Every October, the Recording Academy’s submission window sparks a frenzy among artists worldwide, including those from Nigeria. With nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards set to be announced on November 7, anticipation is high across the Afrobeats scene.
Since the Academy introduced the ‘Best African Music Performance’ category in 2023, more Nigerian artists have found themselves in Grammy conversations.
For many, submitting to the Grammys isn’t just a bid for validation; it’s a marker of evolution. It signals ambition, confidence, and a belief that speaks beyond Billboard charts, Afrobeats playlists and TikTok trends.
Below, I highlight the Nigerian artists I believe are most likely to be nominated for the 2026 Grammy Awards, based on past Grammy data and the strength of their submissions.
Ayra Starr
She submitted:
“Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid for ‘Best African Music Performance’
“Gimme” Dat” featuring Wizkid for ‘Best Music Video’
“Hot Body” for ‘Record of the Year’
“Hot Body” for ‘Song of the Year’
Likely to be nominated:
“Gimme” Dat” featuring Wizkid for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Why?
Ayra Starr is already a Grammy nominee for “Rush,” and Wizkid’s five nominations and one win make him a proven Academy favourite. Their chemistry on “Gimme Dat” is undeniable, and the category tends to reward high-profile collaborations with global reach. This is one of the most secure Nigerian bets of the year.
Asake
He submitted:
“WHY LOVE” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Likely to be nominated:
“WHY LOVE” for Best ‘African Music Performance’
Why?
Following back-to-back ‘Best African Music Performance’ nominations for “Amapiano” in 2024 and “MMS” in 2025, it’s safe to say that the Grammys love them some Asake. I expect that recognition to continue with the solid “WHY LOVE.”
“4 Kampe II” with Joé Dwèt Filé for ‘Best Global Music Performance’
Likely to be nominated:
No Sign Of Weakness for ‘Best Global Album’
“Love” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
“Wgft” with Gunna for ‘Best Melodic Rap Performance’
Why?
Burna’s a Grammy darling with 11 nominations and one win. He’s been nominated every year he’s submitted, and is one of the rare Nigerian acts to be nominated outside of the ‘African’ or ‘Global’ categories, earning a nod for ‘Best Melodic Rap Performance’ for “Sittin’ On Top of the World” with 21 Savage. Expect him to be the most nominated Nigerian this year.
Davido
He submitted:
5IVE for ‘Best Global Album’
5IVE for ‘Best Artwork’
5IVE for ‘Best Album of the Year’
“With You” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
“With You” for ‘Song of the Year’
“With You” for ‘Record of the Year’
“With You” for ‘Best Music Video’
Likely to be nominated:
5IVE for Best ‘Global Album’
“With you” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Why?
Davido’s 5IVE is one of his most acclaimed albums yet, and the viral success of “With You” — boosted heavily by Omah Lay — makes it difficult for voters to ignore. As one of the inaugural nominees of the ‘Best African Music Performance’ category, Davido already has name recognition with Grammy voters. Expect multiple nominations here.
“Billionaires Club” featuring Wizkid and Darkoo for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Likely to be nominated:
“Billionaires Club” featuring Wizkid and Darkoo for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Why?
After earning his first Grammy nomination with Asake for “Amapiano,” Olamide returns with another heavy collaboration. Wizkid’s presence already boosts a submission, and “Billionaires Club” is already beloved for its sleek production and cross-market appeal. It fits perfectly into the Academy’s taste profile for this category.
Omah Lay
He submitted:
“With You” with Davido for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Likely to be nominated:
“With You” with Davido for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Why?
Omah Lay is the heart of “With You,” one of 2025’s biggest Afrobeats records. His melodic control and emotional delivery elevate the track, and the Grammys often reward breakout performances within collaborations. If this song lands — and it should — Omah Lay will deservedly join the growing list of Grammy-nominated Nigerians.
Rema
He submitted:
“Baby (Is It A Crime)” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Likely to be nominated:
“Baby (Is It A Crime)” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Why?
After getting his first Grammy nomination for HEIS in 2025, Rema tenders “Baby (Is It A Crime)”, as his Grammy 2026 submission. The song samples four-time Grammy winner Sade Adu’s “Is It A Crime” and remains one of the best and most versatile releases in Afrobeats this year. It would be a shocker if this didn’t make the cut.
