Fifa (Angélique Kidjo album)

1996 studio album by Angélique Kidjo

Fifa

Studio album by

Angélique Kidjo

Released| March 19, 1996
Length| 43:44
Label| Mango[1]
Producer| Jean Hebrail
Angélique Kidjo chronology
| Ayé
(1994)  | Fifa
(1996)  | Oremi
(1998)

|
|

Singles from  Album

1. "Wombo Lombo"
Released: 1996
2. "Shango"
Released: 1996

Fifa is an album by the Beninese musician Angélique Kidjo, released in 1996.[2][3] It was the first album on which Kidjo sang in English in addition to Fon and French.[4][5][6] Fifa was considered to be an attempt at a crossover album.[7][8] The first single was "Wombo Lombo".[9]

The album peaked at No. 10 on Billboard's World Albums chart.[10] Kidjo supported the album with a world tour.[11][12]

## Production

[edit]

The album was produced by Kidjo's husband, Jean Hebrail; much of it was recorded in the couple's Paris home studio.[13][14] Hundreds of musicians played on the album, including Carlos Santana and villagers and farmers encountered by Kidjo while she traveled throughout Benin.[15]

Kidjo wrote the songs by focusing on the rhythm first.[16] "Naïma" is named for Kidjo's daughter.[17] "Bitchifi" was influenced by reggae music.[18] Other songs use elements of zouk and township jive.[19]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [20]
Robert Christgau| [21]
Daily Breeze| [19]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [22]
Knoxville News Sentinel| [5]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide| [23]
Philadelphia Daily News| [6]
The Tampa Tribune| [8]

The Province wrote that "bluesy electric guitar is played to contrast lighter African styles while the drums incorporate both traditional and popular western rhythms."[24] The Toronto Star determined that "the songs seamlessly fuse traditional African rhythms with contemporary gospel singing, Afro-pop melodies and a dash of rap."[25] The Baltimore Sun called Fifa "true fusion, music that may owe a debt to other styles but which functions on its own terms."[26]

The Record stated: "Instead of mixing Western and African influences together in a blend that is neither one nor the other, Kidjo uses the influences as distinct building blocks to create a sonic structure that is remarkably coherent."[27] The Gazette deemed the album "sassy, polished, global pop."[28] The New York Times concluded that, "with funk, hip-hop, gospel and pop rubbing up against African rhythms, chants and melodies, it is her slickest crossover album yet."[29]

AllMusic noted that "Kidjo's instincts for pairing African rhythms and Western structures are inspired."[20] The Waterloo Region Record listed the album as the sixth best of 1996.[30] Nashville Scene considered it among the 20 best albums of the year.[31]

## Track listing

[edit]

Fifa track listingNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "The Sound of the Drums"| 4:58
2.| "Wombo Lombo"| 4:15
3.| "Welcome"| 4:26
4.| "Shango"| 4:53
5.| "Bitchifi"| 4:27
6.| "Fifa"| 3:57
7.| "Goddess of the Sea"| 4:11
8.| "Akwaba"| 4:24
9.| "Koro-Koro"| 3:41
10.| "Naïma"| 4:32
Total length:| 43:44

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for Fifa Chart (1996)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA)[32] | 86
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[33] | 36
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] | 12
US World Albums (Billboard)[35] | 10

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Norment, Lynn (Apr 1996). "Sounding Off". Ebony. 51 (6): 23.
2. ^ "Angélique Kidjo Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
3. ^ "Angélique Kidjo Has Heard It All". The New Yorker. February 16, 2022.
4. ^ Thompson, Clifford (October 7, 2020). Contemporary World Musicians. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-93961-8 – via Google Books.
5. ^ a b Campbell, Chuck (5 Apr 1996). "'Fifa', Angelique Kidjo". Knoxville News Sentinel. p. T10.
6. ^ a b Takiff, Jonathan (17 Sep 1996). "Fifa Angelique Kidjo". Features Yo!. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 29.
7. ^ Darling, Cary (March 29, 1996). "World beat hits mainstream". Orange County Register. p. F55.
8. ^ a b Thompson, Phil (April 5, 1996). "FIFA, Angelique Kidjo". Friday Extra!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 21.
9. ^ Kening, Dan (March 29, 1996). "Angelique Kidjo". Time Out. Daily Herald. Arlington Heights. p. 4.
10. ^ "Angélique Kidjo". Billboard.
11. ^ Blake, Elissa (16 Sep 1996). "Intricacies lost on the live stage". Arts. The Age. p. 7.
12. ^ Reger, Rick (29 Mar 1996). "Angelique Kidjo, Friday at the Wild Hare". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. T.
13. ^ White, Timothy (Feb 24, 1996). "Angelique Kidjo fetes freedom in 'fifa'". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 8\. p. 3.
14. ^ Mordue, Mark (13 Sep 1996). "Angelic upstart". Metro. The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 11.
15. ^ Martin, Andrew R.; Ph.D, Matthew Mihalka (September 8, 2020). Music around the World: A Global Encyclopedia [3 volumes]: A Global Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-61069-499-5 – via Google Books.
16. ^ Nelson, Rick (March 29, 1996). "Music: Kidjo Is Bringing Beats From Benin". The News Tribune. Tacoma. p. SL2.
17. ^ Taylor, Timothy Dean; Taylor, John D. (June 18, 1997). Global Pop: World Music, World Markets. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-415-91872-5 – via Google Books.
18. ^ Knopper, Steve (March 29, 1996). "Talented West African Dance Songstress Overcomes Bland Production". Post-Tribune. p. D8.
19. ^ a b Carroll, Tomm (April 5, 1996). "World Beat". Daily Breeze. p. K23.
20. ^ a b "Angélique Kidjo Fifa Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
21. ^ "Angelique Kidjo". Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
22. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. IV. MUZE. p. 2987.
23. ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 386.
24. ^ Harrison, Tom (2 Apr 1996). "Rhythm talks to the world". The Province. p. B5.
25. ^ Band, Ira (1 Aug 1996). "Kidjo's seducing voodoo beat". Toronto Star. p. G10.
26. ^ Considine, J.D. (28 Mar 1996). "CD Reviews". Features. The Baltimore Sun. p. 12.
27. ^ Marsh, Steven P. (22 Mar 1996). "African Rhyme, Western Rhythm". Lifestyle/Previews. The Record. Woodland Park. p. 9.
28. ^ Feist, Daniel (22 Mar 1996). "Benin's Kidjo follows up hit Agolo with release of sassy global pop". The Gazette. p. C5.
29. ^ Strauss, Neil (21 Mar 1996). "Tradition and Daring". The New York Times. p. C14.
30. ^ Krewen, Nick (29 Dec 1996). "Top 10 Albums 1996". Calgary Herald. Southam Newspapers. p. C8.
31. ^ McCall, Michael (December 26, 1996). "Image-Conscious – The year comes to a close in Nashville". Nashville Scene. Nashville Cream.
32. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 154.
33. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Angélique Kidjo – Fifa". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
34. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Angélique Kidjo – Fifa". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
35. ^ "Angelique Kidjo Chart History (World Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 August 2022.

*[No.]: Number