Exploring Africa, just a moment...
Africa Grammy Nominations | Celebrating the Continent’s Musical Excellence
Key Takeaways:
- African artists dominated the 2025 Grammys with 15 Best African Music Performance nominations.
- Legends like Miriam Makeba and Ali Farka Touré paved the way for "New Cats" like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Tems.
- Tems made history with her second Grammy, while other African artists, including Yemi Alade and Asake, earned significant nominations.
- African music is now a global force, breaking records in streams and awards.
Table of Contents
African Grammy Nominations Over the Years
African Music at the 2025 Grammys
Artists We Think Should Have Gotten a Grammy Nomination
This year, Tems emerged victorious in the Best African Music Performance category, beating out industry colleagues like Wizkid, Davido, Yemi Alade, and Burna Boy with her hit song "Love Me Jeje."
The Grammy Awards is music’s biggest stage. For context, it’s more like the World Cup if you're a football fan. In times past, the Grammys were dominantly a Western affair. That has since changed as African artists have entered the scene to claim their share of the spoils.
Did you know that in 2024 alone, African artists earned 15 Grammy nominations? From Nigeria’s Burna Boy to South Africa’s Tyla, African music has started demanding the respect it deserves.
In 2023, the Recording Academy even launched an African Music Performance category; proof that the sound coming from Africa is gaining traction and acceptance globally.
Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Highlife rhythms now dominate global charts. For instance, at the time of this writing, Burna Boy’s “Last Last” and Tyla’s “Water” hit more than one billion streams across several platforms.
Notwithstanding, let’s not forget the impact of social media; where TikTok trends fueled Nigeria’s Rema’s “Calm Down” to break records.
But it’s not just about fame. African music blends traditional instruments with modern beats, telling stories of resilience, joy, and identity. As Senegal’s Baaba Maal says, “Our music is our history.”
Let’s look at the African Grammy nominations over the years;
African Grammy Nomination over the years
Africa’s mark on the Grammy Awards didn’t start today. In fact, African artists have been making waves at the Grammy Awards for decades. From the legendary South African Miriam Makeba who was the first African Grammy winner in 1966. Since then, icons like Angélique Kidjo (with 5 Grammys) and Burna Boy (a 2021 winner) have cemented Africa’s place in global music.
The table below shows some of the biggest Grammy nominations and wins by African artists over the years. It highlights how far African music has come and the stars who have put the continent on the global stage.
| Artist | Country | Total Nominations | Total Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ladysmith Black Mambazo | South Africa | 16 | 5 |
| Burna Boy | Nigeria | 11 | 1 |
| Angélique Kidjo | Benin | 9 | 5 |
| Femi Kuti | Nigeria | 4 | 0 |
| Seun Kuti | Nigeria | 2 | 0 |
| Ali Farka Touré | Mali | 3 | 3 |
| Tinariwen | Mali | 2 | 1 |
| Soweto Gospel Choir | South Africa | 5 | 3 |
| Black Coffee | South Africa | 1 | 1 |
| Wizkid | Nigeria | 4 | 1 |
| Tems | Nigeria | 11 | 2 |
| Youssou N'Dour | Senegal | 1 | 1 |
| Miriam Makeba | South Africa | 1 | 1 |
| Sikiru Adepoju | Nigeria | 2 | 2 |
| Babatunde Olatunji | Nigeria | 1 | 1 |
| Rema | Nigeria | 1 | 0 |
| Davido | Nigeria | 4 | 0 |
| Ayra Starr | Nigeria | 1 | 0 |
| Asake | Nigeria | 2 | 0 |
| Olamide | Nigeria | 1 | 0 |
| Tyla | South Africa | 1 | 1 |
Those Who Paved The Way For Africa At The Grammys
Long before Afrobeats or Amapiano, some artists used folklore to convey their music. Their songs carried profound messages about culture, history, and everyday African struggles. These artists didn't just entertain; they spoke up for their people, challenged injustices, and introduced African music.
As a result, they were recognized for their impact, earning global recognition, including the Grammys. Let's take a look at some of these artist;
1. Miriam Makeba from South Africa
Miriam Makeba was the first African to get a Grammy nomination in 1966 and won. She also made history as the first African to win a Grammy. Her album "An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba," recorded with Harry Belafonte, wasn't just a collection of songs.
