The 68th Annual Grammy Awards ended on a bittersweet note for Nigeria’s biggest musical exports, as Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, Ayra Starr, and Omah Lay all failed to secure wins in their nominated categories.
The star-studded ceremony, held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and hosted by South African comedian Trevor Noah, featured performances and accolades across genres — but Nigerian artists went home empty-handed despite several nominations.
Strong Showings, No Trophies
In the Best African Music Performance category — one of the night’s most watched awards — South African singer Tyla clinched the title with her hit “Push 2 Start,” edging out a field of high-profile African nominees.
Among those she beat were Burna Boy’s “Love,” Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s collaboration “Gimme Dat,” and Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay.
Meanwhile, Burna Boy also missed out in the Best Global Music Album category, where the award went to Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia for Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo.
Nigerians Represented But Didn’t Win
Despite the disappointing results, the presence of Nigerian artists in key categories once again highlighted their global influence and the continued rise of Afrobeats and African pop on the world stage.
Fans took to social media after the ceremony to share mixed reactions, with some expressing frustration at the outcome and others celebrating the recognition itself as a sign of progress for African music internationally.
Global Winners and Highlights
The night belonged to international acts across genres: American rapper Kendrick Lamar led wins with multiple awards, including Record of the Year and Best Rap Album, while Bad Bunny took home Album of the Year. Artists like Billie Eilish and Olivia Dean also scored major victories.