Manny Ita
Nigerian music heavyweights faced a disappointing night at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles as the country’s leading contemporary artists failed to secure a win across all nominated categories. Despite high expectations for a historic night, stars including Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid were edged out by international competitors, most notably South African singer Tyla, who solidified her dominance in the African music category.
Burna Boy, who entered the night with significant momentum, saw his album No Sign of Weakness lose the Best Global Music Album title to Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia for their project Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo. The “African Giant” also missed out on the Best African Music Performance award, where his track “Love” was among the finalists. Similarly, Davido’s pursuit of a maiden Grammy ended in a loss for his collaboration with Omah Lay on the hit song “With You.” The duo, along with the high-profile pairing of Ayra Starr and Wizkid for their track “Gimme Dat,” were all defeated in the Best African Music Performance category.
The night belonged once again to South Africa’s Tyla, whose song “Push 2 Start” secured her a second win in the category she first pioneered in 2024. This repeat victory effectively blocked Nigeria’s “Big Three” from claiming the trophy, underscoring a shift in the Academy’s recent voting patterns toward Amapiano-influenced sounds. While contemporary artists returned empty-handed, Nigeria’s musical heritage was recognized through the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who was posthumously honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award during the Special Merit Awards ceremony.
Industry reactions following the event have been mixed, with many fans expressing frustration over the lack of wins for the Afrobeats genre despite its global commercial success. Despite the competitive losses, the recognition of Fela Kuti served as a symbolic high point for the Nigerian delegation in attendance. The 2026 ceremony concludes a challenging cycle for Nigerian contemporary music at the Grammys, leaving the industry to look toward future releases for another shot at the gold.
Here are the key reactions following the ceremony:
The “30BG” Camp and Davido’s Support
Davido’s loss to Tyla for the second time has caused the most significant stir on X (formerly Twitter). Fans and close associates have been quick to defend the “Unavailable” singer:
- Cubana Chiefpriest: The socialite and close friend of Davido offered public encouragement, tweeting, “Oyibo dey do everything possible to break a strong man… Heads up brother, open the bag & drop another hot one for us. E no dey finish.”
- Omah Lay: Before the ceremony, Omah Lay (who was nominated alongside Davido) set a supportive tone that fans have revisited. He had stated on Instagram, “I’m excited about this Grammy nomination haha but for real, for real I don’t give a sh!t about awards. Yeah but I really want it for OBO! He is the realest friend I’ve had in a while.”
The “Robbery” Narrative
The hashtag #DavidoWasRobbed trended in Nigeria shortly after Tyla’s “Push 2 Start” was announced as the winner.
- Many fans expressed frustration that despite Davido joining the Recording Academy as a voting member this year and conducting an extensive “Grammy run” (attending events and parties), he still came up short.
- One viral tweet from a prominent fan account, @_AsiwajuLerry, captured the mood: “Grammy has robbed Davido for Tyla again. That award show has officially lost its credibility in front of Nigerians. Never again…”
Industry Peers Weigh In
- Olamide: Known for his calm demeanor, the YBNL boss urged fans to remain objective, posting, “I know emotions are high but what we will not do is act like Tyla’s ‘Push 2 Start’ is not also a big song. Everyone in that Grammy category deserved it.”
- The “Tyla Factor”: While South Africans are celebrating Tyla as the “Queen of the Category” for her back-to-back wins (2024 and 2026), Nigerian fans have pointed out that her win came despite her not being present at the Premiere Ceremony to collect the award.
Burna Boy’s Silence
Burna Boy, who lost both Best Global Music Album and Best African Music Performance, has remained quiet on social media. This follows a pattern from previous years where the “African Giant” tends to retreat from the spotlight immediately after a loss, though his fans have been busy debating the Recording Academy’s preference for Brazilian and South African sounds over Afrobeats.
