By: Eugenia Boateng
The 66th Grammy Awards nominations were announced last week by the Grammy Awards Recording Academy. This is considered the biggest music award in the world and now numerous African artists are finally a part of this big show.
Along with the nominations the Grammys announced the creation of a new category titled Best African Music Performance. This category is aimed to honor and amplify the extent of music from the African continent. This is a pivotal point in African history. This new category not only highlights the importance of African sounds but also demonstrates their global reach. Artists such as Burna Boy, ASAKE, and Davido highlight the indisputable influence of Afrobeat, Amapiano, and other African genres on the global music arena.
The widespread recognition of African performers across numerous categories demonstrates the global appreciation for their creative talents.
Burna Boy received four nominations this year for ‘Sitting On Top of the World’ (Best Melodic Rap), ‘I Told Them’ (Best Global Music Album), ‘Alone’ (Best Global Music Performance), and ‘City Boys’ (Best African Music Performance), after being nominated in two categories last year, Best Global Music and Best Global Music Performance.
Another renowned Nigerian singer, Davido, received three nominations: “FEEL” for Best Global Music Performance, “UNAVAILABLE” for Best African Performance, and “TIMELESS” for Best Global Album.
Davido’s “Timeless” album has received great acclaim and established his status as one of Nigeria’s leading music talents since its debut. Several tunes from the album received worldwide attention, significantly raising his status in the international music industry.
Breakout South African artist Tyla is also among the nominees for Best African Music Performance. Tyla gained significant attention recently due to the international success of her hit song “Water.” Reaching the 21st position, she has become the youngest South African to make an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 list. Additionally, she is the first solo act from South Africa to chart in 55 years.
Other notable nominees include Nigerian pop artists Fireboy and CKay. Fireboy has been nominated for his contributions to Jon Baptiste’s ‘World Music Radio,’ which was nominated for Album of the Year. CKay received his first-ever nomination for his work on Janelle Monae’s ‘Age of Pleasure,’ which was also nominated for Album of the Year.
