Theme music
success for BBC World Service series Everywoman
Angelique
Kidjo may not be the household name of her idol Aretha Franklin,
but eight albums into her career she enjoys considerable success
around the world. In a small way the BBC World Service may be able
to take some of the credit. For five years Kidjo’s record Agolo
has been the theme tune to the series Everywoman and listeners interest
in the music has never declined.
"Never
a week goes by without a multitude of e-mails and letters asking
what the music is and how to get hold of it," says producer
Kristina Glausius.
The
theme music was chosen by Harriet Green, the first producer of the
programme: "I had interviewed Angelique two years before and
remembered her very clearly. She seemed to personify what we were
trying to achieve with the programme: a woman of the world who takes
her destiny into her own hands. Her music concentrates on the experiences
of women and the energy bursts through. Overall the effect is empowering."
Kidjo
says of the track: "It's a song I play all the time, it's a
song I love. I wrote it when I was pregnant, and I started thinking
about all the garbage we consume... and I realised the way we consume
affects this planet. I wrote the song Agolo which means "please".
The song is about the need to give more love to the mother earth
in order for her to carry us a long way, us and the next generations.
Please let us be careful."
Hear
the woman herself describe what she is about on this week's Everywoman,
BBC World Service at 20.30 GMT on Monday 11 March, 15.30 GMT on
12 March and 10.30 on 13 March.
Notes
to Editors
Kidjo
was born in Benin and has been performing since she was six years
old. By the time she was 20 she was one of that country's few professional
female vocalists. She relocated to Paris where she was discovered
by Chris Blackwell and signed to Mango records. Her latest album,
Black Ivory Soul, is released on 9 April by Sony.
In
the UK, World Service is available on 648 MW in Southern England.
In addition, overnight on BBC Radio 4, via digital radio, digital
satellite (Astra satellite, channel 865) and the internet at www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice.
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