As the Grammy Awards prepare to take centre stage on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, African artists once again dominate the nominations, celebrating both returning favorites and exciting new faces.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
African artistes: Tyla, Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Eddy Kenzo, Youssou N’Dour, and Angélique Kidjo have been announced as nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards by the Recording Academy. Ever since the Recording Academy introduced the Best African Music Performance category in 2024, African musicians have continued to solidify their presence on the global stage.
The inaugural year saw South African sensation, Tyla, take home the award for her global hit “Water”, setting a precedent for the continent’s musical excellence at the Grammys. Nigerian Afrobeats-R&B singer, Tems, also secured the Best African Music Performance award with her single “Love Me JeJe” in February this year.
As the Grammy Awards prepare to take centre stage on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, African artists once again dominate the nominations, celebrating both returning favorites and exciting new faces.
Burna Boy returns with his soul-stirring track “Love” off his eighth album, No Sign Of Weakness, while Davido’s collaboration with Omah Lay, “With You”, off his fifth album, 5ive, earned a nod, which marks Omah Lay’s first-ever Grammy nomination. Ugandan artiste, Eddy Kenzo, and Mehran Matin’s “Hope & Love” also received a nomination, and Ayra Starr’s “Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid makes the list. South African sensation, Tyla, is back in the race with “Push 2 Start”, vying to secure her second consecutive win in the category.
Beyond the African Music Performance category, Burna Boy continues his remarkable Grammy journey with a nomination for Best Global Music Album for his project, No Sign of Weakness. This marks his 13th Grammy nomination, solidifying his position as the Nigerian artiste with the most nominations at the Grammy Awards. He is joined in the Best Global Music Album category by Senegalese legend Youssou N’Dour for Éclairer le Monde (Light The World).
Meanwhile, Beninese-French icon, Angélique Kidjo, earns her 16th Grammy nomination with “Jerusalema” in the Best Global Music Performance category, further cementing her status as one of Africa’s most decorated artistes on the Grammy stage.
Check out the complete list of all the nominees here.