Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, Tyla Lead 2026 Grammy African Music Nominations

The Recording Academy has unveiled the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, spotlighting some of the continent’s most influential stars and rising voices. Now in its third year, the category continues to reflect the growing global appeal and evolving sound of African music.

This year’s nominees include Burna Boy’s Love; Davido and Omah Lay’s collaboration With You; Hope & Love by Ugandan star Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin; Gimme Dat by Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid; and Push 2 Start by South African sensation Tyla.

Burna Boy, a previous Grammy winner, returns with the reflective single Love, reaffirming his status as a dominant force in global music. The collaboration between Ayra Starr and Wizkid on Gimme Dat brings together two generations of Nigerian Afropop talent, while Davido and Omah Lay’s With You unites two distinct voices known for emotional depth and rhythmic versatility.

Adding a strong pan-African dimension is Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin’s Hope & Love, signaling the genre’s growing cross-border and cross-cultural movement.

Tyla, who rose to global acclaim after winning the inaugural Best African Music Performance award in 2024 for her hit Water, returns with Push 2 Start. The track underscores her continued evolution within the pop-infused Amapiano soundscape and positions her as one of the category’s most compelling contenders.

A music critic described the nominee list as “a reflection of African music’s confidence in its solo stars, while also showcasing bold creative partnerships that push the genre forward.”

The winner will be announced at the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony, where the spotlight will once again be on Africa’s influence in shaping global sound and culture.