Music through out the world whether performed to an adoring public or in a public arena, all genres and modes, is primarily the bastion of the male performer. There is nowhere that this is more apparent than in regions where cultural, religious or societal values inherent within the population dictate that this is the standard practice.
One of the regions where music is heavily influence by normative cultural and religious practices is the role of female artists in the Islamic world; that is females who are singers, dancers, musicians maybe prominent but are constrained by the demands of society in how they perform, practice their craft or even whether there is any scholarly information or articles about them that are readily accessible …show more content…
Originally from Benin in Western Africa, Angélique Kidjo had the benefit of being born into a family where there was already artistic influences. From a very young age, this exposure to music and performance was to crucial in the development of learning about everything musical that shaped her talent. At the age of six years old, she was thrust into the spotlight as a last-minute replacement for a young girl who was sick.
Not being able to see anything left the young performer shaking in here first attempt on the stage until she heard the audience laugh. This reminded her of her house where she was always playing the clown, instantly she felt good, but more importantly she felt at home and started to sing. This was the beginning of her career as a singer and one that she has not stopped singing since.
Kidjo (2014) vividly remembers Aretha Franklin as her earliest. Famous influence. One of Franklin’s records was brought into her house, the juxtaposition of a black woman in America wearing an African church and sitting in front of a church was a powerful effect on the young Kidjo. The photo suggested that that there were “pathways and possibilities” for the young female singer whereas all other soul music that Kidjo had seen albums for had shown male …show more content…
She has started an Education foundation in Benin, campaigned for AIDS, Education, Female Genital Mutilation, Thyroid Problems and Child Soldiers throughout the countries on the African continent. Kidjo uses her influence as a singer on the global stage to promote the social changes that she is passionate about and that are affecting children and adults on the African continent. She seamlessly weaves a lyrical spell that crosses the boundaries of age, gender, language, religions and nationality to unify the efforts for peace and
One of the regions where music is heavily influence by normative cultural and religious practices is the role of female artists in the Islamic world; that is females who are singers, dancers, musicians maybe prominent but are constrained by the demands of society in how they perform, practice their craft or even whether there is any scholarly information or articles about them that are readily accessible …show more content…
Originally from Benin in Western Africa, Angélique Kidjo had the benefit of being born into a family where there was already artistic influences. From a very young age, this exposure to music and performance was to crucial in the development of learning about everything musical that shaped her talent. At the age of six years old, she was thrust into the spotlight as a last-minute replacement for a young girl who was sick.
Not being able to see anything left the young performer shaking in here first attempt on the stage until she heard the audience laugh. This reminded her of her house where she was always playing the clown, instantly she felt good, but more importantly she felt at home and started to sing. This was the beginning of her career as a singer and one that she has not stopped singing since.
Kidjo (2014) vividly remembers Aretha Franklin as her earliest. Famous influence. One of Franklin’s records was brought into her house, the juxtaposition of a black woman in America wearing an African church and sitting in front of a church was a powerful effect on the young Kidjo. The photo suggested that that there were “pathways and possibilities” for the young female singer whereas all other soul music that Kidjo had seen albums for had shown male …show more content…
She has started an Education foundation in Benin, campaigned for AIDS, Education, Female Genital Mutilation, Thyroid Problems and Child Soldiers throughout the countries on the African continent. Kidjo uses her influence as a singer on the global stage to promote the social changes that she is passionate about and that are affecting children and adults on the African continent. She seamlessly weaves a lyrical spell that crosses the boundaries of age, gender, language, religions and nationality to unify the efforts for peace and