Angelique Kidjo Sings in Honor of Fallen African Soldiers

On a wet and overcast day in Paris, beneath the Arc de Triomphe, you could hear Angelique Kidjo's haunting voice. Dressed in royal blue with gold circling her neck, she walked through a parted sea of world leaders. Blewu, she sang, her voice bold and unflinching. Blewu. Slowly.

November 11 is Armistice Day in France, a day to celebrate the end of the first World War. At this 100 year commemoration, Kidjo's song was a reminder of the African lives lost and often forgotten.

"Today Nov 11th 2018, I sung Bella Bellow's beautiful song "Blewu" to celebrate Peace and the memory of the fallen African soldiers of World War One in front of the leaders of this World under the Arc De Triomphe," she wrote on her Facebook page.

"Blewu" is a song in Ewe, a language spoken in Benin, Ghana, and Togo. Kidjo, originally from Benin, sang her own interpretation of the song composed by late Togolese singer Bella Bellow. Below are the original lyrics along with a translation.