Five Nigerian Afrobeats stars who secured nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards failed to clinch wins in their respective categories.
In November 2025, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Wizkid earned nominations in the “Best African Music Performance” category.
Burna Boy also received an additional nomination for “Best Global Music Album” for his project, “No Sign of Weakness.”
The Nigerian entries, Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay, Ayra Starr’s “Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid, and Burna Boy’s “Love” — competed against “Hope & Love” by Eddy Kenzo featuring Mehran Matin and “Push 2 Start” by South African singer Tyla.
Tyla emerged victorious in the “Best African Music Performance” category at the awards ceremony held on 1 February at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Misses
The event aired live on the CBS Television Network and streamed on Paramount+.
Burna Boy also failed to clinch the “Best Global Music Album” award, as Brazilian music legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia claimed the category with their joint project, “Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo.”
This marked the second time Tyla outperformed Nigerian artistes in the category since its introduction in 2024.
In February 2024, PREMIUM TIMES reported that she won the inaugural category with her global hit “Water.”
With the latest win, Tyla becomes the first artiste to claim the title twice since the category was created.
FULL WINNERS LIST
Album of the year
Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos – WINNER
Justin Bieber – Swag
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Clipse – Let Got Sort Em Out
Lady Gaga– Mayhem
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Leon Thomas – Mutt
Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
Record of the year
Bad Bunny – DtMF
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Doechii – Anxiety
Billie Eilish – Wildflower
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther – WINNER
Chappell Roan – The Subway
Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.
Song of the year
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Doechii – Anxiety
Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.
Bad Bunny – DtMF
Huntr/x – Golden
Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Billie Eilish – Wildflower – WINNER
Best pop solo performance
Justin Bieber – Daisies
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Lady Gaga – Disease
Chappell Roan – The Subway
Lola Young – Messy – WINNER
Best pop vocal album
Justin Bieber – Swag
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
Lady Gaga – Mayhem – WINNER
Teddy Swims – I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2)
Best contemporary country album
Kelsea Ballerini – Patterns
Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter
Eric Church – Evangeline v the Machine
Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken – WINNER
Miranda Lambert – Postcards from Texas
Best música urbana album
Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos – WINNER
Feid – Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado
J Balvin – Mixteip
Nicki Nicole – Naiki
Trueno – EUB Deluxe
Yandel – Sinfónico (En Vivo)
Best new artist
Olivia Dean – WINNER
Katseye
The Marias
Addison Rae
Sombr
Leon Thomas
Alex Warren
Lola Young
Best rap album
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
Glorilla – Glorious
JID – God Does Like Ugly
Kendrick Lamar – GNX – WINNER
Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
Best dance-pop recording
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Bluest Flame
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra – WINNER
Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching
PinkPantheress – Illegal
Best rap performance
Cardi B – Outside
Clipse – Chains & Whips (ft Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams) – WINNER
Doechii – Anxiety
Kendrick Lamar – TV Off (ft Lefty Gunplay)
Tyler, the Creator – Darling, I (ft Teezo Touchdown)
Best country solo performance
Tyler Childers – Nose on the Grindstone
Shaboozey – Good News
Chris Stapleton – Bad As I Used to Be – WINNER
Zach Top – I Never Lie
Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo
Best rap song
Doechii – Anxiety
Clipse, Pusha T & Malice ft John Legend & Voices of Fire – The Birds Don’t Sing
Tyler, the Creator ft GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne – Sticky
GloRilla – TGIF
Kendrick Lamar ft Lefty Gunplay – TV Off – WINNER
Best pop duo/group performance
Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity – WINNER
Huntr/x – Golden
Katseye – Gabriela
Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT.
SZA Featuring Kendrick Lamar – 30 for 30
Best R&B album
Givēon – Beloved
Coco Jones – Why Not More?
Ledisi – The Crown
Teyana Taylor – Escape Room
Leon Thomas – Mutt – WINNER
Best rock album
Deftones – Private Music
Haim – I Quit
Linkin Park – From Zero
Turnstile – Never Enough – WINNER
Yungblud – Idols
Best dance/electronic album
FKA twigs – Eusexua – WINNER
Fred Again – Ten Days
PinkPantheress – Fancy That
Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale/Exhale
Skrillex – F U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!! <3
Best rock performance
Amyl and the Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing That
Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine
Turnstile – Never Enough
Hayley Williams – Mirtazapine
Yungblud – Changes (Live from Villa Park, Back to the Beginning) – WINNER
Best metal performance
Dream Theater – Night Terror
Ghost – Lachryma
Sleep Token – Emergence
Spiritbox – Soft Spine
Turnstile – Birds – WINNER
Best R&B performance
Justin Bieber – Yukon
Chris Brown – It Depends (ft Bryson Tiller)
Kehlani – Folded – WINNER
Leon Thomas – Mutt
Summer Walker – Heart of a Woman
Best traditional R&B performance
Durand Bernarr – Here We Are














