Kidjo w’imyaka 66, umaze kwegukana ibihembo bya Grammy inshuro eshanu, yahawe iki cyubahiro ku wa Kabiri tariki 18 Kanama 2026, mu muhango witabiriwe n’ibyamamare byo muri sinema ndetse n’abafite izina rikomeye mu muziki.

Nyuma yo gushyira ahagaragara inyenyeri yanditseho izina rye, Kidjo yavuze ko Afurika yagize uruhare rukomeye mu iterambere ry’umuziki ku Isi, nubwo Abanyafurika ubwabo hari ubwo batabibona.

Yagize ati “Iyi nyenyeri ni iy’umugabane wose wa Afurika. Kuko iyo ntaba Umunyafurika, nari kuba ndi hano?”

Yongeye gushimangira ubutumwa yatanze mu muhango wabereye i Los Angeles wo kwizihiza imyaka 40 amaze mu muziki, aho yagaragaje uruhare rw’Abanyafurika mu guteza imbere umuziki ku isi.

Ati “Iyo hatabaho umuziki wa blues wazanywe n’abacakara bajyanywe muri Amerika, nta R&B iba ihari, nta rock and roll, nta soul music, nta jazz. Byose bikomoka muri Afurika.”

Kidjo yavuze ko Abanyafurika ubwabo bakwiye kumenya agaciro k’ibyo bahaye isi, ndetse bagashyigikira impano z’abahanzi bari ku mugabane.

Ati “Dukwiye kwizihiza abahanzi bacu ku mugabane wacu. Tugomba gutuma bagaragara, kuko umuziki ugira uruhare mu iterambere ry’ubukungu.”

Abahanzi benshi bo muri Afurika, usibye ibyamamare bifite abafana ku isi yose, bahura n’ikibazo cyo kubaho kubera ko akenshi batishyurwa amafaranga y’uburenganzira bw’ibihangano byabo.

Ati “Tugomba kumenya agaciro k’abahanzi bacu kandi tugashyiraho uburyo bwo kubafasha kubona amafaranga ku mugabane wabo no kugira uruhare mu guhanga imirimo.”

Avuga ku ruhare rw’ababyeyi be mu muziki we, yakomeje ati “Muri uwo mwanya naravuze nti ‘Papa, mama, nifuzaga ko muba hano mukabona ibi. Sinashoboye kwihanganira amarangamutima. Ntibabashije kubona umusaruro w’ibyo bakoze. Uburyo bateje imbere amatsiko yanjye n’urukundo mfitiye umuziki.”

Kidjo, wafashe umuziki wa Afurika ku rwego mpuzamahanga ahuza injyana zo mu gihugu cye n’izindi nka funk, jazz na pop, yakuriye muri Benin nyuma aza kujya i Paris afite imyaka 23, avuga ko yabitewe n’igitugu cy’ubutegetsi bwariho icyo gihe.

Mu muhango wo guhabwa inyenyeri, yari aherekejwe n’umuryango, inshuti ndetse n’ibyamamare birimo abakinnyi ba filime Willem Dafoe na Djimon Hounsou na we ukomoka muri Benin, ndetse n’umuhanzi wo muri Nigeria Adekunle Gold.

Uyu muhango waranzwe no kuririmba no kubyina mu rwego rwo kwizihiza urugendo rwe mu muziki, aho yakoranye n’abahanzi bakomeye nka Burna Boy, John Legend, Bono na Alicia Keys.

Album ye nshya yitwa “HOPE!!” yasohotse muri uyu mwaka, ikaba irimo indirimbo zakozwe na Pharrell Williams ndetse afatanya n’abahanzi nka Ayra Starr, Quavo, Nile Rodgers na Diane Warren.

Muri rusange, Kidjo amaze gusohora album 18 kandi yatoranyijwe inshuro 17 mu bihembo bya Grammy, aho yabitwaye inshuro eshanu.

Yegukanye kandi igihembo cya Polar Music Prize mu 2023, naho mu 2021 aza gushyirwa ku rutonde rw’abantu 100 bafite uruhare rukomeye ku isi rwakozwe n’ikinyamakuru Time.

Kidjo uherutse guhabwa inyenyeri muri Hollywood Walk of Fame yakeje Afurika yamureze