Some people use ammunition as a weapon, while others use art as a weapon to create awareness and change. Angelique Kidjo used music as a “weapon of peace”, a phrase she proudly promoted at her acceptance speech at the Grammy award.
The 54-year-old singer from Cotonou, Benin conveyed this powerful message at the acceptance podium: “This album is dedicated to the women of Africa — to their beauty and resilience. Women of Africa — you rock!. For me, music is a weapon of peace, and today more than ever, as artists we have a role to play in the stability of this world.”
The Grammy Awards event is the excellent forum for Kidjo to promote her message for peace, rights and empowerment of women before the world audience. She was named the 40 most influential celebrities from Africa by Forbes and also made Guardian’s list of the top 100 most inspiring women in the world.
