You may already be familiar with the work of Grammy Award-winning artist Angelique Kidjo not only because of her global appeal, but also because she’s been featured in many movies and television shows, including Blood Diamond, Weeds, Street Fighter, Six Feet Under, and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. With influences that reach far beyond her West African homeland of Benin, this Afro-fusion artist creates music that crosses boundaries, genres, and ethnicities and finds connections that link diverse musical forms. Her albums are heavily influenced by Latin American, European, and American music, expressed through her ability to incorporate different languages into her lyrics.

Her first album, Pretty, came out in 1980, when she was only 20 years old. Since then, she’s been steadily recording new material, releasing her eleventh album, Oyo, on February 9th, 2010. You can check out her musical chops in the video below of a performance of “Zelie,” a track from her new album. During her career, Angelique has collaborated with big-name artists, such as Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, and Carlos Santana, to name a few.

Angelique’s musical accomplishments reflect only one aspect of her abilities; she’s also a devoted philanthropist. She’s been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002, and in 2008 she founded the Batonga Foundation, which works to improve and expand educational opportunities for African girls. Angelique’s love of singing comes through in her charity work; she often uses her music in campaigns for both her own foundation and a multitude of others, including Oxfam, Amnesty International, and the United Nations.

Angelique will be performing on Monday, so don’t miss your chance to see this talented and inspirational woman.

Download: Angelique Kidjo – Move On Up (with Bono and John Legend) from Oyo