That Nigerian music superstar such as Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy appears to be picking up the music baton where Fela left it may not be far from the truth.
For Wizkid, it has been a roller coaster of success stories being weaved around his music career. Emerging as one of Africa’s music export over the years, Wizkid has several times said his music is infleunced by the late Afrobeat creator and legend, Fela.
Billboard revealed earlier in the year that Wizkid’s latest album, Made in Lagos, has been submitted for the category “Best Global Music Album” ahead of the 64th edition of the globally acclaimed awards.
That would make it the third year in a row that the category formerly Best World Music Album would feature a Nigerian album.
Burna Boy’s albums featured two years in a row, with his win coming at the second attempt while Made in Lagos would continue the trend for Afrobeats in what has been a glittering season of ascent over the past years.
Apart from the whole album, Essence, which has essentially been not only the song of the summer but also the song of the year, also has a strong Grammy appeal. It probably won’t be surprising if it gets a ‘Song of the year‘, ‘Record of the year‘. I mean, it’s the Afrobeats season!
More than just Wizkid, success at the Grammys would be a win for Tems, the collaborator of the year, for Legendury Beatz, for the entire African culture. Just like Wizkid told RollingStone in an interview,
It would then make stronger the argument of some that Afrobeats deserves a dedicated category at the Grammys as it has already been made an independent genre on Apple Music.
Nonetheless, Burna’s streak at the Grammys, including Wizkid’s win also paves the way for the coming generation of Afrobeats artists. They need not struggle for recognition like the older generation(s) did.
Burna Boy, though announced that he would not be releasing an album until further notice, his big moment at the 63rd Grammy Awards has placed him on a pedestal where only a few could reach.
While he continues to push his music to the world and rewrite history as the first Nigerian to win the highly famed award, it is believed that the singer will keep the momentum going and ignore naysayers.
Call him the greatest artiste with the biggest heart in Nigeria and Africa at large Davido, one may not be mistaken. Having wormed his way into the hearts of millions of his fans with his music, his recent philanthropic gesture that saw him donate, to orphanages, 250 million Nigerian Naira (~608k USD) he raised ahead of his birthday has earned him the biggest respect across the length and breadth of Nigeria and Africa.
While he keeps making his fans proud as one of Nigeria’s biggest afrobeat exports, it is safe to say that the singer is already riding into 2022 with a lot to write home about.