It was a call for change. Her song tells the story of apartheid and the struggles of Black South Africans. People say Makeba's music was more than entertainment; it called for resistance.
In a 1988 interview, Miriam Makeba addressed the perception of her as a political singer, "I've always been branded as a political singer. I never set out to sing politics; I happen to come from a country that is oppressing my people." She told Roger Steffens. At the time, her Grammy win gave her a global voice for African music.
2. Ali Farka Touré from Mali
Ali Farka, whose sound carried the spirit of the desert. In 1994, his album Talking Timbuktu won Best World Music Album. It was said that Touré wasn't just making music; he was proving that the "blues" had African roots. His guitar connected West Africa to the Mississippi Delta, showing that African traditions shaped the music the world loved.
However, while Western audiences called his sound "blues," Touré did not always agree. Nick Gold, the producer behind Talking Timbuktu, recalled how Touré reacted to this label, "the Western audiences called his music 'blues,' but I heard Ali wasn't pleased with it."
He continued, "It's true. He became very frustrated after being asked about 'blues' all the time. Because I think most of his music was traditional music transposed on guitar, while here in the West, people could only hear echoes of the blues."
Even though Touré resisted being boxed into the blues category, he understood the genre well.
3. Ladysmith Black Mambazo from South Africa
In 1988, South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo won for Shaka Zulu. The group is known for its unique isicathamiya singing style, which blends Zulu traditions with gospel harmonies. The group was founded in the 1960s by Joseph Shabalala and gained international fame after collaborating with Paul Simon on his 1986 album Graceland. However, a Grammy win for them made their legacy even stronger.
4. Youssou N’Dour from Senegal
Youssou N'Dour won his first Grammy in 2005 for his album Egypt, making him Senegal's first Grammy winner. His music brought together the rhythms of Senegal and the spirit of Egyptian melodies.
At first, Egypt was not well received in Senegal. Many people thought Youssou N'Dour had disrespected the Sufi saints by mixing religious themes with popular music. However, everything changed when the album won a Grammy. The same people who once criticized him began to see the album differently.
"The Grammy certainly changed things," he said. "People were proud that a Senegalese artist had returned a Grammy to the country." Youssou N'Dour told Progressive Magazine in an interview.
5. Angélique Kidjo from Benin
If one artist has carried African music worldwide, it's Angélique Kidjo. She is a five-time Grammy winner: Djin Djin in 2007, Eve (2015), Sings (2016), Celia (2020), and Mother Nature (2023). Her music combines traditional African sounds with jazz, funk, and Western rhythm.
Kidjo has never been one to keep the spotlight on herself. When she won her fourth Grammy in 2020 for Celia, she used the moment to shine a light on the future of African music, "...the new generations of artists coming from Africa are going to take you by storm. The time has come."
African Music at the 2025 Grammys
The 2025 Grammy Awards were a big moment for African music, with artists earning 15 nominations across multiple categories. This year, the spotlight was on the Best African Music Performance category, which saw fierce competition among some of the biggest names in the industry. While many African artists were nominated, only one took home the award.
Best African Music Performance: Winner – Tems
Tems won the Best African Music Performance category for her song Love Me Jeje, making her the only African artist to take home a Grammy this year.
During her emotional acceptance speech on Sunday evening, she said, "My heart was beating so fast." Tems could barely catch her breath as she walked up to the stage after hearing her name at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
"I do work out, but it's not showing up right now," she joked, patting her chest as the audience laughed.
The 29-year-old took a moment to thank her mother:
"Wow, dear God, thank you so much for putting me on this stage and bringing this team. And tomorrow is my mum’s birthday, and this is her first Grammy. I just want to thank you, Mum," she said, looking toward her. "Because she has done a lot for me and my brother."
With this win, Tems made history as the first Nigerian artist to win two Grammys. She first won in 2023 for Best Melodic Rap Performance on Future’s hit Wait For U.
