Arguably the most prestigious music awards in the globe, The Grammys Awards on Thursday last week announced their nominee list for their upcoming 61st edition on the 10th of February, 2019.
Nigeria’s own Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, was nominated for an award and also billed to perform at the award’s premier ceremony. Seun Kuti and his Egypt 80 band are nominated for Best World Music Album for ‘Black Times.’”
However, Seun Kuti is not the first Nigerian to be nominated for the Grammy Awards. Other Nigerians have been nominated in the past (singles or collaborations), with a number of them going on to claim the esteemed award.
In the view of this, we have compiled a list of ten Nigerians who have been nominated for the Grammy Awards in the past. Take a look:
- King Sunny Ade
This legendary Fuji Musician was the first ever Nigerian to be nominated for the Grammys. His nomination came in 1983 in the Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording category for his album “Synchro System”. He was nominated again in 1998 in the Best World Music category for his album called “Odu”.
- Sade Adu
Folashade Adu is a Nigerian born artiste who resides in the UK. She got her first Grammy nomination in 1986 which she won and has been nominated an additional 8 times since then. She won three more of the esteemed award (1994, 2002 and 2011), making her the joint highest winner of the Grammy awards in Nigeria.
- Henry “SEAL” Samuel
Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, popularly known as ‘SEAL’ got his first Grammy nomination in 1992, then he went on to win 3 Grammy awards for his song “Kiss from a Rose” in 1996. He won another Grammy in 2011 for his collaboration with Paradisio on ‘Imagine’. He has been nominated this year again in the Best Traditional pop Vocal Album category.
- Hakeem Seriki “Chamillionare”
American rapper “Chamillionaire was born to a Nigerian father in Washington D.C. He was nominated twice in the 2007 Grammy awards of which he won one award for his single “Ridin” in the Best rap Performance by a Duo or Group category.
- Sikiru Adepoju
Sikiru is Nigerian percussionist who was part of the Planet Drum group that was nominated and won the Grammy award for the Best Contemporary World Music album in 1991 and the Global Drum Project that also won the same award at the 2009 Grammys.
- Femi Kuti
The first son of afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, Femi has been nominated for a Grammy award on four different occasions (2003, 2010, 2012 and 2013) in the World music category. He has not won any yet.
- Kevin Olusola
The only black member of pop acapella group, Pentatonix, Kevin Olusola has been nominated (with the group) three times for a Grammy award (2015, 2016 and 2017) and won all the three awards.
- Wizkid
Our homegrown superstar, Ayo Balogun aka Wizkid, got his first Grammy nomination when drake’s album ‘Views” which he was featured in and co-produced a song, was up for the Album of the Year category in 2017. Unfortunately, the ‘Views’ lost the award to Adele’s ‘25’.
- Kah-Lo
Nigerian singer and songwriter, Faridah Seriki also known as Kah-Lo was nominated for her song “Rinse and Repeat” with British Dj, Riton in the 2017 Grammy awards. The song was nominated n the Best Dance recording category but did not win the award.
- Timaya
This talented dancehall singer got his first Grammy nomination when Morgan heritage’s album which he featured in was up for the Best Reggae album award. He didn’t win it as the award went to Damien Marley’s ‘Stony Hill’.
You don’t know about Lekan Babalola who was nominated and won the Grammy? A Yoruba Babalawo Jazz musician based in the UK
Hello Babalawo,
Actually, I do know about Lekan Babalola, same way I know about Chimamanda Adichie’s and Babatunde Olatunji’s nominations. But seeing as its a list of 10, unfortunately I couldn’t squeeze everybody into this list.
Nice knowledge on Nigerian Grammy Nominations tho’. Twale!
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Wow! 9 out of the ten artistes are Yorubas.