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Wizkid
He submitted:
Morayo for ‘Album of the Year’
Morayo for ‘Best Global Album’
“Piece of My Heart” featuring Brent Faiyaz for ‘Record of the Year’
“Piece of My Heart” featuring Brent Faiyaz for ‘Song of the Year’
“Piece of My Heart” featuring Brent Faiyaz for ‘Best African Music Performance’
“Kese (Dance)” for ‘Best Music Video’
Likely to be nominated:
Morayo for ‘Best Global Album’
Ayra Starr’s “Gimme Dat” for ‘Best African Music Performance’
Why?
With five nominations and one win, Wizkid is another certified Grammy darling. I expect him to show up in ‘Best Global Album’ for the celebrated Morayo, but I think his strongest chance for a nomination in the ‘Best African Music Performance’ category will be for his work on Ayra’s Starr’s “Gimme Dat,” instead of his own single, “Piece of My Heart.”
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The 2025 Grammys is happening on Sunday, and all eyes are on Nigerian artists making global moves. The contenders for the Best African Music Performance this year are Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Asake & Wizkid, Tems, and Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay.
In celebration of Nigerian music’s growing global recognition, we’re highlighting the best Nigerian albums that have earned a Grammy nomination. From the older musicians to the new generation of Nigerian artists making waves worldwide, this article presents the top 10 Nigerian albums that have been recognized by the Recording Academy.
These albums not only put Nigeria on the Grammy map but also showcase the country’s rich musical heritage and increasingly prominent place in the global music industry.
See below our top 10 Nigerian albums that have been nominated for a Grammy ranked:
10. Born in the Wild — Tems
By the time Tems dropped her debut album, Born In the Wild, in 2024, she was already a global star. The album, a deeply personal R&B project infused with Afrobeats influences, showcases her range—from the soulful “Burning” (which earned her a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song) to the nostalgic “Love Me Jeje” (nominated for Best African Music Performance). While Born in the Wild feels like a project Tems made for herself, it still resonates with millions worldwide. It peaked at number three on Nigeria’s TurnTable Albums chart, number five on the Top R&B Albums chart, on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting album by a Nigerian female artist.
Tems has remained a dominant presence in the global music scene, especially in the U.S. She’s consistently been part of Grammy-nominated records, from her feature and sample on Future and Drake’s “WAIT 4 U” to contributions on Beyoncé’s “MOVE” and Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up.” With her Grammy nod for Born in the Wild, she further cements her ability to blend genres effortlessly while evolving in the global market. Well-deserved.
9. Odù — King Sunny Ade
King Sunny Adé’s 1999 album Odù breathes new life into ancient Yoruba songs, refining traditional melodies into a fresh, captivating experience. The album’s title itself is a nod to Odù Ifá, the sacred Yorùbá divination system, reflecting KSA’s deep reverence for African culture and heritage.
When it comes to music made for pure enjoyment—fondly called Ariya music by Juju lovers—King Sunny Adé is in a league of his own. Odù boasts pristine production that elevates its traditional roots while seamlessly fitting into the musical landscape of its time. But its impact wasn’t just limited to dance floors. The album earned King Sunny Adé his second Grammy nomination in the Best World Music Album category, further solidifying his legacy as a pioneer of Nigerian music on the global stage.
8. Timeless — Davido
As one of the leaders of African music and the Afrobeats movement, Davido has always had a knack for making global hits. But with Timeless—his fourth studio album and first Grammy-nominated project—he took things to another level. Released in March 2024 after a long break from social media, the album marked a triumphant return for the ever-outside Davido. It came with an unmissable rollout, blending introspection with his signature hit-making formula, familiar yet refreshing production, and lyrics that resonated deeply with fans.
On Timeless, Davido delivers some of his most confident and refined work yet, balancing reinvention with the infectious energy his audience loves. The impact was immediate—Timeless became the most streamed African album in a single day on Apple Music and had the biggest album debut week of 2024, racking up over 50 million on-demand streams in its first week. And he didn’t stop there. Throughout the year, Davido kept the momentum going with international radio tours, a North American tour, viral visuals, and major brand collaborations, making sure Timeless remained in the conversation.
In 2024, Timeless earned a nomination for Best Global Music Album at the Grammys, while his smash hit “UNAVAILABLE” received a nod for Best Global Music Performance and “Feel” for Best Global Music Performance. A well-deserved recognition for an artist who has spent over a decade shaping the sound of modern Afrobeats.
