Burna Boy, Tinariwen score Grammy nominations

25 Nov 2020 - 09:58

The nominees for the 63rd annual Grammy Awards were unveiled on 24 November ahead of the event on 31 January, with Nigerian Afro-fusion star Burna Boy securing his second consecutive nomination.

Nigerian Afro-fusion artist Burna Boy.

Burna Boy was shortlisted for his 2020 LP Twice As Tall in the Best Global Music Album category, formerly known as the Best World Music Album category. He faces competition from Tuareg collective Tinariwen, who won the Grammy in 2012 for the album Tassili, Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band Antibalas, Brazilian-American pop singer Bebel Gilberto and British-Indian sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar.

Burna Boy's nomination was announced by US rapper Megan Thee Stallion, also a 2021 Grammy nominee. Yemi Alade announced the nominees in the rock, metal, packaging and notes categories.

The Grammy Awards were first held in 1959 to honour “artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position.” Presented by Grammy oversight body the Recording Academy, the award for world music was first awarded in 1992.

Burna Boy’s fourth album African Giant was nominated for a 2020 Grammy but lost to Beninese legend Angélique Kidjo’s Celia. In her acceptance speech, Kidjo dedicated her fourth Grammy to the Nigerian singer.

“Four years ago, on this stage, I was telling you that the new generation of artists coming from Africa is going to take you by storm and the time has come,” she said. “This is for Burna Boy. Burna Boy is among these young artists that come from Africa that are changing the way our continent is perceived and the way African music has been the bedrock for every music.”

Burna Boy alludes to that night on the title track of his new album, noting his disappointment of losing the award: “I remember when I couldn’t level up / Cause the Grammys had me feeling sick as f*ck/ Throwing up and sh*t / Asking questions like, why it wasn’t us?’/ Almost had a nigga feeling envious." Reacting to his nomination on Tuesday, he simply tweeted: “Another one.”

Meanwhile, on the same day, Burna Boy also bagged two nominations for this year’s Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards in the UK, as well as a Best World Album nomination at the Edison Jazz/World Awards in the Netherlands.

The 2021 Grammys will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, with South African comedian Trevor Noah as the host.