Angelique Kidjo Takes Over Apple Music for Africa Day 2026
Africa Day just got a proper soundtrack. Angelique Kidjo took over Apple Music on May 25th, and the result was everything. AfrobeatsGlobal was tuned in from the start, and this special is one of the most important things to come out of Africa Month 2026.
What the Apple Music Takeover Is
Apple Music announced a special Africa Day radio takeover hosted by five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Angelique Kidjo. The program is recorded at Apple Music Studios in Los Angeles. Furthermore, it sits within Apple’s broader Sounds of Africa initiative, which has been running throughout Africa Month.
The radio special launched on May 25 and covers Kidjo’s latest album HOPE!! In addition, it highlights African artists across the continent and touches on legacy, motherhood, and the growing global presence of African music.
Kidjo on the New Generation of African Artists
The best part of the special is hearing Kidjo speak about younger African artists. She discusses collaborations with Davido, Ayra Starr, Fireboy DML, and The Cavemen. Furthermore, her words about Ayra Starr are worth repeating.
She described working with Ayra Starr as working with someone who has the maturity of a 60-year-old person at just 23. She said Ayra Starr knows what she wants when she is in the studio. In addition, that kind of clarity impressed Kidjo deeply.
The Message Behind HOPE!!
Kidjo spoke about hope being at the center of everything she does. She described the spirit of joy in African music as a form of resistance. Furthermore, she sees the new generation not as her followers but as artists carrying the baton further than she did.
She said she does not want them to copy her. She wants them to be themselves. That is a message AfrobeatsGlobal believes every young African artist needs to hear right now.
The Nile Rodgers Conversation
The takeover also includes a conversation between Kidjo and legendary producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers. They discuss their long professional relationship and their work on Oyaya, a track from HOPE!! Furthermore, hearing two music legends talk craft is exactly the kind of content that Apple Music’s Africa Month platform should be delivering.
Apple Music Africa Month and the 10 Cities
Apple Music’s 2026 Sounds of Africa campaign highlights ten cities across the continent. Those cities are Cape Town, Harare, Luanda, Abidjan, Durban, Kinshasa, Dakar, Kampala, Cairo, and Casablanca. In addition, the campaign features curated playlists and exclusive DJ mixes celebrating each location.
AfrobeatsGlobal sees this as a major moment for African music visibility at a platform level. Furthermore, having Angelique Kidjo front the Africa Day special sends a clear message about who defines African music on the global stage.
Listen to the Takeover
Listen here: Angelique Kidjo’s Apple Music Africa Day radio takeover
You can stream Angelique Kidjo’s Apple Music Africa Day radio takeover now. Share this post, drop a comment telling AfrobeatsGlobal which part of the special hit hardest for you, and follow us for everything happening in African music this month. Read our previous blog post on MOLIY Announces ‘BADDIES MOLIY’ Mixtape This Summer.
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