Last Thursday, the BBC announced that 22.6 million people have watched BBC content celebrating Bradford as the City of Culture across the last 10 months. And last weekend, the people of Bradford welcomed the BBC Proms to the city for the first time, as Angelique Kidjo came to perform her African Symphony at St George’s Hall. This was an exciting part of the BBC’s commitment as the City of Culture’s broadcast partner. I was fortunate enough to get to meet with Angelique ahead of the show, with Angelique logging in via video call from her European base in Paris.
Interviewing Angelique Kidjo
With a wealth of recordings and collaborations over the last 40 years, I wanted to know what Angelique would like the people of Bradford to take away from the upcoming concert. “I want people to have a good time,” she says, without hesitation. She also says she will likely be there on the night, giving hugs to everyone.
It reminds me of an interview I wrote up with the Libertines’ Gary Powell many years ago: when asked for a favourite performing memory, he immediately chose a show where the band gigged outside the venue, right in amongst the audience. At opposing ends of the musical spectrum – the Queen of African music and the famous rock drummer – their answers are the same: they want people to enjoy the music.
When I remark on the viewing figures, which include the fact that 40% of the regional population has engaged with Bradford-themed programming, Angelique’s eyes widen and she gasps, saying, “That’s a lot of people! No pressure!” From someone who has just played Millennium Park in Chicago, followed by Berkeley’s Greek Theatre in San Francisco, both alongside Yo Yo Ma, it seems bizarre that Bradford would make her nervous, but she’s right: 22.6 million is a lot of people!
Bantam of the Opera
I mention Bantam of the Opera and get a squeal of excitement. Bantam of the opera is a choir comprising survivors of the 1985 Bradford Stadium fire, which came together this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the disaster, uniting the community by singing together. They performed just last month for Yorkshire Day at Bradford Live.
Singing as part of a community is integral to the life Angelique describes growing up, where music was a part of every event. She jokes that if Heaven looks like a stage, God is in for trouble: she’ll be gathering singers around her and giving the performance of her (after)life! “Music gives people solace. It takes them away from their phones”, she tells me.
“Music and community are intertwined, and humans feel their power when they gather together in song: voices coming together to welcome a child, to celebrate through song, to mourn. We need each other to build our communities, to make sense of catastrophe. It is difficult to survive alone and music brings people together.”
Music expands the brain to others’ experiences
The BBC Proms are a long-standing example of bringing people together to enjoy music, to sing together, and to celebrate our culture. “The proms have existed for so long, and taking it to different cities is wonderful”, Angelique confirms. With such a whirlwind career, it’s no surprise that this is Angelique’s first visit to Bradford, and she tells me how much she’s looking forward to it.
“Music expands the brain to others’ experiences”, she says, describing how growing up in a family where parents expressed that through music, she experienced the cultures of other countries around the world. Listening to music she would ask herself questions about the music: not just what’s written into the lyrics, but what prompted them, what did they want us to know? What does the music mean? “Music speaks to my soul”, she says.
Angelique talks about the huge responsibility God has given her with her voice. She voices her concerns in her choices as well as her words. It’s no accident that her opening show with Yo Yo Ma took place in Chicago, where the current US president has threatened to send troops, despite Chicago authorities saying they are unnecessary and unwelcome. “You can’t erase reality”, she says, “the truth remains the truth”.
BBC Proms: African Symphony
“Culture serves as a glue for society, particularly for young kids. And art allows that connection.” When I ask her about the recent reductions in funding for the arts she doesn’t hesitate: “It’s a mistake to defund the arts. There is no country without culture.” This year’s investment in showcasing the arts in Bradford has not only involved the residents of Bradford, it’s also brought in people from the wider community to share their love of arts and to celebrate our culture. “Culture makes you less stupid”, Angelique says. “Music is not about skin or language.”
Joined by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and Leeds-born Corinne Bailey Rae, Sunday night’s African Symphony was a cultural fusion of storytelling that invited us to dance, an invitation the promenaders instantly accepted. The audience’s spirits were infectious, as they joined in enthusiastically when called on to sing, offering several standing ovations before finally allowing Angelique to leave the stage.
When Angelique talks from the stage about writing Mama Africa in 1999, she asks the audience the same questions she says she was asked back then:
“Are we going to be able to live together within our differences? Why can’t we live together and just be happy for ourselves and others? I want all of us to celebrate our shared humanity. That’s what we are, and nothing can change that.”
In amongst the cheers acknowledging her stance, many people answered, “Yes!”