7. Made In Lagos — Wizkid
Wizkid’s fourth studio album, Made In Lagos, is almost as famous for its multiple postponements as it is for its undeniable greatness. When it finally dropped in October 2020, the reception was nothing short of legendary. Critics praised it, fans treated it like a national treasure, and Wizkid himself fully embraced a new era—one defined by effortless cool, silky vocals, and a laid-back, singlet-wearing, sometimes-shirtless energy.
A love letter to his city, Made In Lagos indulges in all the things that make Lagos iconic—hedonism, hustle, women, and weather. Sonically, it’s Wizkid at his smoothest: a slow-burning, sensual, and irresistibly relaxing album packed with confidence and style. The guest list alone is proof of its global ambition, featuring Burna Boy, Tems, Damian Marley, H.E.R., Skepta, and Justin Bieber.
Anchored by hits like “Smile” and the 4× RIAA platinum-certified “Essence,” Made In Lagos became a record-breaking force. It spent over 130 weeks on the Billboard World Albums chart, making it the longest-charting African album in history. It also became the first African album to be certified Gold in the U.S.
Most critics and listeners would agree that the release of HEIS has brought or perhaps started a sonic reset in Afrobeats. With its hyper-fast production, Afrobeats-EDM-Mara-House fusion, and a Gothic aesthetic drenched in local Edo references and innuendos, Rema crafted something uniquely chaotic yet masterfully executed. Since its 2024 release, it’s been impossible to attend a lit rave without hearing at least one track from the album.
From the stompyard anthems “OZEBA,” “HEHEHE,” and “MARCH AM” to the stadium-sized energy of its sound, HEIS has turned Rema into a movement. He’s packed out arenas in Abuja and Lagos, leading a new wave of Afrobeats that feels both futuristic and deeply rooted in his heritage.
At the 67th Grammy Awards, HEIS earned a nomination for Best Global Music Album, marking Rema’s first career Grammy nod—just five years into his mainstream journey. The boy dey march am, indeed.
5. Love Drum Talk — Babatunde Olatunji
It’s not every day you hear a 70-year-old sing with the effortless vibrance of Babatunde Olatunji. While Love Drum Talk is backed by vocalists, guitarists, and percussionists, Olatunji remains the undeniable star of the show. His sharp voice and witty Yorùbá storytelling weave through themes of love, commitment, family, and heritage—like on “Spell Mónisola,” where he sings about his granddaughter returning to Nigeria to study in her grandmother’s school in Ibadan.
Released as his thirteenth album, Love Drum Talk became his first solo project to earn a Grammy nomination, a remarkable feat for an artist who had spent decades championing African rhythms on the global stage. The album is a sonic time capsule—a love letter wrapped in the deep resonance of West African drums, blended with Afrobeat, Highlife, and Jazz. More than just music, it feels like a gift to himself on his 70th birthday, a culmination of a lifelong dedication to African percussion.
Olatunji’s journey started in Ajido, Badagry, Lagos, where he honed his drumming skills before moving to the U.S. in 1950. Over the decades, he became a pioneer of African drumming, influencing generations of musicians and reshaping how African music was perceived globally. Love Drum Talk was his final commercial album, but his legacy—both as a musician and cultural ambassador—lives on.
4. Legacy + — Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
There’s something deeply powerful about two generations—father and son—coming together to create music that transcends time. Legacy + isn’t just an album; it’s a rite of passage, a bridge between past, present, and future, woven together by the unmistakable rhythms of Afrobeat.
Clocking in at just under an hour and a half, the album is more than a collaboration between Femi and Made Kuti—it’s a living testament to a bloodline of musical revolutionaries. It carries the legacy of Josiah Jesse Ransome-Kuti, Made’s great-great-grandfather and Nigeria’s first recorded musician. It upholds the spirit of Fela Kuti, the pioneer of Afrobeat and a global icon. It cements Femi Kuti’s decades-long contribution to the genre. And it marks Made Kuti’s own emergence as the next torchbearer.
With Legacy +, the Kuti family doesn’t just honour its past—it extends its influence into the future. A Grammy-nominated masterpiece, this album is more than music; it’s history in motion.
3. Synchro System — King Sunny Ade
Not taking a breather after the release of his successful 1982 Juju Music (his first out of three albums for Island Records), King Sunny Ade wasted no time in crafting Synchro System, released in 1983 as the second of his three albums under Island Records. It’s the type of feel-good music that makes lovers of life forget their worries and dance without a care—while Adé himself, with a white handkerchief in hand, serenades with his soulful melodies.