But Tems didn’t stop there. She also made history with three nominations across different categories:
- Best Global Music Album (Born in the Wild)
- Best R&B Song (Burning)
Best African Music Performance: Nominees
Although Tems won the award, other African artists were recognized in this category. Here’s a look at the nominees:
- Yemi Alade – "Tomorrow"
- Burna Boy – "Higher"
- Chris Brown featuring Davido & Lojay – "Sensational"
- Asake & Wizkid – "MMS"
Other Grammy Nominations for African Artists
Aside from the Best African Music Performance category, African artists also earned nominations in other major categories:
Best Global Music Album
- Historias de un Flamenco – Antonio Rey
- Paisajes – Ciro Hurtado
- Alkebulan II – Matt B & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- HEIS – Rema
- Born in the Wild – Tems
Best R&B Song
- Burning – Tems
- Here We Go (Uh Oh) – Coco Jones
- After Hours – Kehlani
- Ruined Me – Muni Long
- Saturn – SZA
Best Global Music Performance
- Sunlight to My Soul – Angélique Kidjo & Soweto Gospel Choir
- Raat Ki Rani – Arooj Aftab
- A Rock Somewhere – Jacob Collier featuring Anoushka Shankar & Varijashree Venugopal
- Kashira – Masa Takumi featuring Ron Korb, Noshir Mody & Dale Edward Chung
- Rise – Rocky Dawuni
- Bemba Colorá – Sheila E. featuring Gloria Estefan & Mimy Succar
Artists We Think Should Have Gotten A Grammy Nomination
1. Ayra Starr
The Afro-pop star is one of those artists people in Nigeria stand behind, not just because of numbers but because they see her talent beyond awards. In 2024, she dropped her highly anticipated sophomore album, home to the global hit "Commas."The song has pulled over 79 million streams on Spotify and sparked viral trends worldwide. Yet, AAyra'sname is missing from the nominations. Will she become one of those greats who give so much to the industry but never get their flowers? Hope not. She'll come back stronger next year. Maybe this time, the Grammys will be paying proper attention.
2. Tyla
Tyla, who won her first Grammy last year with Water, is completely missing from this year's nominations, even after having a huge year. The love affair between Tyla and the Grammys started when they moved her music from the R&B category to Pop. This sparked much debate, with many feeling the Grammys weren't setting her up for a fair fight since Pop is the most competitive category. Others, however, saw it as a step forward, a shift away from genre tied to skin color. Either way, she deserved a spot this year.
Past Grammy Winners from Africa
Over the years, many African musicians have won Grammy Awards, highlighting the continent's rich musical talent.
Below is a table listing some of these distinguished artists, organized by the number of Grammys won:
| Artist | Country | Grammys | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ladysmith Black Mambazo | South Africa | 5 | Best Traditional Folk Recording, Best Traditional World Music Album, Best Traditional World Music Album, Best World Music Album, and Best World Music Album |
| Angélique Kidjo | Benin | 5 | Best Contemporary World Music Album, Best World Music Album, and Best Global Music Album |
| Ali Farka Touré | Mali | 3 | Best World Music Album, Best Traditional World Music Album, and Best Traditional World Music Album |
| Soweto Gospel Choir | South Africa | 3 | Best Traditional World Music Album, Best Traditional World Music Album, and Best World Music Album |
| Sikiru Adepoju | Nigeria | 2 | Best World Music Album, Best Contemporary World Music Album |
| Tems | Nigeria | 2 | Best Global Music Album, Best R&B Song |
| Miriam Makeba | South Africa | 1 | Best Folk Recording |
| Youssou N'Dour | Senegal | 1 | Best Contemporary World Music Album |
| Richard Bona | Cameroon | 1 | Best Contemporary Jazz Album |
| Wizkid | Nigeria | 1 | Best Music Video |
Source: Grammy
Rounding it Up
African genre of music has taken over the world. Gone are the days when it was just another sound from the “Dark continent”, it is everywhere. People are dancing to it, streaming it, and playing it on big stages in almost every country. From Grammy wins to record-breaking streams, African artists are proving that our music has transformed the industry in a way that cannot be ignored.
References
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[3] Grammy, "African Grammy Winners in History – 2024 Grammys," [Online]. [Accessed: 06-Feb-2025].
[4] TurnTable Charts, "TurnTable Charts: Nigerian Music Industry Insights," [Online]. [Accessed: 06-Feb-2025].
[5] OkayAfrica, "Grammy Nominations: Best African Music Performance 2025," [Online]. [Accessed: 06-Feb-2025].
