The road to the 2026 Grammy Awards has officially begun, and a powerful wave of African artists is set to make a massive impact on the global stage. According to Grammy monitoring platform The Grammy Guru, several continental superstars have submitted their work for consideration across major and genre categories.
Major Contenders in Key Categories
Nigerian heavyweights Wizkid and Burna Boy are both aiming for the night’s top honors, seeking nominations in the prestigious Album of the Year category:
Wizkid: Leading the Pack
Wizkid has put forward his latest album, Morayo, for both Album of the Year and Best Global Album.
- Top Submissions: His single “Piece of My Heart” is being considered for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best African Music Performance.
- Video: The self-directed track “Kese (Dance)” was submitted for Best Music Video.
- Collaboration: His joint effort with Olamide and Darkoo, “Billionaires Club,” is also in the running for Best African Music Performance.
Burna Boy: No Sign of Weakness
Burna Boy’s album No Sign of Weakness was submitted in both the Album of the Year and Best Global Album categories.
- Solo Track: His soulful song “Love” is seeking a nomination for Best African Music Performance.
- Global Feature: His collaboration with French artist Joé Dwèt Filé, “Kampé III,” was entered for Best Global Music Performance.
Rising Stars Making a Global Push
The submissions highlight the emergence of new voices continuing the African sound’s momentum, most notably from Ayra Starr and South Africa’s Tyla.
Ayra Starr
One of Afrobeats’ brightest young voices, Ayra Starr, has targeted two of the “Big Four” categories:
- Top Submissions: Her hit single “Hot Body” was submitted for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
- Visuals & Performance: Her joint effort with Wizkid, “Gimme Dat,” is being considered for both Best African Music Performance and Best Music Video.
Tyla
Following her previous Grammy success, South African singer Tyla has submitted a diverse slate of recordings:
- Top Submissions: Her hit “Push 2 Start” was entered across four major genre and major categories: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best African Music Performance, and Best Music Video.
- Pop Category: She submitted the track “Is It” for Best Pop Solo Performance.
- Remix: The track “One Call (TMXO Remix)” was entered for Best Remixed Recording.
Growing Continental Influence
The sheer number and caliber of these submissions underscore the continent’s growing influence in the global music industry. This influence is further solidified by Nigerian superstar Davido, who recently joined the Recording Academy as a voting member.
The Recording Academy will proceed with its voting process in the coming weeks, with the official list of Grammy nominees expected to be announced in November 2025.
Source: NotJustOK