Performing tracks from Synchro System at the 1983 Montreux Jazz Festival, King Sunny Adé captivated the audience, cementing his status as the reigning champion of African music in that era. The album’s success soon led to a Grammy nomination for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording, marking a pivotal moment as he broke into the global mainstream with his authentic African sound.
While Juju Music leaned heavily on steel guitar and traditional instrumentation, Synchro System introduced riff guitars and embraced more Western production influences. Yet, its core remained unapologetically African—a celebration of life, rhythm, and culture. This is African party music at its finest, a timeless groove that continues to resonate decades later.
2. Black Times — Seun Kuti
From the bold opening of “Last Revolutionary” to the closing notes of “Theory of Yam and Goat,” Black Times is a sonic rebellion—a fiery blend of drums, brass, sax, and snares, all blasting out in the funkiest groove. Backed by the legendary Egypt 80 band (inherited from his father, Fela Kuti), Seun Kuti delivers an album that’s as irresistibly danceable as it is politically charged.
Black Times is more than music—it’s a call to action. It invokes the spirit of Black consciousness, drawing inspiration from revolutionaries like Marcus Garvey, Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, and Shaka Zulu. Every track speaks the language of the people—unfiltered, urgent, and defiant. This is the sound of black liberation, a rallying cry wrapped in hypnotic rhythms, demanding both introspection and movement.
From start to finish, Black Times is riveting, offering not just a message but an experience—one where freedom, resistance, and joy collide.
1. African Giant — Burna Boy
When Burna Boy declared, “I am an AFRICAN GIANT and will not be reduced to whatever that tiny writing means” on Instagram in 2018, he wasn’t just fighting for a bigger font on the Coachella billing—he was staking his claim on the global stage. That declaration was his way of saying, “Stop sidestepping Africa and me!” The world was forced to listen, and Burna Boy backed it up with African Giant, an album that made sure to document the rise of his hype.
African Giant weaves through a range of musical styles, bringing together African pop with global influences to showcase contemporary African music through the lens of modern times. Burna Boy delivers a mix of self-praise, optimistic anthems, love musings, and gritty hustler tracks. He fires up listeners with high-energy gyrations, while also offering street-smart wisdom and a sharp critique of societal ills. The predator mentality—a mark of Burna Boy’s resilience—permeates every track, driving him forward like a force of nature.
He doesn’t stop there. Burna Boy dons his pan-Africanist mantle, unapologetically throwing middle fingers at governments and colonial powers, making bold political statements on songs like “Anybody” and “Collateral Damage.” While some may argue his political stance is more spectacle than true activism, there’s no denying his musical genius. African Giant is an album that not only celebrates African pride, but also introduces the world to a revolutionary sound.
Though it didn’t win the 2019 Grammy, African Giant marked Burna Boy’s undeniable arrival on the global scene—and by extension, Afrobeats’ triumphant transcendence across the globe.
In modern music, the Grammy Award is regarded as one of the highest honors an artist can achieve. Over its 65-year history, the American award show has established itself as one of the most prestigious recognitions for musicians.
With the global recognition of Afrobeats, Nigerian artists such as Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy have received multiple Grammy nominations. In 2023, the Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, introduced a new category — Best African Music Performance — leading to even more Nigerian artists earning nominations.
As the 2025 Grammy Awards comes to an end, here’s a complete list of all Nigerians and individuals of Nigerian descent who have won or have ever been nominated for a Grammy.
Grammy Fact: An artist only earns a nomination for their contribution to an album when that album is nominated for ‘Album of the Year.’
Best Melodic Rap Performance (2023) — “Wait For You” with Future
Best African Music Performance (2025) — “Love Me Jeje”
Grammy Fact: The Billboard-topping hit sampled a song of the same title by Tems, born Temilade Openiyi. It was also nominated in the ‘Best Rap Song’ category.
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (2007) — “Ridin’”
Grammy fact: Chamillionaire, born Hakeem Temidayo Seriki, almost didn’t add the Grammy-winning “Ridin” to the album, The Sound of Revenge. It was added last minute.
Grammy Fact: This is Cynthia [Chinasaokwu] Erivo’s first Grammy nomination and win. Her performance in The Color Purple also earned her a Tony and an Emmy.
Grammy Fact: Of the 6 featured Nigerian artists, Wizkid, born Ayodeji Balogun, was the only one who won a Grammy for his work on Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift album.
Best African Music Performance (2025) — “Sensational” with Chris Brown
Grammy Fact: Davido, born David Adeleke, had his first recognition at the Grammys came with three nominations in 2024. He didn’t win, but he’s a 2025 nominee, thanks to Breezy’s “Sensational”.
