By 2025 Grammys: How Nigeria’s Afrobeat Stars Shine at Global Recognition
In less than 24 hours, the 2025 Grammy Awards will take center stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA, where music’s biggest stars will vie for prestigious honors.
Among them, some of Nigeria’s most celebrated artists—Tems, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Yemi Alade, and Asake—will compete for top awards, further cementing the country’s influence on the global music scene.
The spotlight on African music has grown in recent years, with the Recording Academy introducing the Best African Music Performance category in 2024.
South African singer Tyla made history as the inaugural winner for her hit song Water, shining over Nigerian nominees like Asake, Olamide, Burna Boy, Davido, and Ayra Starr. This year, with Afrobeats and African pop genres continuing to gain global traction, Nigerian artists once again dominate key categories, particularly Best Global Music Album and Best African Music Performance.
How a Winner is Chosen
While fans passionately debate potential winners on social media, the Grammy selection process follows a structured voting system. Contrary to popular belief, commercial success and online buzz do not directly influence the outcome.
Instead, the Academy’s voting members—comprising music industry professionals—evaluate entries based on artistic achievement, technical excellence, and overall innovation.
The journey to a Grammy win begins with submissions from artists and record labels. Eligible recordings, released between October 1, 2023, and September 15, 2024, must be available on approved streaming platforms.
Industry experts then screen submissions to ensure they meet category requirements. Following this, voting members nominate five finalists per category, with special committees reviewing certain genres. The final voting round determines the winners, with Deloitte overseeing the process to maintain transparency.
On Grammy night, the winners are announced, with each recipient receiving the iconic golden gramophone statuette.
Meanwhile, nominees receive medallions and certificates—unless a rare tie occurs, in which case multiple awards are given.
