Grammy-winning icon Angélique Kidjo is turning to one of East Africa’s most beloved songs, ‘Malaika’, for a deeply personal moment on her upcoming album ‘Hope’.
In a heartfelt post shared with fans, Kidjo revealed that her new rendition of ‘Malaika’ is a tribute to her late mother.
“Finishing up my HOPE album!! dedicated to my mother who left us five years ago, I wanted to perform ‘Malaika’. This was her favourite song, the one she would always ask me to sing to her,” Kidjo wrote.
The singer collaborated with French artiste Florent Pagny on the new version, blending her signature global sound with the song’s timeless Swahili melody.
“I’m very happy to have created this new version with Florent Pagny, whose voice I deeply love. This is a song that is so close to my heart,” she shared, adding that the recording process felt almost spiritual.
“When we recorded it in the studio, time stood still and I felt my mother’s presence with us.”
Originally composed in the 1960s, Malaika is one of Africa’s most enduring love songs, widely associated with legends like Miriam Makeba, who helped introduce it to global audiences.
Kidjo’s version now adds a new layer, one rooted in memory, grief, and celebration.
The release comes as anticipation builds for Hope!!, an album already generating buzz for its cross-generational collaborations and global sound.
