Over the years, Nigerians have on a global scale been excelling in different fields of practice, including music.
And as the music industry is experiencing exponential growth, quite a number of Nigerian artistes have won prestigious awards like Grammy, for their arts.
The 63rd Grammy Awards is however scheduled to be held on Sunday, January 31, 2020, in order to recognise the best recordings, compositions, and artistes from Monday, October 1, 2018, to Saturday, August 31, 2019.
Amongst the nominated artistes was Nigerian music star, Burna Boy who is now contending for the Best Global Music Album Grammy category, with his Twice As Tall album.
While expectations are high that Burna Boy is bringing home the prestigious award, eelive.ng presents Nigerian stars who have in the past claimed Grammy.
Sikiru Adepoju
Sikiru Adepoju is a percussionist and recording artist and plays primarily in the genres of traditional African music and world music. He plays a variety of instruments and styles. He first won a Grammy in 1991 as a part of Mickey Hart’s group Planet Drum, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album. That was the first time there was a Grammy in that category. He won again on 8 February 2009 as a part of Mickey Hart’s latest group Global Drum Project, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Sade Adu
Born in Ibadan as Helen Folasade Adu in 1959 but professionally known as Sade Adu, the singer, songwriter cum actress grew up in Essex, England. She is known as the lead singer of her eponymous band. She holds the title of the first artiste of Nigerian origin to win the prestigious award. Her first Grammy was in 1986 for “Best New Artist” then another followed in 1994 with “No Ordinary Love” for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. She earned her third Grammy in 2002 with “Lovers Rock” in the Best Pop Vocal Album and bagged her fourth in 2011 with “Soldier of Love” for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.
Kevin Olusola
Kevin Olusola was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, to Nigerian father Oluwole Olusola and Grenadian-born Curline Paul. Olusola is a musician, beatboxer, cellist, rapper, record producer, singer, and songwriter best known as the beatboxer of the vocal band Pentatonix. He has three Grammy awards to his name. On February 8, 2015, Pentatonix won a Grammy in the “Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a cappella” category for their song “Daft Punk”, a medley of songs by Daft Punk. On February 15, 2016, Pentatonix won a Grammy in the same category, this time for “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from their “That’s Christmas to Me” album. On February 12, 2017, Pentatonix won a Grammy in the “Best Country duo/group performance” category for “Jolene” which featured Dolly Parton.
Lekan Babalola
Born in 1960, Lekan Babalola is a Nigerian jazz percussionist and musician who started playing the conga at an early age. He has seven albums to his name and two Grammy awards. He began his professional career after joining a band called Samba Samba Band and later New York City-based Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers band, where he perfected playing the Bongo drums and performing jazz music. In 2006, he became Nigeria’s first Grammy Award winner for his work on Ali Farka Touré‘s In the Heart of the Moon which he was credited in three tracks. He also won a second Grammy in 2009 for his work on Cassandra Wilson‘s 2008 album titled Loverly.
Born Hakeem Seriki but professionally known as Chamillionaire, he is a rapper, entrepreneur, and investor. Chamillionaire was born to a Muslim Nigerian father and an African-American Christian mother in Washington D.C. and moved to Houston, Texas at the age of four. He clinched a Grammy in 2007 for his song, “Riddin’ under the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group category. He received a total of four nominations that year.
Born Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel in 1963, he is better known by his professional name Seal. He is a British-Nigerian musician, singer and songwriter best known for his 1994 hit song, “Kiss from a Rose.” He has 14 Grammy nominations to his name and has won four. His song, “Kiss From A Rose” earned him three Grammy awards in 1996 and in 2011 he nabbed his fourth “Imagine”. He holds one of the highest numbers of Grammy awards by a Nigerian.
Although not an artiste, Cynthia Erivo, an actress, won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2017 for Colour Purple.
