Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid miss out at 2026 Grammys as Tyla clinches African honour

Top Nigerian artistes Ayra Starr, Davido, Omah Lay, Wizkid and Burna Boy ended the 2026 Grammy Awards without a win, as South Africa’s Tyla emerged victorious in the African music category at the prestigious ceremony.

The awards were held on February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with South African comedian Trevor Noah returning as host of the global event.

In the highly anticipated Best African Music Performance category, Tyla claimed the award with her song, beating a strong field of nominees that included Burna Boy’s Love, Gimme Dat by Wizkid and Ayra Starr, With You by Davido featuring Omah Lay, and Hope & Love by Ugandan artiste Eddy Kenzo alongside Mehran Matin.

Burna Boy also suffered disappointment in the Best Global Music Album category, where his nominated project failed to secure the award. The category was won by Senegalese music icon Youssou N’Dour for Éclairer le monde: Light the World.

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Tyla’s victory marked her second win in the Best African Music Performance category. She first claimed the award in 2024 with her global hit single Water, further cementing her growing influence on the international music stage.

Nigeria had previously enjoyed success in the category, with singer Tems winning in 2025 for her song Love Me JeJe.

The 29-year-old edged out a competitive list of fellow Nigerian nominees, including Yemi Alade, Asake, Wizkid, Davido, Lojay and Burna Boy, to secure the honour.

Despite Nigeria’s strong representation at the 2026 Grammys, the night ultimately belonged to Tyla and other global acts, highlighting the increasingly competitive and diverse nature of African music on the world stage.