Angélique Kidjo to host Apple Music Africa Day radio takeover

Recorded at Apple Music Studios in Los Angeles, the programme is scheduled to launch on 25 May and forms part of the platform’s ongoing The Sounds of Africa initiative.

The radio special will feature Kidjo discussing the inspirations behind her latest album, HOPE!!, while highlighting African artists and broader themes including legacy, motherhood and the growing international presence of African music.

During the programme, Kidjo reflects on collaborations with a younger generation of African musicians including Davido, Ayra Starr, Fireboy DML and The Cavemen.. The episode will also feature a conversation with producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers.

“When we come unapologetically we are going to sweep the whole place up,” Kidjo said. “That’s what I’m seeing, and I like to see that they are taking the baton from me and taking it to another level. I don't want them to copy me. I want them to be themselves.”

Kidjo also spoke about her experience working with Ayra Starr. “She is 23 and she has the maturity of a 60-year-old person. She knows what she wants when she's in the studio… I was like ‘wow really girl, go for it!’”

The special will also include a discussion between Kidjo and Rodgers on their long-standing professional relationship and previous collaborations, including work on ‘Oyaya’, a track from ‘HOPE!!’.

Discussing the themes behind the album, Kidjo said: “Hope is at the centre of everything. Our spirit of joy is a resistance in itself.”

The programme forms part of Apple Music’s wider Africa Month activities under The Sounds of Africa campaign, which focuses on artists, cultural movements and cities contributing to the continent’s music landscape.

The 2026 edition of the initiative highlights 10 cities across Africa: Cape Town, Harare, Luanda, Abidjan, Durban, Kinshasa, Dakar, Kampala, Cairo and Casablanca.

Listen to Angélique Kidjo’s radio takeover here.