Mother Nature finds 4-time GRAMMY-winner Angelique Kidjo joining forces with some of the most captivating young creators of West African music, Afrobeats, Afro-pop, hip hop and r&b, and represents a newly heightened awareness of her own musical legacy and remarkable influence she's had on younger generations.
Angélique Kidjo Cements Her Legacy As One Of The Most Singular And Extraordinary Voices In International Music With Mother Nature
For many years I was mostly just focused on creating music that makes me happy and that’s true to who I am, but over time I started to realize the impact that my songs have had on the younger generations. This album came from thinking about how we can build from that, and start pushing things forward together. The togetherness, the sisterhood, the humanity I felt from all these collaborations gave me so much strength. Somehow the fact that we weren’t in the same room brought even more urgency to the performance, and reminded us that—if we want to get back to some normalcy—we need everyone to sing and dance. This album is a love letter to Mother Earth and all the values we hold dear: truth, trust, love, connection. If there’s anything the pandemic has taught us, it’s that we are all a part of the same ecosystem—this planet is all we have. For our own survival, we need to recognize the humanity that we all share and learn how to live together. There’s just no other way.
THE ALBUM
“MOTHER NATURE”
TRACKLIST
CHOOSE LOVE
DIGNITY (with Yemi Alade)
AFRICA, ONE OF A KIND (with Mr Eazi & Salif Keita)
MOTHER NATURE
DO YOURSELF (with Burna Boy)
MEANT FOR ME (feat. Shungudzo)
OMON OBA (with Zeynab & Lionel Loueke)
FREE & EQUAL (with Sampa The Great)
FIRED UP (feat. Blue Lab Beats & Ghetto Boy)
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT (with EARTHGANG)
MYCELIUM (with -M-)
ONE AFRICA (Indépendance Cha-Cha)
FLYING HIGH
GUESTS INCLUDE
Yemi Alade, Mr. Eazi, Salif Keita, Burna Boy, Shungudzo, Zeynab, Lionel Loueke, Sampa The Great, Blue Lab Beats, Ghetto Boy, EARTHGANG, and -M-
LISTEN HERE
Mother Nature is Angélique’s first album of original music in 7 years, following 2019’s Grammy-winning Celia, and her 2018 radical reimagining of Talking Heads’ landmark LP Remain In Light. Mother Nature features Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi, Salif Keita, Burna Boy, Shungudzo, Zeynab, Lionel Loueke, Sampa The Great, Blue Lab Beats, Ghetto Boy, EARTHGANG, and -M-. Producers that worked on the album include Kel P (Burna Boy), James Poyser of The Roots, Vtek, Rexxie, Synematik, Blue Lab Beats, -M-, Brad Thomas Ackley, David Donatien and Dany Synthé. She began writing it in 2019 and it was created over the past year in quarantine.
“Through Mother Nature—which features collaborations with the next generation of African musicians—she continues to uphold her mission of bringing forth incredible people and giving them a chance. It’s meaningful for someone like Angélique to say to a younger artist, “I love you, and you’re amazing. Here’s an opportunity for everyone to hear you.” The grace she exudes toward her fellow creators, and to humankind, is a reflection of her vibrancy, kindness and generosity. Angélique is as real as they come.”
“Kidjo delivers not only an infectious, danceable transcontinental showcase for the African continent’s musical influence on global traditions, but emphatically proclaims it a primary engine in pop’s future”
“Irresistible beats carry serious messages”
“Sparkling”
“Angelique Kidjo is a towering figure of cross-cultural music”
“Kidjo serves up a feast of the most sublime sounds found in the Black diaspora”
“[Angelique Kidjo] is THE QUEEN, who has been on the forefront of bringing Africa and African music to the world, reconnecting our diaspora through music for several decade”
“Infused with a vigor that only she possesses — the kind that shares a significant message even as the listener is called to just dance or sing along”
““It’s a groovy, catchy, danceable, joyous album in the face of worldwide injustice and turmoil”
“Empowerment, unity and joy combine to catchy effect, with the exceptional Kidjo now leader of a new generation”
“The common thread from start to finish is her energy...she continues to be nothing short of magnificent as a performer, and her generosity in bringing newer artists with her into the spotlight is wholly gratifying”
“The music…is infectious…the rhythms are a combination of modern and traditional fused with state-of-the-art production values. Kidjo’s impassioned voice evokes memories of the great Miriam Makeba”
“The veteran Benin singer emerges as leader of a new generation of African musicians in this joyful blend of new and old sounds”
MOTHER NATURE ft. Sting
Mother Nature is an anthem for the earth, and arrives with a music video featuring an appearance and vocals from Sting, directed by environmentalist, photographer and director Yann Arthus-Bertrand. the video features fans from three continents, dancing together, to celebrate mother earth and to call for her protection.
