Entertainment

Timeline: Four Nigerians, Other African Grammy Awards Winners

Published

2 years ago

February 1, 2024

The biggest music event, the Grammy Awards, will be going down with its 66th edition in Los Angeles on Sunday, with a converging of the best of music stars from Africa and around the world, and this year’s edition won’t be any different.

Since the 1960s, the recognition of exceptional projects by African artists has been a tradition, marked by South Africa’s Mariam Makeba becoming the first African artist to receive the Grammy Awards.

Here are 14 African acts that have won Grammy awards.

Makeba (South Africa)

In 1966, South Africa’s Miriam Makeba, also known as Mama Africa, became the first African recording artist to win the Grammy Awards, just seven years after the award was first held.

Makeba won Best Folk Record for her album “An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba,” with American singer Harry Belafonte at the 8th Grammy awards .

Sade Adu (Nigerian-British)

Helen Folasade Adu was born in Ibadan, to a Yoruba-ancestry father and an English mother. She was the lead vocalist for her band, Sade, which bears her name.

In 1986, she won the ‘Best New Artist’ Grammy Awards. She also won the ‘Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocal’ for “No Ordinary Love” (1993), the ‘Best Pop Vocal Album for’ “Lovers Rock” (2001), and the ‘Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals’ for “Soldier of Love” (2011) at the Grammy Awards.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa)

In 1988, South Africa’s male choral group won the ‘Best Traditional Folk Recording’ for the song ‘Shaka Zulu’.

The group received 17 nominations and won four more Grammy awards: Best Traditional World Music Album for “Raise Your Spirit Higher” (2004), Best Traditional World Music Album for “Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu” (2009), Best World Music Album for “Live: Singing for Peace Around the World” (2013), and Best World Music Album for Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2018).

Ali Farka Touré (Mali)

Regarded as one of Africa’s most internationally renowned musicians, Toure received a total of five nominations, winning three times at the Grammy Awards.

He won the Best World Music Album for “Talking Timbuktu” (1994) and the Best World Music Album for “In The Heart Of The Moon” (2005). Following his death in 2006, he was posthumously awarded Best Traditional World Music Album for “Ali and Toumani” (2010) at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

Cesária Évora (Cape Verde)

Évora started as a club singer in the port city of Mindelo and became famous as the “Barefoot Diva,” performing without shoes in tribute to the poor.

She received six nominations, winning the Best Contemporary World Music Album for “Voz dámor” (2004) at the 47th Grammy Awards.

Youssou N’Dour (Senegal)

Ranked as one of the greatest singers of all time, N’Dour helped develop a style of popular Senegalese music known by all Senegambians.

He won the Best Contemporary World Music Album for “Egypt” (2005).

RedOne (Morocco)

Nadir Khayat popularly known as ‘Red One’, is considered one of the most influential record producer artists in contemporary music.

He has eight Grammy Awards nominations, winning Best Dance Recording for “Poker Face” (2010) and Pop Vocal Album for “The Fame Monster” (2011).

Tinariwen (Mali/Algeria/Libya)

The group consists of individuals from the nomadic Tuareg people of the Sahara.

They won the World Music Album for “Tassili” (2012) at the 54th Grammy Awards.

Wouter Kellerman (South Africa)
Kellerman is a South African flautist, producer, and composer who explores the versatility of the instrument and fuses classical and contemporary sounds.

He won the Best New Age Album for “Winds Of Samsara” (2015) and the Best Global Music Performance for “Bayethe” (2022) at the 57th and 64th Grammy Awards respectively.

Angélique Kidjo (Benin)

Beninese-French artiste Angélique Kidjo is the African artist with the most Grammy Awards.

She won in 2007, 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2022 in the categories: ‘Best Contemporary World Music Album,’ Best World Music Album (won three times), and Best Global Music Album,” respectively.

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Nigerian Afrobeats star Damini Ogulu (Burna Boy) is the first Nigerian male artist to win the Grammy Awards for an original work.

Burna Boy won the Best Global Music Album for “Twice As Tall” (2021). At the 66th Grammy Awards, he received four nominations.

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Ayodeji Balogun ‘Wizkid’ is regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest musical acts.

Wizkid won the Best Music Video category, for his collaboration on the track “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy at the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021.

Black Coffee (South Africa)

“The DJ/producer’s victory represents a shift around ideas of what African musicians are capable of, from traditional genres and folk music to the high-tech world of electronic dance music,” Grammy stated.

