Angelique Kidjo's new ‘Eve’

Angelique Kidjo, the Benin born, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter is gearing up for an incredible 2014. She's preparing for the release of Eve, a vibrant new collection of songs dedicated to the power of African womanhood.

She is also planning a tour of the United States and promoting the release of her autobiography, Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music. NPR will host a "First Listen" full album stream of Eve beginning January 20th until the release date, January 28th.

 Eve, named after her mother, is described as a joyous musical ode to the pride, beauty and strength of African women and their worldwide socio-cultural influence.  The recording showcases Kidjo's extraordinary musical vision as realised by remarkable players as well as women's choirs from several African villages in Benin and Kenya singing in a wide array of native Beninoise languages including Fon, Yoruba, Goun and Mina. 

 Kidjo's accolades include a 20 year discography, thousands of concerts around the world and being named "Africa's premier diva" (Time Magazine) and "the undisputed Queen of African Music" (Daily Telegraph). Kidjo's 2008 recording Djin Djin won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album and her last studio recording Oyo was nominated in the same category.  

She has enjoyed a long history of notable collaborations with greats from the jazz and pop worlds—including Carlos Santana, Bono, John Legend, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, Branford Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Roy Hargrove and Alicia Keys. In an expansive career marked as much by extraordinary musical achievement as by passionate advocacy and philanthropy for her homeland of Africa, Angelique Kidjo has found many ways to celebrate the rich, enlightening truth about the continent's women beyond the media spotlight