6 Important Highlights for African Music at the 2024 Grammys
Mark your calendars: February 4th
Are the Grammys still music’s biggest night? The answer depends on who you ask. A couple of years ago, there was clamour for better inclusivity at the prestigious awards, from women being better acknowledged to respecting the global impact of urban African music. In its past two to three editions, the Recording Academy has made visible changes to reflect a broader, more liberal outlook, whether that’s renaming categories or simply creating new ones.
For many Africans, the 66th Grammys, scheduled to be held next Sunday, is a better representation of Afropop’s standing within the wider scope of global music. There’s an all-new category, over a dozen artists are nominated beyond the Global categories, and it’s just an indication that our music isn’t just being heard and played in the biggest places, it’s also worthy of the highest honours. Ahead of the ceremonies, here are six important highlights we’ll be paying close attention to during the premiere show and televised event in the Crypto.com arena.
The Grammys introduce ‘Best African Music Performance’ Category
Noms: Asake and Olamide – “Amapiano,” Burna Boy – “City Boys,” Ayra Starr – “Rush,” Tyla – “Water” & Davido ft Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE.”
Back in June 2023, the Recording Academy unveiled three new categories for the 2024 ceremony and one category generated a significant amount of buzz—with good reason. The Best African Music Performance category, according to the board, is set to feature a slew of ‘local expressions’ including Amapiano, Fuji, Ghanaian Drill, Alternative music and so on. This introduction is meant to be a not-so-silent nod at the sold out stadium tours, outstanding break-out runs, unbelievable streaming numbers, record breaking tours and remarkable cross-continental collaborations emanating from these parts. At home and beyond, Afropop veterans and newcomers are championing fresh and innovative sounds not only contributing but dominating worldwide music conversations.
It is for this reason, amongst others, that a category for Best African Music Performance comes off as lazy and ambiguous, lumping a continent with rich and diverse sounds under one nomination slot. This isn’t untrue but that also doesn’t mean the category comes with no benefit whatsoever. This season always springs up conversations regarding the validity of these ceremonies and why the award system is outdated and almost irrelevant, particularly when deserving recipients fail to gain recognition. But it is important to take into account the windows of opportunity these accreditation systems provide, beyond one’s name engraved on a gold gramophone statuette.
#GRAMMYs
Nominated Artists
Burna Boy – “Alone”, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”, City Boys”, ‘I Told Them…’
Davido – “Unavailable”, “Feel”, ‘Timeless’
Asake & Olamide – “Amapiano”
Ayra Starr – “Rush”
Tems – “Lift Me Up”— The NATIVE (@NativeMag) November 10, 2023
The golden legacy of Olamide
Noms: Best African Music Performance – Asake and Olamide for “Amapiano”
For most of the 2010s, Olamide was the most consistent hit-maker in Nigerian music. Where all of the proverbial Big Three had their lulls in that period, Olamide had the streets of Lagos and the entire southwest region on lock, and that dominance reverberated throughout Nigeria and even spilled over to the rest of the continent. At that, there was chatter that primarily rapping Yoruba and being overly tethered to the grit of the streets limited his impact in pushing Nigerian music to a wider, global audience.
Well, the man is now a Grammy-nominated artist, on a song he co-headlines with the biggest artist he’s signed to his YBNL label till date. Asake is a much different artist to the man who helped barrel into the Nigerian pop mainstream, but there’s a deep musical and spiritual kinship that ties his ongoing successes to the feats Olamide achieved at his peak. “Amapiano,” the song they’re both nominated for, is easily one of the best party-ready songs of this decade already, even if you roll your eyes at its title and the kind of appropriation it stands for. Right now, though, what’s most immediate is the additional validation this nomination provides. Olamide’s legacy is already sealed, now it deserves to be even more gilded than before. As the man declares, “Streets shi wa in charge.”
It’s Davido’s time… finally
Noms: Best African Music Performance – “UNAVAILABLE,” Best Global Music Performance – “FEEL” & Best Global Music Album ‘Timeless.’
After over a decade in the music industry, Davido is finally getting his well-deserved recognition at the highest highs, with three big nominations. All conversations surrounding the Big 3 in Nigerian Pop have never left out Davido’s name and with good reason. He has remained a consistent force propelling the ropes of African music well beyond its borders with a series of monster singles, peerless collaborations and stage performances across the world. The moment is all the more special considering his nominations are for an album birth by a grief-induced hiatus. The 6-month absence, tagged by his absence from social media, marked the first time the singer drifted away from the limelight after becoming an unwavering persona in Afropop from his momentous introduction to the scene with “Dami Duro.” In a heartfelt tweet, post the announcement made in the earlier parts of November, Davido says “3 nominations at the Grammys!! Delay is not Denial!!,” perfectly encapsulating the feelings running through his fans across the world, who’d been watching the superstar since his debut.
3 nominations at the Grammys!! Delay is not Denial!!