Black Coffee won the Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for “Subconsciously” (2022) at the 64th Grammy Awards.

Tems (Nigeria)

Temilade Openiyi popularly known as Tems won the Best Melodic Rap Performance for “WAIT FOR U” (Future, Drake & Tems) at the 65th Grammy Awards.

Entertainment

FULL LIST: Tyla Clinches ‘Best Afrobeats’ At MTV VMAs

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Tyla beat Nigerian Afroartists to win the ‘Best Afrobeats’ category at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, clinching the prize with her hit song Push 2 Start.

The South African singer-songwriter triumphed over heavyweights including Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, Wizkid, and Asake, evidence of her growing dominance on the global stage.

However, she lost out in the ‘Best Choreography’ category, where Doechii’s Anxiety took the prize.

Nigerian stars also had a disappointing night.

Ayra Starr, nominated for ‘MTV Push Performance of the Year’, and Burna Boy, in the ‘Video for Good’ category, left without wins.

The night’s standout achiever was pop superstar Ariana Grande, having swept major headline categories, including Video of the Year and took home 3 big awards, making her the night’s top winner.

In terms of awards count, Lady Gaga won four awards, including ‘Artist of the Year’, ‘Best Art Direction’, ‘Best Direction’, and ‘Best Collaboration’ for Die With a Smile with Bruno Mars.

The MTV Video Music Awards is a show presented by the cable channel MTV, and dedicated to celebrating the year’s biggest artists and music videos with performances and honours.

The ceremony, held Sunday at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, was broadcast for the first time on CBS.

The event also featured historic inaugural awards. American rap legend Busta Rhymes was honoured with the first-ever ‘Rock the Bells Visionary Award’, while Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin received the inaugural ‘Latin Icon Award’.

Below is the full list of winners across categories:

Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga — WINNER
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Song of the Year
Alex Warren – ‘Ordinary’
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds of a Feather’
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Gracie Abrams – ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Lorde – ‘What Was That’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’ — WINNER
Tate McRae – ‘Sports Car’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’

Best New Artist
Alex Warren — WINNER
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías

MTV Push Performance of the Year
Ayra Starr – ‘Last Heartbreak Song’
Damiano David – ‘Next Summer’
Dasha – ‘Bye Bye Bye’
Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
Jordan Adetunji – ‘Kehlani’

Katseye – ‘Touch’ — WINNER
Lay Bankz – ‘Graveyard’
Leon Thomas – ‘Yes It Is’
Livingston – ‘Shadow’
Mark Ambor – ‘Belong Together’
Role Model – ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out’
Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’

Best Collaboration
Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – ‘Backup Plan’ (Stagecoach Official Music Video)
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – ‘Luther’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’ — WINNER
Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – ‘Pour Me a Drink’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Sunset Blvd’

Best Pop
Alex Warren – ‘Ordinary’
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ — WINNER
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Hip-Hop
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’ — WINNER
Drake – ‘Nokia’
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’
Glorilla ft. Sexyy Red – ‘Whatchu Kno About Me’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
LL Cool J ft. Eminem – ‘Murdergram Deux’
Travis Scott – ‘4×4’

Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Charli XCX
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter — WINNER
Tate McRae

Video of the Year

Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ –WINNER
Billie Eilish – ‘Birds of a Feather’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – ‘Die With a Smile’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’

Best R&B
Chris Brown – ‘Residuals’
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – ‘Mutt (Remix)’

Mariah Carey – ‘Type Dangerous’ –WINNER
PartyNextDoor – ‘No Chill’
Summer Walker – ‘Heart of a Woman’
SZA – ‘Drive’
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – ‘Timeless’

Best Alternative
Gigi Perez – ‘Sailor Song’
Imagine Dragons – ‘Wake Up’
Lola Young – ‘Messy’
MGK & Jelly Roll – ‘Lonely Road’
Sombr – ‘Back to Friends’ — WINNER
The Marías – ‘Back to Me’

Best Rock
Coldplay – ‘All My Love’ — WINNER
Evanescence – ‘Afterlife’
Green Day – ‘One Eyed Bastard’
Lenny Kravitz – ‘Honey’
Linkin Park – ‘The Emptiness Machine’
Twenty One Pilots – ‘The Contract’

