From major album campaigns to emerging acts and international collaborations, Nigerian and Afrobeats linked recordings are appearing in reports about submissions for the 69th Grammy Awards. Here is what is known about the projects, the categories they are targeting and what happens next.
Nigerian music is once again generating conversation ahead of the Grammy Awards, with reports of submissions from some of the country’s biggest stars and a growing number of artists whose work reflects the diversity of its contemporary music scene.
Ayra Starr, Tems, Davido, Asake and Seun Kuti are among the established names whose reported entries span multiple categories, from Album of the Year and Record of the Year to Best African Music Performance. More recent reports have brought Victony and NO11 into the conversation, while a reported submission involving Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy has added an international dimension to the story.
However, an important distinction must be made: submission for Grammy consideration is not the same as a Grammy nomination. The entries discussed here come from music-industry reporting, label announcements and social media accounts tracking the awards season. They are not an official list of nominees, and the full set of individual submissions has not been independently verified.
With first round voting scheduled for October 12–22, 2026, and the nominations announcement set for November 16, the coming weeks will determine which recordings advance to the official nominee list.
The Grammy Awards are administered by the Recording Academy, which operates a formal process for receiving entries, reviewing eligibility, determining category placement and selecting nominees and winners. A submission is the initial step in that process, not an indication that a nomination has been secured.
For the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, the eligibility period covers recordings and other qualifying works released between August 31, 2025, and August 28, 2026. The official Online Entry Process ran from July 7 to August 21, 2026.
Only eligible Recording Academy members and registered media companies could submit entries during that window. Once submissions closed, the Academy’s Awards staff began reviewing entries for eligibility, while genre-based screening committees assess whether recordings have been placed in the appropriate categories.
The entries that pass the required review proceed to the official first-round ballot. Voting members of the Recording Academy then determine the nominees, with a separate final voting round selecting the winners.
The Academy’s published schedule places the nominations announcement on November 16, 2026, and the awards ceremony on February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.
Ayra Starr Leads a Wide-Ranging Reported Campaign
Ayra Starr is among the Nigerian artists attracting attention for the breadth of her reported submissions, which cover her album, solo recordings and international collaborations.
According to reports, her album Starrgirl has been submitted for consideration in Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, Best Engineered Album and Best Album Cover.
Her reported individual entries extend into several other fields. “Heaven Baby”, her collaboration with Zayn, is linked to Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. “Who’s Dat Girl”, featuring Rema, is targeting Best Global Music Performance.
Several other collaborations are associated with Best African Music Performance, including “Ms. Paper” with Theodora, “Aye Kan (Are You Coming Back?)” with Angélique Kidjo, “Le Show” with Davido and French Montana, and “Show Me” with Latto.
“Tornado” is in consideration for Best Music Video, while “Wo Man – Edit”, featuring Peggy Gou, is linked to Best Dance Pop Recording.
Tems Targets Album, R&B and Collaborative Categories
Tems is another major Nigerian name appearing prominently in the reported submission lists.
Her album Love Is a Kingdom is reportedly targeting Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, Best Engineered Album and Best Album Cover.
Her individual recordings and collaborations have also been linked to several categories. “What You Need” is in connection with Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Solo Performance and Best R&B Song, with some reports also listing Best Music Video.
“Raindance”, featuring British rapper Dave, has attracted attention for its reported placements across major recording, songwriting and rap-related categories.
“Big Daddy” is targeting Best African Music Performance, while “I Think You’re Special”, her collaboration with Justin Bieber, is linked to Best R&B Duo/Group Performance.
Davido Puts Forward Oriadé and Multiple Singles
Davido’s reported submissions include his album Oriadé and several individual recordings, making him another of the Nigerian artists seeking recognition across multiple categories.
The singer entered his album alongside several songs through the Grammy submission process. The album is in consideration for Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) and Best Album Cover.
“B4 B4”, featuring Mayorkun and FOLA, is linked to Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance. “Nakupenda”, involving TxC, Zlatan, Shoday, Scotts Maphuma and Al Xapo, is targeting Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance.
“Le Show”, featuring Ayra Starr and French Montana, is also associated with Best African Music Performance. Another entry, “I Know Who I Be”, with JAZZWRLD and GL_Ceejay, is linked to Best Music Video.
Asake Targets Album and Song Recognition
Asake is also among the artists whose reported submissions have attracted attention in the run-up to the nominations announcement.
According to his label, Giran Republic the singer has four entries spanning his album and individual recordings.
His album M$NEY is linked to Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album.
“Gratitude” is targeting Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance. “Jogodo”, his collaboration with Wizkid, is linked to Best African Music Performance, while “Worship”, featuring French DJ and producer DJ Snake, is targeting Best Dance Pop Recording.
Asake has previously received Grammy nominations for “Amapiano”, with Olamide, and “MMS”, featuring Wizkid. The reported 2027 entries provide another opportunity for his work to seek recognition from the Academy.
Seun Kuti Brings the Afrobeat Tradition
While much of the attention surrounding the Grammy season centres on contemporary Afrobeats, Seun Kuti’s reported entries highlight a different but equally important strand of Nigerian musical history.
According to Pulse Nigeria, Seun has submitted “Na Dem” and “Problems” for consideration in Best African Music Performance.
Seun’s reported entries stand alongside the contemporary pop and Afrobeats recordings in this year’s discussion, demonstrating the range of Nigerian music seeking international recognition.
Victony Enters the Conversation With Starlife and “Slick”
Recent reports circulating within Nigerian music communities have added Victony to the growing list of artists reportedly seeking consideration for the 2027 awards.
According to information shared by Streamdorm, Victony is reportedly linked to Best New Artist, while his sophomore album Starlife is associated with Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album.
His song “Slick” is also targeting Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance.
NO11’s Reported Entry: “How Far”
Another name appearing in recent social media discussions is NO11, also styled No11 or No. 11. Reports associate the act with “How Far”, a recording referenced alongside Monochrome and, in some accounts, Ayjay Bobo.
The track is reportedly linked to Best African Music Performance.
Shakira and Burna Boy: An International Collaboration
One of the most notable international developments in the reported submissions is “Dai Dai”, a collaboration between Colombian pop star Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
Reports circulating on social media link the track to Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Global Music Performance and Best Music Video.
Other new submissions will be updated.