Angelique Kidjo- ewe empire

SONS & DAUGHTERS OF THE  SOIL  (Vol.3)

“ANGELIQUE  KIDJO”

Real Name : Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known as Angélique Kidjo

Career : Beninese-born American Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos.

Born: July 14, 1960 (age 56), Cotonou, Benin

Spouse: Jean Hébrail (m. 1987)

Education: Berklee College of Music

Awards: Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, more

Music group: Band Aid 30 (Since 2014)

Kidjo was born in Cotonou, Benin. Her father is from the Fon people of Ouidah and her mother from the Yoruba people. She grew up listening to Beninese traditional music, Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, James Brown, Manu Dibango, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Osibisa, and Santana. By the time she was six, Kidjo was performing with her mother's theatre troupe,giving her an early appreciation for traditional music and dance. She started singing in her school band, Les Sphinx, and found success as a teenager with her adaptation of Miriam Makeba's "Les Trois Z", which played on national radio. She recorded the album Pretty with the Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs "Ninive", "Gbe Agossi" and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris in 1983.

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While working various day jobs to pay for her tuition, Kidjo studied music at the CIM, a reputable jazz school in Paris where she met musician and producer Jean Hebrail, with whom she has composed most of her music. She started out as a backup singer in local bands. In 1985, she became the front singer of the known Euro-African jazz/rock band Jasper van't Hof's Pili Pili. Three studio albums followed: Jakko (1987), Be In Two Minds (1988, produced by Marlon Klein) and Hotel Babo (1990). By the end of the 1980s, she had become one of the most popular live performers in Paris and recorded a solo album called Parakou for the Open Jazz Label. She was then discovered in Paris by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, who signed her in 1991. She recorded four albums for Island until Blackwell's departure from the label. In 2000 she was signed in New York by Columbia Records, for which label she recorded two albums.

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Her first album for Island Records was recorded between Miami and Paris and produced by Miami Sound Machine drummer Joe Galdo and features Branford Marsalis and Manu DiBango on saxophones. It was released worldwide in 1991 and reached number one on the Billboard World Music chart. Music videos for the singles "We We" and "Batonga" were released and Kidjo made her first world tour, appearing at many festivals and headlining the Olympia Hall in Paris on October 31, 1992. Logozo is ranked number 37 in the Greatest Dance Albums of All Time list compiled by the Thump web site.

Kidjo married French musician and producer Jean Hébrail in 1987. They have a daughter, Naima, born in 1993.

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contact : https://www.facebook.com/angeliquekidjo/?fref=ts

Credit: wikipedia.com  &  eweempire.blogspot.com

THE ONLY FEMALE BARBER IN GHANA

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE SOIL (Vol. 2)

NAME: Kafui  Aƒi  Dugbaza

OCCUPATION : Professional  Barber

FROM: Sogakoƒe, Volta Region-Ghana.

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Meet the only Female Professional  Barber  in Greater Accra.

For those who don’t believe  that “what a man can do , a woman can also do”, should repent because this lady has broken  the record and has raised the bar very high.

She was born into a family of 3 of which she is the only female. After the death of her  Mom,  she was catered for by her aunt (Mom’s sister).

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She learnt a trade as a “hair dresser “ at Michelle camp in the tema municipality. One night she dreamt that she owned  a big barbering salon with so many employees.  When she woke up, she told her uncle about the dream and also told him that she wants to be a barber.  Her uncle obviously didn’t like the idea of a lady being a barber and tried to discourage her but she did not fall for it.

She then went on to learn the trade  from a professional barber and within 5 months, she was already in good  shape so  She started with “work and pay” and  her would  testify that she is really  good and skilful  at her  job.

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She has been in business for the past eight  (8) years and today she administrates over  two(2) barbering salons.  

One of her favourite quotes is ; “Nothing or nobody  can discourage me from achieving my target”.

Though  she has not gotten her dream shop yet, she is definitely  not far from it.

This is a big motivation for African Women .Just believe in yourself  and believe in your dreams ..