From the first moment Kidjo—a Benin native whose music is a mix of African, Caribbean, Latin, and jazz styles—hit the stage in her bright red pantsuit, the energy level hit a gear that I had never thought possible in such a small venue. Her powerful voice is pleasing to the ear, but vibrates through your whole body. Maybe that’s why it didn’t take long for most of the audience to be on its feet, moving in a way that only felt natural. Powered by a band that hails from all over the globe, including musical director and bass player Habib Faye, guitarists Joao Mota and and Rubens de la Corte, percussionist Ibrahim Diagne, and drummer Harvey Wirht, Kidjo moved across the stage with fire, rapidly moving her hips and occasionally spinning in circles with her arms wide out like a child. All the while, she’d hit her notes perfectly, be they words in Ewe, Fon, English, or French. Some were from her new album, "Djin Djin," but there were plenty of favorites from the past including Afrika and Tumba from her 2002 album, "Black Ivory Soul."
Between songs, she’d liven up the audience ("We’re here to have fun, this isn’t a cemetery!") and share her view of the world, expressing her hopes for peace and an end to poverty and fear. She said she was thankful for her microphone, which she calls her "weapon of mass lovin’," and she didn’t hesitate to make the crowd part of the show—at one point, she left the stage and weaved through the seats, and at another, she invited anyone who wanted to dance with her on stage to come up. Dozens of the 50 or so brave people who took her up on the offer ended up getting a moment to shine, when Diagne played a bongo drum front and center, and Kidjo would push people out to dance to his rhythms. At times we watched some impressive amateur talent up there—at others, we were more impressed by the gutsiness than the skill. But it felt like a celebration. Which is fitting because Kidjo, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador who just won her first Grammy Award after ten glorious albums, deserves to be celebrated.