Grammy Fact: The Juju music maestro is the first Nigerian to bag a Grammy nomination. Although KSA, born Adeniyi Adegeye, won none, he created a path for more Nigerian artists to come. Also the Best Ethnic Or Traditional Folk Recording category he was nominated for in 1984 has been split into what’s known as Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Contemporary Folk Album.
Grammy Fact: In 1998, at age 70, Babatunde Olatunji bagged first nomination at the Grammys with his thirteenth album titled “Love Drum Talk”. He died in 2003.
Grammy Fact: This is his first Grammy nomination. Rema, born Divine Ikubor, was predicted to earn his first nomination a year earlier for his record-breaking hit, “Calm Down”.
Grammy Fact: Jordan Adetunji, aside from Rema, is the youngest Nigerian nominated for Grammy in 2025.
The 66th Grammy Awards was on Sunday, February 4, 2024, and all the nominated Nigerian artists lost out on receiving awards. However, Burna Boy’s iconic performance at the ceremony offered some solace, and Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa’s attendance also caused a stir.
Why is Honourable HannatuMusawa trending?
Nigerians have had mixed reactions since photos of the minister at the award ceremony surfaced on social media on Monday, February 5. Some criticised the Tinubu government for wasting the country’s resources on an expensive ceremonial trip to Los Angeles.
Others brought up the minister’s previous NYSC ordeal.
What NYSC ordeal, you ask?
In 2020, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari nominated Musawa as the national commissioner representing the North-West geopolitical zone on the board of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM). Before her senate hearing for this post, Musawa wrote the NYSC seeking a replacement certificate after her copy was destroyed in a fire incident.
However, the NYSC wrote back saying the minister never collected her certificate. They refused to issue a new one, and instead, accused her of not completing the mandatory one-year service. This led to the Senate’s rejection of Musawa’s nomination.
Fast forward to August 2022, investigations revealed that Musawa approached the then Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, seeking his intervention to get the NYSC to release her withheld certificate. When this attempt also failed, she wrote to the NYSC requesting to re-enroll for the outstanding months of her service year.
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Is Hannatu Musawa a serving corps member?
In August 2023, the Press and Public Relations Director of the NYSC, Eddy Megwa, confirmed that the minister was undergoing her mandatory youth service. He noted that Minister Musawa was in breach of the NYSC act that frowns upon active corps members taking on government appointments, confirming to the press that the minister had served for the past eight months. By this calculation, Minister Musawa had probably completed her NYSC service as of the 2024 Grammy Award ceremony, but there’s been no official communication to that effect.
Why was Honourable Musawa at the Grammys?
The minister attended the ceremony to support the country’s creative sector and celebrate the contributions of the nominated artistes. Through a statement by her SA on Media and Publicity, she said:
“I wish to applaud you all for making it this far in your music and entertainment careers. Nigerians celebrate you all for your contributions to the growth of the music industry in Nigeria and globally.”
The Grammy Awards 2024 was on Sunday, February 4, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Despite the anticipation of Nigerians, Davido, Burna Boy, Ayra Star, Asake and Olamide all lost out on awards across different categories. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Tyla won the newly introduced and highly coveted Best African Music Performance category at the award ceremony.
Here’s a list of other big winners at the Grammy Awards 2024.
Best African Music Performance
Amapiano – Asake and Olamide
City Boys – Burna Boy
Water – Tyla WINNER
Unavailable – Davido Featuring Musa Keys
Rush – Ayra Starr
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Sittin’ On Top Of The World – Burna Boy Featuring 21 Savage
In 1983, legendary musician, King Sunny Ade, made history as the first Nigerian artist to receive a Grammy Award nomination. Fast forward to 2008, recording artist, Sikiru Adepoju, topped KSA’s record by clinching the coveted award.
Not much happened for a while, but in the last eight years, some of Nigeria’s finest talents have managed over 20 nominations across categories. Here’s a breakdown of wins and nominations since 2017.
2017 Grammy Awards
The 2017 Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Two Nigerians were nominated in two different categories.
Best Dance Recording
Kah-lo snagged a nomination for her efforts as a featured artist on Riton’s Rinse & Repeat.
Best Album
Wizkid was nominated as a featured artist on Drake’s album, Views.
Best Musical Theater Album
The British actress and singer, Cynthia Erivo, won the Grammy Award category alongside cast members who worked on the soundtrack album for The Color Purple movie.
