Burna Boy sets new record with seventh consecutive Grammy nominations

Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has achieved another milestone as he becomes the first African artiste to earn Grammy nominations for seven consecutive years.

The Afrobeats star received two nominations in the 68th Grammy Awards announced on Friday by the Recording Academy.

His song Love was nominated for Best African Music Performance, while his album No Sign of Weakness earned a nod for Best Global Music Album.

The 34-year-old singer has now been nominated for the Grammys every year since 2018, bringing his total nominations to 13, with one win for his 2020 album Twice As Tall in the Best Global Music Album category.

Burna Boy first earned global attention with his album Outside, which set the stage for his international success. His consistent nominations have made him one of Africa’s most recognised and influential artistes on the global stage.

Other Nigerian artistes were also listed among the 2026 nominees, showing Nigeria’s growing influence in world music.

Davido, Ayra Starr, and Wizkid all earned nominations in the Best African Music Performance category. Davido was nominated for With You featuring Omah Lay, while Ayra Starr’s collaboration with Wizkid on Gimme Dat also made the list.

They will compete with Burna Boy’s Love, Hope & Love by Ugandan artiste Eddy Kenzo featuring Mehran Matin, and Push 2 Start by South African singer Tyla.

Burna Boy also faces tough competition in the Best Global Music Album category, going up against Senegalese legend Youssou N’Dour (Eclairer le Monde), Indian sitarist Anoushka Shankar (Chapter III: We Return to Light), Brazilian icons Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia (Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo), and fusion group Shakti (Mind Explosion).

Music analysts have praised Burna Boy’s record-breaking run as a major win for Nigeria and Africa, saying it reflects the growing acceptance of Afrobeats across the world.

In 2025, Tems led Nigerian nominations with three nods, but Burna Boy’s continued dominance at the Grammys has now set a new record for African artistes.

The 68th Grammy Awards will hold on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where over 95 categories, including pop, rap, gospel, R&B, and world music, will be celebrated.

Recall that Tems won the Best African Music Performance category at the 67th Grammy Awards, beating fellow Nigerian stars Yemi Alade, Burna Boy, and Wizkid with her hit song Love Me Jeje.