10 Nigerian music stars who have won a Grammy Awards: Numerous Nigerians have received both domestic and foreign honors. However, the majority of these Nigerian artists who have been recognized with several honors were among the greatest.
Grammy Award winners, however, are not just any performers; they are those who possess these qualities. The majority of Nigerian artists have excellent voices, but they aren’t on the list since they haven’t gained any reputation abroad.
Sade Adu
Sade Adu was the first person from Nigeria to receive a Grammy for “Best New Artist” in 1986.
Sade Adu, a singer and songwriter who goes by the stage name Helen Folasade Adu, was born in Britain but reared in Nigeria.
Sade, one of the most well-known and prosperous British musicians in music history, is honored for her contributions to contemporary music.
She is the first musician of Nigerian descent to have won a Grammy. She has received four separate Grammy Awards since 1986.
Seal
Singer, songwriter, and Nigerian-British citizen Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel is better known by his stage name, Seal. He is one of the best Nigerian musicians to win Grammy Awards, nevertheless.
With hit songs like “Crazy” and “Killer,” he has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. He was also well-known for the commercially successful tune “Kiss from a Rose” from 1994.
Seal has 14 nominations for the Grammys and four wins. He added a fourth Grammy for “Imagine” in 2011 to the three he had had for “Kiss From A Rose” in 1996.
Burna Boy
Another Grammy winner is the Nigerian musician Burna Boy, whose true name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu.
He rose to fame in 2012 with the release of “Like to Party,” the lead single off his debut studio album L.I.F.E.
His album “Twice as Tall” won the Best World Music Album Grammy Award at the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021.
However, Angelique Kidjo defeated Burna Boy in 2020. Burna Boy’s loss did not actually bring him to his knees; rather, it gave him the courage that helped him win in 2021.
Kevin Olusola
Kevin Olusola is a Nigerian rapper, beatboxer, cellist, vocalist, composer, and musician who also produces records.
Kevin Olusola has added his name to the list of Nigerian musicians who have won Grammys. He is well known for his work as the beatboxer for the singing group Pentatonix.
Pentatonix, Olusola’s musical group, has won three Grammy Awards.
Sikiru Adepoju
Another Grammy Award-winning Nigerian is Sikiru Adepoju. He is a percussionist from Nigeria who performs both contemporary and traditional African music. He can perform in a variety of styles and on a variety of instruments.
He won the first Grammy Award in 1991 with Mickey Hart’s band Planet Drum. The group’s self-titled album won the Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album. I’ve never won a Grammy before in this specific category.
Wizkid
Wizkid, a stage name for Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, won his first Grammy for his contribution to Beyoncé‘s Brown Skin Girl music video.
They won the Grammy for Best Music Video in 2021.
He is not only one of the Nigerian musicians who have won Grammy Awards; he is also a multi-award-winning artist.
Lekan Babalola
Nigerian jazz percussionist and artist Lekan Babalola was born in Lagos and raised on the conga. He has seven albums to his name and two Grammy nominations under his belt.
For his contribution to Ali Farka Toure’s “In the Center of the Moon,” for which he was given credit for three tracks, he was awarded a Grammy in 2006.
He also won his second Grammy in 2009 for Cassandra Wilson’s 2008 album, “Lavary.”
Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo is a popular singer-songwriter and actress of Nigerian and English descent, best known for her performance in the Broadway production of The Color Purple.
In 2017, she won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.
Chamillionaire
Hakim Temidayo Seriki, a Nigerian-American rapper better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is another Grammy-winning performer.
For his song “Ridin,” he received the 2007 Grammy Award for “Best rap performance by duo or ensemble.”
He received some more major nominations and prizes as a result of Ridin. He does, however, rank among Nigerian musicians who have won Grammy Awards thanks to his 2007 honor.
Michael Babatunde Olatunji
Michael Babatunde Olatunde is a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and music producer.
In 1991, the first year the award was granted in this category, Olatunji worked with Sikiru Adepoju on projects for Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum, including the album Planet Drum, which received the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album.