Nigerian-ancestry artists who won big in the 68th Grammy Awards
From Country to Pop: Nigerian-Descended Artists Dominate Major Categories at the 68th Grammy Awards.
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards lit up Los Angeles on February 1, 2026, drawing the world’s biggest music stars for a night of celebration, prestige, and global sounds.
For Nigeria, it was a mixed outing. While several homegrown superstars earned nominations in key categories, none walked away with a Grammy on the night.
Heavyweights like Davido and Burna Boy featured prominently in the Best African Music Performance category, alongside Davido and Omah Lay’s joint effort on “With You.” Despite strong international buzz and widespread support, the Nigerian contenders were eventually outshone by rivals from other regions.
Still, Nigeria’s presence at the ceremony was far from muted. Across different categories, winners with Nigerian roots left a clear imprint, reinforcing the country’s expanding influence within the global music and entertainment space.
One of the standout moments of the night belonged to Shaboozey, born Collins Chibueze, who proudly traces his roots to Nigeria. The genre-bending artist secured the Best Country Duo/Group Performance award alongside American singer Jelly Roll for their collaboration, “Amen.”
The song, celebrated for its emotional depth, genre fusion, and compelling vocal delivery, edged out established country stars including Miranda Lambert with Chris Stapleton and Margo Price with Tyler Childers. The win marked Shaboozey’s first-ever Grammy, a historic moment for an artist of Nigerian descent in a genre long dominated by American acts.
Elsewhere, Grammy regular Tyler the Creator also enjoyed success on the night. Born Tyler Gregory Okonma to a Nigerian father, the American rap star won Best Album Cover for Chromakopia, earning praise for his bold and imaginative visual storytelling.
The award further highlighted Tyler’s creative range beyond music, cementing his reputation as a boundary-pushing artist while keeping Nigerian heritage visible on one of entertainment’s biggest stages.
Another major win came through British-American singer and actress Cynthia Erivo, who is also of Nigerian descent. She clinched the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance award alongside Ariana Grande for their powerful rendition of “Defying Gravity” from the musical film Wicked: For Good.
The performance resonated strongly with both audiences and the Recording Academy, adding another Grammy to Erivo’s growing list of accolades and reaffirming her versatility across music, film and theatre.
Although Nigerian artists did not secure wins in competitive categories this year, the 2026 Grammys once again showed that Nigerian blood continues to flow through some of the world’s biggest musical moments. On a night without trophies for local stars, Nigeria’s global impact still rang loud and clear.
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