— Davido (@davido) November 10, 2023
Burna Boy Told Us
Noms: Best African Music Performance – “City Boys,” Best Melodic Rap Performance – “Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” Best Global Music Album – ‘I Told Them…’ & Best Global Music Performance – “Alone”
“I know say one day e go better/I go carry Grammy,” Burna Boy sang on the eponymous intro to his fourth studio album, ‘African Giant’. That was nearly five years ago. Burna has won the Grammy he so dearly coveted at the time but he hasn’t let up, broadening the scope of his music even further and being just as productive as the initial 3-album run that brought him to international popularity. At this year’s Grammys, he’s nominated four times, a record-setting feat for Afropop.
In addition to nods in the two Global music categories and the new Best African Music Performance category, he’s nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance, for “Sittin’ on Top of the World” with British-American rap artist 21 Savage. The latter nod is significant for its consideration in one of the more mainstream categories, perhaps a fringe indicator that African artists can make music that will simply not be shunted to “Global” and “African” sides at future Grammys. Regardless of the outcome of his nods, Burna’s bar-setting, ambassadorial role will be made even more undeniable by his performance at the awards show itself, an upgrade from his telecast performance back in 2021.
Being on-stage at the Grammys might even be beyond what Burna Boy envisaged for himself when he simply hoped for one gramophone, but his unbendable self-belief, to the point of narcissism, is a huge part of what keeps on elevating his mythos.
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Widens the Playing Field
Noms: Best Song Written For Visual Media – “Lift Me Up,” Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media & Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media – ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inpsired By’.
In creating the music for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, returning director and composer, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson, visited Lagos to collaborate with Nigerian artists and musicians. On the final soundtrack, the “music from and inspired by” compilation, eleven African artists are primary contributors, including five South Africans and six Nigerians. (To up the tally, you can add British-Ghanaian rap artist Stormzy and American-Nigerian rapper Tobe Nwigwe.) All of them are up for a Grammy, as the project is nominated in the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media category.
In addition to this group nod, Tems’ contribution to Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” snags her another nomination in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category, while Burna Boy’s emotionally resonant “Alone” is up for Best Global Music Performance. For artists like Bloody Civilian, DBN Gogo, Kamo Mphela, and more, who are scoring their first nod, it’s a heart-warming achievement regardless of Sunday night’s outcome. A win, though, would widen the number of African artists who are Grammy winners—which is always welcome.
Make room for the IT Girls, Tyla and Ayra Starr.
Noms: Best African Music Performance – Tyla for “Water” and Ayra Starr for “Rush.”
After decades of women being sidelined from major Afropop conversations even on home turf, well-deserved recognition can hardly go unnoticed. The consistent efforts of Sho Madjozi, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, Angelique Kidjo, Fatoumata Diawara and others—who are just now enjoying a semblance of a level playing field as global stars—says a lot. Their relentless efforts and peerless stardom have ushered in acts like Ayra Starr and Tyla, who are now afforded shots at a lasting legacy so early on in their career.
As much as the nominations, regardless of a win or lack thereof cement these stars as the youngest female acts from their respective countries to gain global recognition, the best part lies in the message behind the tracks. Women across the globe are not new being policed and playing by the confines of performative respectability politics. So when “Water,” a song that brazenly expresses sexual desires and “Rush,” a melody stacked with cheeky yet assertive proclamations of generational greatness, earns a nomination, it is worth an acknowledgment. More than being recognised for being some of the most consistent hit makers of this generation, we’re more than excited to see women finally playing ball and on their own terms at that.
View this post on Instagram
Words by Dennis Ade Peter and Nwanneamaka Igwe
[Featured Image Credits/The NATIVE]
Luwa.Mp4 Releases Riotous Debut Album, ‘punKstA*’
Across the album’s 12 tracks, Luwa.Mp4 continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock,...
Rising singer and rapper Luwa.Mp4 has released his debut album titled ‘punKstA*.’ The underground star who has been on a release spree all year long, announced the imminent arrival of his debut only a couple of days ago with a cryptic trailer video and an Instagram caption that simply read ‘PUNKSTA* MONDAY.’
Before the arrival of ‘punKstA*,’ the rising fusion star had been showcasing his diligence and talent with a consistent output that has seen him put out over a dozen songs since the start of the year. A string of singles led to a 6-pack titled ‘lore skooL,’ while a deluxe version that housed 5 new songs came just a month later.
His debut album’s lead single, “pUNK FANTASY,” arrived in late July, setting the stage for what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the underground star’s burgeoning career.
Across the album’s 12 tracks, the eclectic singer continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock, Afropop, Hyperpop, and Rap into something uniquely different. Tracks like “Pure Water,” which was previously teased on Cruel Santino’s Subaru Live Stream, the abrasive, Tecno-influenced “pROMISED NEVERLAND,” and the more laidback “pEEp MY RIDE” put on display the sort of varied, autotune-soaked approach that has set him apart and helped carve a growing niche.
While Luwa decided to go solo on his debut, credited as the only recording artist, the album was brought to life by a cast of talented producers like frequent collaborator TOPSY, Emyboi, JTRN, 3CB, FVKK.ANDI and Jeremy Cartier.
Listen to ‘punKstA*,’ here.
Keep reading...
Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
Keep reading...
The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
Keep reading...
