Los Angeles, United States – Nigeria and South Africa are poised to dominate the spotlight at Sunday’s 68th Annual Grammy Awards as four of the continent’s biggest stars — Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr and Tyla — compete for the coveted Best African Music Performance trophy.
The category, now in its third year, recognises outstanding performances rooted in African musical traditions and continues to highlight the global rise of Afrobeats and amapiano. The 2026 nominations, announced in November 2025, feature a strong Nigerian contingent alongside continental heavyweights.
Burna Boy leads the African pack with two nominations overall: Best African Music Performance for his single “Love,” and Best Global Music Album for No Sign of Weakness. This makes him the most-nominated African artist in the current Grammy cycle and reinforces his position as one of the genre’s most consistent award contenders.
In the Best African Music Performance category, Nigeria holds three of the six slots:
“Love” – Burna Boy
“With You” – Davido featuring Omah Lay
“Gimme Dat” – Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid
Other nominees are:
“Hope & Love” – Eddy Kenzo (Uganda) featuring Mehran Matin
“PUSH 2 START” – Tyla (South Africa)
Tyla enters the race as the defending champion, having won the inaugural Best African Music Performance Grammy at the 66th Annual Awards in February 2024 for her breakout hit “Water.” Her new entry, “PUSH 2 START,” has emerged as one of the strongest contenders this year.
Released in mid-2025, “PUSH 2 START” topped the US Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart for 20 non-consecutive weeks, reached No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats Singles chart, and debuted at No. 88 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The track has earned platinum certification in Brazil and New Zealand, gold status in multiple other markets, and won Best Afrobeats at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay is another major contender. The collaboration hit No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats Singles chart, peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart, debuted at No. 1 on Nigeria’s TurnTable Top 100, and surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. It also took home Most Iconic African Song at the 2025 AMAN Awards and marks Davido’s fifth career Grammy nomination.
Ayra Starr’s “Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid brings star power and crossover appeal, while Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo brings East African representation with “Hope & Love.”
The nominations reflect the continued global ascent of Afrobeats and related genres. Nigeria’s dominance in the category underscores the country’s position as the epicentre of contemporary African music, while Tyla’s presence highlights South Africa’s growing influence through amapiano and pop-infused sounds.
The Best African Music Performance category was introduced in 2024 to celebrate the diversity and innovation of African music on the world stage. Previous winners — Tyla (2024) and Tems (for “Love Me Jeje” in 2025) — have seen significant career boosts, including increased streams, touring opportunities, and mainstream visibility.
Sunday’s ceremony at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles will be hosted by Trevor Noah and broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+. The Best African Music Performance award is scheduled to be presented during the main telecast.
Fans across Africa and the diaspora are expected to watch closely, with many predicting a potential Nigerian sweep or a historic back-to-back win for Tyla. Regardless of the outcome, the strong African showing once again affirms the continent’s growing cultural and commercial influence in global music.
