By Joy Essien, Contributing Editor, Lagos Metropolitan.
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards held on February 1, at the Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, organised by the Recording Academy and Nigerians were a tad bit disappointed because their faves left without a Grammy.
Top Nigerian artistes including Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, and Wizkid, were all nominated in the categories for Best African Music Performance and Best Global Music Album.
In the Best African Music Performance category, South African singer Tyla won with her song Push 2 Start.
She beat other nominees, including Burna Boy’s "Love", "With You" by Davido and Omah Lay, and "Gimme Dat" by Ayra Starr and Wizkid.
In the Best Global Music Album category, the award went to Brazilian icons Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia for Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo, while Burna Boy’s "No Sign of Weakness" missed out.
But then, 3 other artists of Nigerian origin took home Grammys.
1. Shaboozey
Real name: Collins Obinna Chibueze won the #GRAMMYs for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for Amen – with Jelly Roll.
- Cynthia Erivo
Real name: Cynthia Chinasokwu Onyedinmanazu Amarachukwu Erivo won a Grammy for
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Ariana Grande for "Defying Gravity" for the movie, "Wicked: For Good."
- Tyler
Real name: Tyler Gregory Okonma, won the first ever #GRAMMYs for ‘Best Album Cover’ for ‘CHROMAKOPIA’. First time this category was created and a Nigerian got it.
Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti was posthumously inducted into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame for his 1976 politically charged album Zombie. As the first Nigerian artist to receive this honor, his legacy is further cemented with the 2026 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his massive impact on global music.
