In a night filled with anticipation and high hopes, the 66th Grammy Awards brought forth disappointment for Nigeria’s Afrobeats luminaries. Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, Ayra Starr, Olamide and Asake, who collectively received 10 nominations across five categories but left the ceremony without a single trophy.
Despite their prowess, the Best African Music Performance award eluded the Nigerian contingent, with South-African singer Tyla securing the inaugural trophy for her 2023 track, “Water.”
The Grammy Premiere ceremony, where numerous awards are unveiled before the main telecast, saw Burna Boy and Davido lose the Best Global Album category to world fusion band Shakti, honoured for their album This Moment.
TylaThe disappointment continued in the Best Global Music Performance category, where Indian composer Zakir Hussain triumphed with “Pashto,” featuring Bela Fleck and Edger Meyer, leaving Burna Boy and Davido empty-handed.
Lil Durk’s collaboration with J Cole on “All My Life” took home the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap, dashing Burna Boy’s hopes in that category. Despite being slated to perform the nominated track “Sittin’ on Top of The World” during the live telecast, the Nigerian artiste was unable to secure a win.
Tems, a Grammy winner from the previous year, faced defeat in the Song Written for Visual Media category. Her contribution to the Black Panther theme song, “Lift me Up,” performed by Rihanna, succumbed to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” from the 2023 fantasy drama Barbie. The night may not have brought Grammy glory to Nigeria’s Afrobeats stars, but their global impact remains undeniable.
