her 2007 album Djin Djin, few artists have larger global presence than Kidjo. Even at the onset of her career, her second international album - Logozo - reached the Number One position in the World Music Billboard Charts.
   
Since then, Kidjo has released numerous critically-acclaimed international albums, sold out prestigious worldwide concert venues such as Carnegie Hall and been requested for collaborations with various prominent artists.  More recently, Kidjo performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa - alongside Alicia Keys, John Legend and Shakira.
   
Born in the West African state of Benin, Kidjo gained an appreciation for theater and dance at an early age by performing with her mother’s theater troupe at age six.  Growing as an artist, Kidjo began singing in school, finding success as a teenager covering works by the legendary Miriam Makeba.  Shortly thereafter, Kidjo began recording, and what started as success and travel around West Africa quickly led to international acclaim.
    
In addition to her work as a vocalist, Kidjo is a tireless campaigner for women’s health and education in Africa and serves as a UNICEF Peace Ambassador.  Her philanthropic work was recently recognized when the BBC named her as one of "50 African Icons" and The Guardian Magazine named her to their list of "100 Most Inspiring Women in the World."
     
Tickets for the concert range from $36 to $42, with a limited number of $10 student tickets available.  Discounted tickets are available for U.T. faculty and staff, seniors and military.
    
Bass Concert Hall is located at E. 23rd Street and Robert Dedman Drive on the University of Texas campus.  Tickets are on sale at on sale at the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, all Texas Box Office outlets including most H-E-B stores. To order tickets,  call (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO or visit www.TexasPerformingArts.org.

(Photo Courtesy Jed Root)

For more information, please visit texasperformingarts.org/season/kidjo.

Vocalist Angélique Kidjo To Perform At Bass