Best Latin
Bad Bunny – ‘Baile Inolvidable’
J Balvin – ‘Rio’
Karol G – ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’
Peso Pluma – ‘La Patrulla’
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – ‘Khé?’
Shakira – ‘Soltera’ — WINNER

Best K-Pop
Aespa – Whiplash’
Jennie – ‘Like Jennie’
Jimin – ‘Who’
Jisoo – ‘Earthquake’
Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye – ‘Born Again’ — WINNER
Stray Kids – ‘Chk Chk Boom’
Rosé – ‘Toxic Till the End’

Best Afrobeats
Asake & Travis Scott – ‘Active’
Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – ‘TaTaTa’
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – ‘Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)’
Rema – ‘Baby (Is It A Crime)’
Tems ft. Asake – ‘Get It Right’
Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’ — WINNER
Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – ‘Piece of My Heart’

Best Country
Chris Stapleton – ‘Think I’m in Love With You’
Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood – ‘I’m Gonna Love You’
Jelly Roll – ‘Liar’
Lainey Wilson – ‘4x4xU’
Megan Moroney – ‘Am I Okay?’ — WINNER
Morgan Wallen – ‘Smile’

Best Album
Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘GNX’
Lady Gaga – ‘Mayhem’
Morgan Wallen – ‘I’m the Problem’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short n’ Sweet’ — WINNER
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

Best Long Form Video
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ — WINNER
Bad Bunny – ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
Damiano David – ‘Funny Little Stories’
Mac Miller – ‘Balloonerism’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Something Beautiful’
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

Video for Good
Burna Boy – ‘Higher’
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish — WINNER
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’
Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – ‘Somebody Save Me’
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – ‘Younger and Hotter Than Me’
Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – ‘Sleepwalking’

Best Direction
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’ — WINNER
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Art Direction
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’ — WINNER
Lorde – ‘Man of the Year’
Miley Cyrus – ‘End of the World’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’

Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’ — WINNER
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Easy Lover’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’

Best Editing
Charli XCX – ‘Guess’ ft. Billie Eilish
Ed Sheeran – ‘Sapphire’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’
Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’ — WINNER

Best Choreography
Doechii – ‘Anxiety’ — WINNER
FKA twigs – ‘Eusexua’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Tyla – ‘Push 2 Start’
Zara Larsson – ‘Pretty Ugly’

Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’
Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra’
Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘Apt.’
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Manchild’ — WINNER
Tate McRae – ‘Just Keep Watching’
The Weeknd – ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’

Entertainment

Shock As Dede, Joanna Leave BBNaija S10 House Via Red Phone Twist

Published

2 days ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Viewers of Big Brother Naija Season 10 were left stunned on Monday morning after housemates Dede and Joanna were evicted through an unexpected red phone twist.

The twist unfolded when the red telephone rang inside the house and Dede answered.

The show host, Ebuka instructed her to pick a fellow housemate without explanation, then she chose Joanna, and moments later both were told they had been evicted.

Biggie later did the usual countdown for them to leave the house.

The sudden announcement left housemates in disbelief, with Sultana visibly unsettled while Isabella insisted it might be a fake eviction, recalling similar moments in previous seasons.

This has also fuelled speculation that the duo may have been moved to a secret room, a tactic Big Brother has deployed in past editions to build suspense.

The development comes barely 24 hours after Big Soso, Ivatar, and Doris were evicted during Sunday’s live show.

Entertainment

Nollywood Actor, Ibrahim Chatta, Loses ‘Son’

Published

4 days ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta has been thrown into mourning following the death of his son.

The actor announced the loss through a post on his Instagram page on Saturday.

Posting a picture of the late boy, he captioned, “Inna liLlahi wa inna ileyhi rajiun.

“Ya Allah, You are the Knower of all things Rest on Dear Son. Champ💔💔💔💔”

The post has, however, continued to generate reactions from fans and colleagues of the actor, who have taken to the comments section to commiserate with him over the development.

An actress, Tawa Ajisefini wrote, “Haaaaa Subuhanallah. I’m so sorry uncle. condolences.”

Also reacting, “Jamiu Azeez commented, “Haaaaaa God pls have mercy on us 00 dadad this is too much o.”

However, it could not be confirmed whether the deceased is his biological son or relative as of the time of filing this report.

The news comes just days after veteran actress Peju Ogunmola lost her only child, Ayomikun, an incident that also left the entertainment industry in grief.