At the start of her European tour, long time football fan Angelique Kidjo, calls into FIFA's Headquarters to chat about her passion for football, the benefits to Africa for hosting the World Cup competition, parallels between music & football and her distress over the attack on the Togolese football team at Cabinda, Angola. She states, "My dearest wish is that we will one day see peace reign in Africa, brought about by sport and music, and by dialogue resulting from these universal passions". Read the whole interview on the FIFA website where you can also rad their interview with Youssou N'Dour.

Other news : In her capacity as UNICEF ambassador Angelique Kidjo has teamed up with Pampers, offering a free download to raise money towards the provision of tetanus injections for women of child bearing age in poorer parts of the world. Kidjo has also recently been calling for donations to help the
people of Haiti following the disastrous earthquake.

Kidjo has also finished work on her album OYO due to be released in Europe in February 2010 on the Razor and Tie label. A mixture of tradtional songs from Benin and the wider African continent as well as the sounds of soul and funk she grew up with in the Beninese port of Cotonou. More details from her website.