The Recording Academy has officially unveiled the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards, sparking excitement across the African music community. This year’s list, released on Friday, strongly highlights the global rise of Afrobeats, with Davido, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr emerging as leading contenders in major categories.
At the forefront is the Best African Music Performance category, where Nigerian superstars dominate the lineup. Burna Boy earns a nomination with his emotional track “Love.” Davido secures a spot with “With You,” featuring Omah Lay, while Ayra Starr makes her mark once again with “Gimme Dat,” assisted by Wizkid. Their recognition further cements Afrobeats as a global force that continues to shape worldwide music trends.
Also nominated in the category are Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin with their inspiring collaboration “Hope & Love,” and South Africa’s rising sensation Tyla, whose hit “PUSH 2 START” adds even more range to this year’s list. Notably, the 2026 nominations do not include previous contenders such as Asake, Yemi Alade, Lojay, and last year’s winner, Tems—reflecting a refreshing shift and expanding representation within the category.
The Best African Music Performance category, introduced in 2024, has quickly become one of the most competitive fields at the Grammys. Tyla made history in its inaugural year by becoming the first-ever winner, setting a high standard for future nominees. In 2025, the category featured strong entries including Yemi Alade’s “Tomorrow,” Asake and Wizkid’s “MMS,” Chris Brown’s “Sensational” featuring Davido and Lojay, Burna Boy’s “Higher,” and Tems’ “Love Me Jeje.”
Beyond the African performance category, Burna Boy stands out with an additional nomination for Best Global Music Album, making him the only Nigerian artist recognized in that category this year. His album “No Sign of Weakness” competes against powerful global entries such as Sounds Of Kumbha by Siddhant Bhatia, Éclairer le Monde (Light the World) by Youssou N’Dour, Mind Explosion by Shakti, Chapter III: We Return To Light by Anoushka Shankar featuring Alam Khan and Sarathy Korwar, and Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo by Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia.
Last year, Nigerian talents Rema and Tems were also nominated in the Global Music Album category for their projects HEIS and Born in the Wild, further emphasizing Nigeria’s growing influence on world music.
For a full list of the award nominees and categories click here.