2018 Grammy Awards
The 2018 Grammy Awards ceremony was on January 28 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Two Nigerians were nominated in two categories for their efforts as featured artists.
Best R&B Award
American artist, Tunji Ige, was nominated as a producer on Location, a record by Khalid.
Best Reggae Album
Timaya was nominated for his feature on Morgan Heritage’s Avrekedabra album.
2019 Grammy Awards
The 61st Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Only one Nigerian artist made it to the nomination list.
Best World Music Album
Seun Kuti and his band, Egypt 80, were nominated for their album, Black Times.
2020 Grammy Awards
The 62nd Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Burna Boy was the only Nigerian artist who made the nomination list that year, marking the beginning of his impressive run with the Recording Academy.
Best Global Music Album
Burna Boy was nominated as a standalone act for his album, African Giant. However, he lost the award to Angelique Kidjo.
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2021 Grammy Awards
The 63rd Grammy Awards went down on March 14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles. There was no live audience due to social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Two Nigerian artists were nominated across two categories.
World Music Album
Burna Boy’s Twice As Tall bagged a nomination, making him the first Nigerian artist to be nominated twice in a row. The nomination also marked his first Grammy win.
Best Music Video
Wizkid was nominated in the category for his efforts on Beyonce’s song, Brown Skin Girl. The nomination marked Wizkid’s first Grammy win by association.
2022 Grammy Awards
The 64th Grammy Awards ceremony was on April 3, 2022, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It was an exciting year for Nigerians as four artists were nominated across categories, with Wizkid and Femi Kuti bagging two nominations each. Neither of them won.
Best Global Music Performance
Wizkid ft. Tems — Essence
Femi Kuti — Pà Pá Pà
Best Global Music Album
Wizkid — Made in Lagos
Femi & Made Kuti — Legacy +
2023 Grammy Awards
The Grammys returned for its 65th edition on February 5 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Two Nigerian artists bagged nominations. Tems won her first Grammy by association for her work on Wait For U.
Best Global Music Performance
Burna Boy — Last Last
Best Global Music Album
Burna Boy — Love, Damini
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Future ft. Drake and Tems — Wait For U
Best Rap Song
Future ft. Drake and Tems — Wait For U
2024 Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards 2024 edition will be held on Sunday, February 4, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This time around, a newly announced Best African Music category by the Recording Academy gave room for more Nigerian artists to be nominated.
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Burna Boy — Sittin’ On Top Of The World
Best Global Music Album
Davido — Timeless
Burna Boy — I Told Them
Best Global Music Performance
Burna Boy — Alone
Davido — Feel
Best African Music Performance
Burna Boy — City Boys
Davido — Unavailable
Asake, Olamide — Amapiano
Ayra Starr — Rush
Fireboy DML and CKay earned a nomination each in the Album of the Year category for their efforts on Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio and Janelle Monáe’s The Age of Pleasure respectively.
Tems’ bagged a nomination in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category for her contribution to Rihanna’s Lift Me Up.
For the love of the real stars, the producers, we created #Beatsmith — a series that focuses on the connections and inspirations that led to the creation of that hit song or album.
Burna Boy’s exceptional African Giant is easily the best Nigerian album of 2019, as well as one of the best of the past decade, so it comes as no surprise that it recently nabbed a well-deserved Grammy nomination for ‘Best World Music Album’.
While Burna Boy’s talents cannot be praised enough, it’s also worth noting that this album wouldn’t be what it is without the brilliant Kel P, who produced over half the tracks. So, we decided to reach out to 2019’s defining beatsmith to ask how the game-changing album came to be.
On meeting Burna Boy:
So, around August last year, Ceeza Milli recorded Burna Boy on one of my beats. Burna Boy asked who made it, and Ceeza told him about me. The next day, I got a call from both of them to link up and that was how I met him.
I never knew I was coming to make an album. I just knew I was there to record songs. We didn’t really have any serious conversation or even a moment to get to know each other beforehand. We were just working and the vibe was smooth.
On main inspiration:
My main inspiration was Burna Boy himself. His previous songs, the ones he released before I met him, influenced my work on the new songs. I was also influenced by his unique vocal texture and writing.
On the difficulty level:
It was very tasking. I was basically indoors for an entire month, grinding to make sure every song sounded different. Burna is a fast writer — he can record four complete hit songs in a single day.
On his favourite track:
My favourite track is definitely “Wetin Man Go Do”. The composition is somehow simple and dynamic all at the same time. The vocals and adlibs also blend really smoothly together.
