Tomorrow, the history of Nigerian music, largely also referred to as Afrobeats, is hoped to be positively altered as several Nigerian superstars compete against global players at the 66th annual Grammys. The award show, organised by The Recording Academy, is set to be held at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, United States, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time or 2:00am West African Time.

With the introduction of the Best African Performance Category, Ayra Starr, Olamide, Asake, Burna Boy and Davido, all stand a chance of bagging the revered gilded gramophone that is, arguably, the most prestigious award in music.

Interestingly, Burna Boy is also nominated alongside other global greats for the Best Melodic Rap performance, for his 2023 Sitting On Top Of The World record featuring American rap icon 21 Savage. The Grammy winner is also nominated in three other categories namely, Best Global Song Performance for Alone, Best Global Music Album for I Told Them and Best African Music Performance for City Boys, making him the most nominated Nigerian on the list.

For the first time ever, Davido – a part of the famous ‘Big Three’ of Afrobeats (Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid) – bags his first recognition at the Grammys with three nods to his name. The DMW superstar was nominated in the Best Global Song Performance category for Feel; Best Global Music Album for Timeless and Best African Music Performance for featuring South African heavyweight Musa Keys.

Without a doubt, this is definitely one of the most heated nominations for the Nigerian musicians in question, with onlookers optimistic about their favourites bringing home the winning plaques.
Winning Prowess

When Asake first came onto the Nigerian mainstream radar, with his Mr Money With The Vibe album, in 2022, Afrobeats lovers all over the world caught the Asake fever that came with his Amapiano-fusions and pop catalogues. Songs like Organise, Joha, Peace Be Unto You, among others, easily became dancefloor and airwave favourites, ushering him into the super stardom that has adorned his career since then.

The YBNL star released his sophomore album, Work of Art, last year, to the acclaim of music lovers across the world. Little did he know that his duet with his label boss, Olamide, dubbed, Amapiano, would go on to be his fighting chance at the Grammys today.

Up against other genre-fusions such as Davido’s Unavailable; South African songbird Tyla’s Water; Ayra Starr’s Rush; and Burna Boy’s City Boys; fingers are crossed as to whether Asake would crown his reign of success with a Grammy win, two years after his breakout.

Undoubtedly, Asake has packed the potential to become a global breakout. Firstly, the 27-year-old entertainer amasses such a rich command of African indigenous melodies, from Nigeria’s Fuji to Mauritius’ Séga.

While many non-Nigerians on social media criticised his early Amapiano fusions as unoriginal, the Nigerian hitmaker went unbothered with his streak of Amapiano fusions, which were later popularly identified as Naijapiano. The ability to refine an indigenous melody for global audiences, firstly with the function of the sound well-defined as a melody for euphoric grooves, and lastly with the composition being so distinct among the euphony of copy-cat Amapiano imports into Nigeria, has kept Asake as a leader of this new sound in recent times.

If Asake’s genre-bending on Amapiano, thanks to his producer Magicstick’s ingenious interpolations of Omele percussions, log-drums and overwhelming violins, is anything to marvel at, then his lyricism is definitely right up next that ladder of appreciation. Known for his versatility, from the introspective poetry of Reason (feat Russ), or the haunting soliloquy of Lonely At The Top, to the celebratory anthem of ‘Amapiano, Asake drifts as one of the most brilliant lyricists in today’s Afrobeats. For a song as easily discernible as ‘Amapiano’ it is no surprise to see if the rest of the world dances to the tunes of Asake, as if it were made directly for them.

FOR all the surprising twists with the Grammys this year, Ayra Starr’s nomination as the only pop diva on the list is giving Nigerian songbirds another reason to be ecstatic. Without a doubt, Ayra Starr is poised to be another strong player that will stand the test of time in Afrobeats. After she broke out with her 2021 opener, Away, which helmed her as one of the best pop vocalists in the newcomer class of Afrobeats. Her debut album, 19 & Dangerous, went on to produce RnB and Pop classics such as Bloody Samaritan, Beggie Beggie (featuring Ckay) and Cast, among others, the following year, cementing her legacy as one of the best female superstars from this part of the world.

With Ayra Starr’s Rush, released in September 2022, falling closely outside the validity period (October 2022 – September 15, 2023), it can only mean that the organisers considered the towering impact of the record in the months following its release. They have previously cited this as part of their nominations criterion, helping deserving songs stand a winning chance at the awards. For a new category as Best African Music Performance’, a category that largely focuses on the composition and performance of the song in question, Ayra Starr’s Rush definitely thrives on the meritocratic personality of the Grammys.

When you listen to Rush, it is unlikely to not get submerged in the currents of confidence that washes over the Afro-pop track. The record places Ayra Starr in a halo of pop divas, as she leans over her ‘sabi girl’ title in a memoir of her new graces as a superstar. The song instantly made her go viral again, floating on the wings of social media algorithms, especially TikTok. She also bagged the number 1 spot on Apple music that month. Her anthems have now become household tunes across Europe, US and African music markets, with ‘Rush’ now becoming that prophetic song that has given her the biggest acclaim of her career so far.

TYLA’s Water came with mixed feelings for her South African fans, as the chanteuse had a rather slow start after her 2019 Amapiano-fusion breakout Gettin Late. However, the singer who’s managed to reign, despite her scarce catalogue, as one of the most brilliant newcomers in the South African music scene, crossed multiple borders with her 2023 smash hit, Water. The sensual song is another fine example of the miracles of social media, as her viral waist-wriggling dance routine challenge became one of the most popular sensations on social media last year.

