MIAC Live welcomes Grammy Award-winning artist Angélique Kidjo

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

On Thursday, April 13, the Mary D’Angelo Performance Arts Center was graced by the voice of five-time Grammy Award Winner Angélique Kidjo.

In addition to her five Grammy Award wins, Kidjo has been nominated 12 times. Kidjo is currently the most awarded African of all time.

During her Thursday night performance, Kidjo sang songs that she wrote not only to empower herself, but also to empower women all across the globe.

In addition to being a talented singer, Kidjo has dedicated her life to facilitating the lives of children and women worldwide.

In 2019 at the G7, France President Macron named Kidjo as the spokesperson for the Affirmative Fiance Axtuon for Women in Africa (AFAWA), an initiative created to close the financing gap for women entrepreneurs in Africa.

The vibe in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) was impeccable on Thursday. Students, employees, faculty and community members all together to enjoy a night of live music.

Throughout the night, Kidjo’s energetic song lyrics, rhythm, and mesmerizing dance moves brought out something in the crowd I had never seen before in the PAC or anywhere else in my life.

People were running to the stage in the front to dance, not caring if everyone else in the crowd was watching them.

Some of these brave individuals even went up to some of the shyer attendance members and encouraged them to join them at the front of the stage to dance with them. The energy was a rare sight to see.

The performance was interactive which is different than a lot of the performances that are normally in the PAC.

Not only is Kidjo an amazingly talented singer and performer, but she also has a great sense of humor. While she may not be a professional comedian, she did have the crowd laughing throughout the night.

Thursday was a beautiful day. At the beginning of her performance, she expressed how grateful she was that the snow was not up to her neck, which everyone in the crowd related to.

Audience members gifted Kidjo with flowers and bracelets, throwing the items onto the stage as I had never seen before. To this, Kidjo made a joke to her husband backstage about him not buying her flowers, which caused a lot of women in the crowd to chuckle.

Kidjo’s performance was amaz- ing, and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to see her perform live.

It is performances such as Kidjo’s that showcase how music and the live arts can bring people from all different walks of life together.

Brett Johnson, Ph.D., the Mercyhurst Institute for Art and Culture (MIAC), and all the sponsors make incredible perforamnces like this one possible.

The last MIAC performance of the year will be on Wednesday, May 3, when the Tony Awardwinner and theater, film and television star, Aaron Tveit, comes to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are currently sold out, but some may become available, so please keep an eye out.

On Thursday, May 4, the 20232024 MIAC Live lineup will be announced, so stay tuned!