African songs, albums and artists most likely to score 2026 Grammy Awards nominations

As anticipation builds for the 2026 Grammy Awards, respective African artists are making bold moves with standout songs already generating large buzz and manufacture attraction for imaginable nominations.

African artists are gearing up for what could beryllium their astir defining Grammy play yet. With the 68th Annual Grammy Awards acceptable for February 1, 2026, this year’s contention is shaping up to beryllium a large turning point, not conscionable for idiosyncratic artists but for the continent’s full planetary euphony movement.

Following the occurrence of the Best African Music Performance (BAMP) category, introduced successful 2024, African acts are nary longer contented with conscionable winning determination oregon genre-specific honors. They’re present going for the biggest prizes successful music, Album of the Year (AOTY), Record of the Year (ROTY), and Song of the Year (SOTY), signaling a bold displacement toward afloat designation connected the satellite stage.

Wizkid’s Morayo

Wizkid is erstwhile again successful Grammy contention, and this clip he’s aiming high. His latest assemblage of work, Morayo, has been submitted for Album of the Year and Best Global Album, alongside his azygous Piece of My Heart which has been entered for Record and Song of the Year.

Wizkid’s run reflects his ambition to determination beyond the Global class and vie head-to-head with pop, rap, and stone heavyweights. Backed by his planetary estimation and beardown statement support, Morayo stands retired for its polished production, sonic diversity, and planetary appeal. Still, he’ll look stiff contention from U.S. powerhouses similar Kendrick Lamar, making crossover entreaty a cardinal origin successful whether helium breaks through.

Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness

Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness has besides been submitted for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album. The Nigerian superstar is already a Grammy regular, his past nominations and accordant planetary beingness springiness him a beardown edge.

His latest medium blends Afro-fusion with world-class production, proving his continued dominance successful shaping planetary perceptions of African music. Even if No Sign of Weakness misses retired connected AOTY, it’s astir definite to gain a Best Global Album nod. Burna’s way Love has besides been submitted for Best African Music Performance (BAMP), maintaining his lasting arsenic 1 of the Academy’s astir respected African artists.

Tyla’s Push 2 Start

Tyla, the South African popular sensation who made past with Water, is present backmost successful the premix with Push 2 Start, submitted for Record and Song of the Year. The track, disconnected her deluxe task TYLA+, captures the cleanable equilibrium of popular and Amapiano, a dependable that has made her 1 of the astir globally recognizable African stars.

The Grammy-winning singer’s cleanable production, catchy hooks, and illustration momentum successful the U.S. springiness her 1 of the strongest chances astatine a General Field nomination. Tyla besides submitted SHAKE AH, a collaboration with South African producers, which strengthens her beingness successful the Best African Music Performance race.

Ayra Starr’s Hot Body

Ayra Starr’s Hot Body is different imaginable Record of the Year acheronian horse. While its streaming numbers way immoderate of the competition, the song’s viral detonation during the Grammy voting model gave it a large precocious boost. It recorded implicit 18 cardinal streams and astir 700,000 user-generated videos crossed platforms, showing conscionable however overmuch traction it gained.

The Mavin Records star’s increasing U.S. visibility, coupled with her label’s beardown organisation done Republic Records, puts her successful a premier presumption to unafraid her archetypal General Field nomination.

Predictions for Best African Music Performance (BAMP)

The BAMP class remains the astir competitory tract for African artists, celebrating songs that successfully blend authentic African sounds with planetary appeal.

• Wizkid & Ayra...