Angélique Kidjo Announces New Album ‘Hope!!’, Featuring Pharrell, Nile Rodgers, and More

Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo is set to release her new album, Hope!!, on April 24 via Warner Records. The album, a follow-up to her 2021 release Mother Nature, boasts an impressive roster of collaborators including Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, Ayra Starr, Quavo, The Gap Band’s Charlie Wilson, and more.

“Fall On Me” – The First Single

The first single from Hope!!, “Fall On Me,” is a collaboration with PJ Morton. The song offers a preview of the album’s diverse sound and features Kidjo’s signature blend of Afro-pop and soul. A music video for “Fall On Me” is available on YouTube.

A Tribute to Her Mother

Hope!! is dedicated to Kidjo’s late mother, whose optimism and strength deeply influenced the artist. The album concludes with a rendition of “Malaika,” a Swahili love song that was her mother’s favorite.

Kidjo’s Vision for the Album

“I started singing when I was six years old, and I’m grateful every day that I still obtain to live my passion and do what I love with my life,” Kidjo stated in a press release. “At the same time I know that many people struggle to find joy, especially when there’s so much to worry about in our world today. With this album I wanted to put some fire back in people’s hearts, and show how much we need that joy and hope to keep our humanity going.”

Hope!! Tracklist

1. Bando (feat. Pharrell and Quavo)
2. Aye Kan (feat. Ayra Starr)
3. No Stopping Us
4. Fall On Me (feat. PJ Morton)
5. Oyaya (feat. Nile Rodgers and IZA)
6. Superwoman (feat. Dadju)
7. I’m On Fire (feat. The Cavemen)
8. You Can
9. Kakua (feat. Diamond Platnumz)
10. Sunlight To My Soul (feat. Soweto Gospel Choir)
11. For Me (feat. Charlie Wilson)
12. Large Heart
13. Jerusalema
14. Joy feat. Davido
15. Nadi Balance (feat. Fally Ipupa, The Cavemen, Sheila Maurice-Grey)
16. Malaika (feat. Florent Pagny)

Tour Dates

Kidjo will embark on a North American and European tour in support of Hope!!. The tour begins on March 26th in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and concludes in Vienne, France, in July. Key dates include:

• March 26 – Ann Arbor, MI – Hill Auditorium
• March 28 – Somerville, MA – Somerville Theatre
• April 9 – North Bethesda, MD – The Music Center at Strathmore
• April 11 – Princeton, NJ – McCarter Theatre Center
• April 25 – Stanford, CA – Bing Concert Hall
• May 3 – La Jolla, CA – The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
• May 6 – Cenon, New Aquitaine – The Rocher de Palmer
• May 8 – Halle (Saale), Germany – Georg Friedrich Handel Halle
• May 12 – Paris, France – Olympia
• May 13 – Luxembourg – Luxembourg Philharmonic
• May 16 – Brighton, England – Brighton Dome
• May 24 – Würzburg, Germany – Würzburg Africa Festival
• June 5 – Dublin, Ireland – National Concert Hall
• June 25 – Niort, France – Niort Jazz Festival
• July 6 – Vienna, France – Jazz in Vienne