Afrobeats megastar Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy, has been nominated for the 2023 Grammy Awards in two categories. His sixth album, Love Damini, was a hit across the globe this year and has been shortlisted for the Best Global Music Album award. From the album, his song “Last Last” also received a nomination for global song of the year.
Burna Boy is not a newcomer to the awards. After receiving nominations for “African Giant” and “Twice As Tall” in 2020 and 2021, respectively, this year’s nomination marks Burna Boy’s third Grammy nomination in the Global Music Album Category. This year also marks his second nomination in the global song of the year category after being recognized for his work on Angelique Kidjo’s song “Do Yourself” in 2021.
Burna Boy is now one of the most nominated Afrobeats acts, with a total of five Grammy nominations. A fellow Nigerian artist, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, was also nominated for the 2023 awards. She was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for her collaboration with Future and Drake on the song “Wait For U.” Tems was also recognized for contributing to Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance.”
Several African musicians have received nominations for the upcoming 2023 Grammy Awards ceremony. Angélique Kidjo of Benin is also up for Best Global Music Album. Eddy Kenzo from Uganda, Rocky Dawuni from Ghana, Wouter Kellerman from South Africa, Zakes Bantwini, and Nomcebo Zikode are all contenders for the 2023 awards.
In the past decade, African music stars have been well represented on the international stage. African nominees from last year included Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems, Femi Kuti, Made Kuti, Angélique Kidjo, Rocky Dawuni, and Black Coffee. Kidjo earned her sixth Grammy last year for her 16th studio album, Mother Nature.
The recent nominations have further demonstrated that the world is listening to the sounds emanating from the African continent. The Recording Academy’s CEO, Mr. Harvey Mason Jr., recently stated that the Grammys were exploring the possibility of adding an “Afrobeats” awards category. During his visit to Ghana this year, Mason stated that he intended to meet with big stars and decision-makers in the genre. Adding an “Afrobeats” category to the Grammys will be a game changer for African musicians.
The 65th edition of the Grammys ceremony will take place in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 5, 2023. It will be amazing to see how all African nominees will fare. Elsewhere, pop star Beyoncé has the most nominations with 9, followed by rapper Kendrick Lamar with eight. Brandi Carlile and pop singer Adele are tied with seven nominations each.
List of African artists nominated for 2023 Grammys awards
Best Global Music Performance
Arooj Aftab & Anoushka Shankar : “Udhero Na”
- Matt B & Eddy Kenzo: “Gimme Love”
- Burna Boy: “Last Last”
- Rocky Dawuni & Blvk H3ro: “Neva Bow Down”
- Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini & Nomcebo Zikode: “Bayethe”
Best Global Music Album
- Berklee Indian Ensemble: “Shuruaat”
- Burna Boy: “Love, Damini”
- Angélique Kidjo & Ibrahim Maalouf: “Queen of Sheba”
- Anoushka Shankar, Metropole Orkest & Jules Buckley Ft Manu Delago: “Between Us”
- Masa Takumi: “Sakura,”
Best Melodic Rap Performance
- Future, Drake & Tems: “Wait for U”
Best Rap Song
- Future featuring Drake & Tems: “Wait for U,”
Best Song Written for Visual Media
- Angelique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito & Jessy Wilson: “Keep Rising (The Woman King)”
