African stars up for honours at 2023 Grammys

The other nominees are Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo, South Africa’s Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode, and Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy, who has been nominated twice.

Burna Boy and Angélique Kidjo were shortlisted for Best Global Music Album, with the former also nominated in the Best Global Music Performance category where most of Africa’s nominees appear.

Angélique Kidjo is also up for the Best Song Written for Visual Media Award, while Nigerian singer Tems is in the running for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for her appearance on Future and Drake’s ‘Wait For U’. She is also nominated alongside Beyoncé for her credit on the American diva’s album Renaissance, giving the Nigerian a total of three nominations at the 65th Grammys.

Last year, Kidjo picked up the Best Global Music Album Award, while South Africa’s Black Coffee won the Best Dance/Electronic Album Award.

Speaking to the press in Ghana in September, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr revealed that the Grammy oversight body is considering an Afrobeats category at music’s biggest awards.

Meanwhile, Beyoncé leads this year’s nominations with nine, while rapper Kendrick Lamar was shortlisted in eight categories. American singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile and English singer Adele scored seven nods each. 

Best Global Music Album

• Shuruaat – Berklee Indian Ensemble
• Love, Damini – Burna Boy
• Queen of Sheba – Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf
• Between Us … (Live) – Anoushka Shankar, Metropole Orkest and Jules Buckley ft. Manu Delago
• Sakura – Masa Takumi

Best Global Music Performance

• ‘Udhero Na ’ – Arooj Aftab and Anoushka Shankar
• ‘Gimme Love’ – Matt B and Eddy Kenzo
• ‘Last Last’ – Burna Boy
• ‘Neva Bow Down’ – Rocky Dawuni ft. Blvk H3ro
• ‘Bayethe’ – Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode 

Album of the Year

• Voyage – ABBA
• 30 – Adele
• Un Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny
• Renaissance – Beyoncé ft. Beam, Grace Jones, Tems and others.
• Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) – Mary J. Blige
• In These Silent Days – Brandi Carlile
• Music of the Spheres – Coldplay
• Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar
• Special – Lizzo
• Harry's House – Harry Styles

The full list nominees is available here.