Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music

Opening with Kidjo’s childhood in Benin, a small country in West Africa, and concluding with a Carnegie Hall performance, this inspiring memoir is as much about the author’s love for family and homeland as it is about music. Growing up as one of 10 children, the aspiring musician was lovingly supported by her parents; her mother, who worked in theatre, put her on the stage to sing at age six; her father made sure his children were well educated, and her grandmother encouraged Kidjo to follow her heart, even when others disapproved. Though raised in a home that encouraged lively dialogue, Kidjo fled to France at the age of 23; Benin had fallen under communist rule and she could no longer freely practice her art. In Paris, she studied classical voice, built her reputation, met her future husband (Jean Hebrail, a bass player), and began to combine western and African music, establishing her own vibrant style. Eventually, she signed on with Island Records (and later with Columbia) and moved to New York. As her reputation grew and her music rose on the Billboard charts, the Grammy Award–winning Kidjo traveled the world as a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for women’s rights and other issues. Fans and general readers will be enamored of this beautifully told tale of courage and determination, revealing an expansive life that proves “music has no color, no language, no boundaries.” Includes 125 illustrations. (Jan.)