The Grammy Awards 2026: Davido, Burna Boy, Tyla & the African Music Moment Everyone Is Watching

The 2026 Grammy Awards have concluded in Los Angeles, leaving Nigeria with a mix of historic pride and competitive disappointment as the country’s biggest stars fell short in their respective categories.

Global stars Burna Boy, Davido and Ayra Starr all secured nominations, highlighting Nigeria’s continued influence in the international music scene.

However, the Best African Music Performance award went to South African singer Tyla for her hit track “Push 2 Start.” She edged out Burna Boy’s “Love,” Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay, and Ayra Starr’s “Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid.

In what many perceive as a continued sidelining of Nigerian Afrobeats, fans have lashed out at the Recording Academy for awarding the Best African Music Performance to Tyla’s ‘Push 2 Start’ over Davido’s global anthem, ‘With You.’

Despite his massive commercial success and cultural impact, Davido’s loss at the 68th Grammy Awards has reignited claims of a systemic ‘sidelining’ of Nigerian artists, sparking a wave of backlash against the award organisers.

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and once again, African artists are standing tall on the world’s biggest music stage…as it should be 😄

One category everyone is watching closely is Best African Music Performance a category that has quickly become one of the most talked-about since its introduction… This year’s nominees are stacked, and Nigeria is strongly represented.

The Nominees for Best African Music Performance

*Burna Boy – “Love”

*Davido ft. Omah Lay – “With You”

*Tyla – “PUSH 2 START”

*Ayra Starr ft. Wizkid – “Gimme Dat”

*Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin – “Hope & Love”

Each song represents a different side of African music … from Afrobeats and Amapiano to global fusion. But let’s be honest, most conversations online are centered around Davido, Burna Boy, and Tyla.

The Carterefe Livestream That Got Everyone Talking

And also another amusing thing that happened earlier…carterefe Africa biggest streamer placed a bet on his livestream yesterday that Davido is going to win this year Grammy…Omo Carter really took this matter seriously ohh😄

If Davido had won, it would be a huge moment not just for him, but for Nigerian music as a whole. It would also mark another Grammy recognition in his long, sometimes controversial, but undeniable career…

Things took a dramatic turn when Carterefe, during his Twitch livestream , made a shocking statement…He said that if Davido does not win the Grammy, his father would have an accident. The comment immediately went viral, sparking outrage, concern, and heavy backlash online…

For clarity, this was said on livestream, and many fans have since called it irresponsible and unnecessary... Regardless of rivalry or online clout, most people agree that lines were crossed. Music competition should never turn into dark statements or harmful jokes!

Why This Grammy Category Matters

The Best African Music Performance category is more than just an award. It’s proof that African sounds are no longer “side attractions” they are global forces. Whether it’s Davido, Burna Boy, or Tyla who eventually takes it home, African music is already winning…

🔥 Fan Reactions Online

@NaijaVibes tweeted: “Davido deserves this one, no debate.”

@chukwuebuka commented : “Burna Boy is Grammys’ favorite, let’s be real.”

@TylaNation: “Global impact? Tyla has it on lock.”

@MusicTalkNG: “Carterefe went too far, that wasn’t funny at all.”

@purplehearts: “If ‘With You’ wins, I’m crying real tears.”