Angelique Kidjo’s Remain in Light

- One of the African continent’s most influential figures reimagines The Talking Heads’ classic 1980 album.

Three-time Grammy winner, and one of the African continent’s most influential figures performing for the first time in the UAE, Angélique Kidjo reimagines Remain in Light, with electrifying rhythms, African guitars, and layered backing vocals, joined by the Antibalas Horns. The project, which premiered to broad acclaim at NY’s Carnegie Hall, and was one of the standout performances at Bonnaroo, makes its UAE debut.

“As _Remain In Light was influenced by the music of my continent, I want to pay back the homage and create my own African take on Talking Heads songs. We all know that rock music came from the blues and thus from Africa. Now is the time to bring rock back to Africa, connect our minds and bring all our sounds to a new level of sharing and understanding.”_ – Angelique Kidjo

Africa’s greatest living female vocalist, a dynamic live performer and celebrated philanthropist and activist, Kidjo’s far-ranging music vision incorporates the music of her native Benin with pan-African styles, funk, rock, jazz, sacred, and influences from Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti. She’s collaborated with many of the world’s most notable artists, including Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews, Ziggy Marley, Philip Glass, Peter Gabriel, Bono, John Legend, Kronos Quartet, Cassandra Wilson and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Africa rapturously reclaimed rock…mutual respect, playful cross-references and sheer pleasure, as Ms. Kidjo repatriated the grooves in the songs and threaded African words and melodies directly through them….Kidjo wasn’t toppling an icon; she was dancing on its heights.” – NY Times

“The power of Kidjo’s unflappable voice, the range of her emotional expression, the stellar, genre-bending musicians who back her and the infectious, activist energy that courses through her songs all transcend any native tongue.” – NPR Music