The 66th Grammy Awards will forever remain a sad day for Nigerians as none of our artistes won in their nominated categories. In this Weekend Magazine feature, Daily Trust Saturday chronicles the reactions of Nigerians following the incident.
Reactions have poured in following Nigeria’s loss at the 66th Grammy Award. Renowned artistse, such as Davido, Burna Boy, Asake and Ayra Star, all lost in their nominated categories, dealing a significant blow to Nigeria’s music scene.
Burna Boy, who received four nominations, including Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Global Music Performance, Best African Music Performance and Best Global Music Album, failed to secure any award. Similarly, Davido, nominated for three categories, also left empty-handed.
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Other Nigerian artistes like Asake, Olamide and Ayra Starr were also nominated in the Best African Music Performance category but missed out on the win. Instead, awards went to artistes like Lil Durk, Tyla, Shakti and Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain, featuring Rakesh Chaurasia.
The aftermath of the event has left fans and the Nigerian music industry deeply disappointed and frustrated. Social media platforms have been flooded with expressions of disappointment, with fans lamenting the absence of recognition for their favourite stars.
An X user, @Thesameremy wrote, “Na I’m hurt for Davido. Not a diehard star but this #GRAMMYs Ls pain me die because Davido tried his hardest. You can legit hear growth if you listen to AGT down to Timeless, he kept on fine-tuning.
“Do you know what it could have meant if top 3 artistes in Nigeria all had Grammy plaques? We could have had the throne in African music (not like we don’t now, but I mean, bragging rights?)
“Well, as Drake said last night, “This show doesn’t dictate shit in our world. Also, I feel like the Grammy is snubbing obvious winners as part of its marketing plan to get and stay trending… and it works well every single year.”
Another user, @ahdebee, stated, “The Grammys remain corrupt. They owe Davido, 30bg, Ayra Starr, me and Nigeria transparency and an explanation for ignoring pure music ability.”
The disappointment among fans sparked contentious exchanges between fan bases, with some resorting to insults and blame games. The intensity of emotions also led some fans to report Grammy’s official accounts on various platforms.
An X user, @blaiire wrote, “God forbid that I’m a 30bg…That fan base is filled with losers – lost the Grammys, lost the bets. That’s after Davido has paid all the influencers to post about his nominations and what not. You ever wonder why they are always quick go throw insults instead of banter? Failures.”
Another user, @Kayz177 stated, “When Wiz lost his Grammy nominations nobody made fun of us pass outsiders. Now, 2 Grammys don pass without Burna Boy winning anything. Is God not wonderful?”
Many celebrities also shared their opinions, stating that it was wrong to dismiss Nigeria’s grown global recognitions and the efforts and hard work of its artistes.
A Nigerian artiste, Cynthia Morgan, mentioned that although not being Davido’s biggest fan, the artiste deserved at least one win out of his three nominations, which would have brought a lot of joy to the country.
Davido’s hype man, Special Spesh, also expressed his disappointment at the Grammy results, accusing the organisers of trying to suppress popular genres like Afrobeat. He promised not to let the Grammys denigrate African music and declared that the Afrobeats community wouldn’t be deterred by the outcome.
A music journalist, Joey Akan wrote, “All of us pack enter plane go LA clap for other people? After all the brunch and the photos, parades and performances, not even 1 trophy at all. Nothing for Nigeria, nothing for Afrobeats! Grammy no try at all. They don rip us.”
However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu offered a contrasting perspective, choosing to celebrate the nominees as winners, regardless of the outcome. He commended their resilience and representation of Nigerian ideals on the global stage.
Part of his statement reads, “Our superstars nominated for the Grammy Awards are all winners. I am proud of their exploits. They represent that Nigerian ideal, the courage to strive and succeed against all odds and the hope to stay true to purpose. I congratulate and thank them for being exemplary envoys of Nigeria,”
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Nigerians will feel snubbed by the Grammys. In 2022, Wizkid earned two nominations, including the Best Global Music Performance and Best Global Music Album. Wizkid’s loss in both categories sparked similar reactions, with many feeling he was unjustly denied recognition.
Despite the setback, Burna Boy’s historic performance at the awards ceremony marked a milestone for Nigerian artistes. Trevor Noah’s anticipation of Burna Boy’s performance highlighted the significance of African representation on such a prestigious platform.
He said, “I don’t know what it will be. I love it and I’m excited for Burna Boy and Nigeria and for the African continent as a whole.”
In conclusion, Nigerians may look back on the 66th Grammy Awards as a missed opportunity, but its musicians’ talents and tenacity will always be felt around the world, making their influence last beyond award shows.
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