Her vocal performance on Water came with a different gusto from the pop tunes reigning in the South African market. The record captivated global audiences for being sung in English language. Tyla, born Tyla Seethal, is originally of mixed roots – India, Mauritius, Ireland, and South Africa – and has long championed her love for culture in her public interviews. Lyricism aside, Tyla’s vocal performance, with her lithe slow-burn and high-pitched choral chorus, have shot ‘Water’ into the realm of evergreen pop songs deserving of global adulation.

DAVIDO’s legacy in Afrobeats, from the sensational rustic pop of Dami Duro to the pensive RnB of Aye, has driven him among the hit-scapes of African music from the early 2010s till date. His 2023 comeback record, Unavailable, featuring Musa Keys saw him return to charts and festival line-ups after a tragic loss of his son in November, 2022, that forced him into a hiatus. With the statement-making Amapiano banger, Davido, made major headlines as the song rose to multiple number 1’s across music streaming services chart lists. While Davido’s performance on the song rings with the swagger of his rhythmic flows and catchy lyricism, the song’s actual sweetness lies in the soothing chemistry with Amapiano melody that skeletons it. Davido seems to have the charisma of a musical genius, able to embody a strong persona on his records, as his dominance on the beat was the key factor that sparked its appeal worldwide.

Seeing Davido equally bag nods for Best Global Music Album (Timeless) and Best Global Music Performance (Feel) underscores a huge growth in his musicianship, which for the longest time has leaned towards buzz trends in music marketing. On Timeless, Davido succeeds in finally purging his vulnerability and finest creative direction on the tracks, as he reflects on love, life, family, friendships and good times. The record might have come from one of the biggest players in Afrobeats, but it’s far from a compensatory nomination; as the wait feels mature with the gem of Timeless bringing him that long-anticipated nomination.

BURNA Boy who clinched the gilded gramophone, in 2021, for his Twice As Tall (Best Global Music Album) seems to be a confident contender in the ring of nominees for the 66th Grammys. His ‘Best Melodic Rap Performance’ category comes with some interesting insight as it’s rare to see non-Americans become recognised in that category despite the music being released and making major sales there. With Sitting On Top Of The World, Burna Boy returns to his Hip Hop roots, pontificating about fame and its intrigues as he delves into a very Western-leaning mien on the song.

He stands against Lil Durk featuring J. Cole in All My Life, Doja Cat in Attention, SZA in Low, and Drake x 21 Savage in Spin Bout U. All contenders are traditional rhyme mavericks in contemporary Hip Hop and have the appeal for the gilded gramophone. But the thing with Burna is his surprise factor. The record stands out as one of the most vibrant tracks with shock-appeal and quality engineering that makes it too worthy to dismiss.

On his ‘Best Global Music Performance’ for Alone, as well as his ‘Best African Music Performance’ for City Boys, and ‘Best Global Music Album’ for I Told Them; it is erudite to hope for success there, as the superstar qualifies with exemplary tracks in each section. Yet, Alone doesn’t carry the star-power that might make one totally confident in its victory. Recorded as a part of the official soundtrack for the MCU’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever flick, the song is melancholic and reminiscent of his Ja Ara E performance on Beyonce’s 2019 Black Is King cinematic album. It brings out the sombre, poetic Burna Boy, without the braggadocio or fusion-mage that has underlined his catalogue till date. Still, a worthy choice.

The real battle lies between the Best Global Music album and Best African Music Performance, with both City Boys and I Told Them being two mighty contenders. Till date, the spin value of City Boys continues to rise with every passing weekend across global dance floors. Burna Boy, since his meteoric African Giant breakout, has continued to own the streets, both online and offline, with his versatile discography. I Told Them ranks as one of his best works, in terms of musical depth and lyricism, following closely after his all-time best Twice as Tall.

With no doubt in the soaring artistry of Nigerian superstars, it is expected that we celebrate a couple of wins tomorrow. And when the applause all dies down, the onus remains on stakeholders in the Nigerian music scene to read the handwriting on the wall.

With more global acclaim and increasing demand for our music, it is a call for a refurbishment of our institutions across the board. To consistently supply music from our local market, we need to ensure a sustainable pipeline from talent discovery, to global stardom, without too much leaning on the West for help. We need to eliminate the foreign ownership hegemony over our music catalogues and create promotional pipelines, as well as distribution services, among others, that would prevent a repeat of the Reggae/Dancehall nosedive.

It is a wake-up call to refine our own local award systems to rise above the sentiments of the West in celebrating our own superstars. While the Grammys are benevolent with their recognition of African talent, the beauty of our music should be worth more than an afterthought, with its first slot at the Grammys coming 65 years after its existence. Meanwhile, we have award bodies like the All Africa Music Awards, Soundcity MVP Awards, MTV Music Awards, Trace Music Awards, and more, being either too young, too under-funded, or too controversial to even demand the respect it deserves. We cannot keep fawning over the Grammys while our own award systems are rotting away in neglect. We need more indigenous pan-African awards to rise into the fray, and the existing ones to wake up from their slumber to create a version of the Grammys that is visible in talk and action.