“As Remain in Light was influenced by the music of my continent, I want to pay back the homage and create my own African take on Talking Heads’ songs. We all know that rock music came from the blues and thus from Africa. Now is the time to bring rock back to Africa, connect our minds, and bring all our sounds to a new level of sharing and understanding.”

Global pop star Angélique Kidjo has partnered with super producer Jeff Bhasker (Rihanna, Kanye West, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Drake, Jay-Z) and an international band to create Remain in Light. This new project finds the Benin-born artist reclaiming rock for Africa and bringing the Talking Heads’ landmark 1980 album full circle, nearly 40 years after it was released. The original was deeply influenced by music from West Africa, notably Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat; Kidjo’s reimagination celebrates the genius of Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and the touchstones that made the original so revered. She injects it with her euphoric singing, explosive percussion, horn orchestrations, and select lyrics performed in languages from her home country.