Angélique Kidjo has just won the Grammy award for ‘Best World Music’ for her album Celia, and she used the opportunity to dedicate it to fellow artiste Burna Boy, who was also up for the award.
Kidjo who sings in more than five languages and whose career has spanned almost four decades was gracious in receiving the award and dedicating it to Burna Boy.
While accepting her award earlier today, the singer took the time to praise the wealth of new talent coming from the continent. “The new generation of artists coming from Africa are going to take you by storm and the time has come.”
“This is for Burna Boy,” she said, lifting up her award to cheers, and declaring the African Giant as part of the new generation of African musicians that are changing the global perception of Africa and its music.
A win for Burna would have made it the second time a Nigerian would be returning home with the Grammy plaque. Sikiru Adepoju is the only Nigerian to have won a Grammy. He won it in 2009 with the “Global Drum Project” a collaborative album with Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, and Giovanni Hidalgo.
Burna Boy had trended virtually throughout last week as fans, anticipating the awards, took to social media to express their love and support for him.
You might be interested in seeing a full list of all the winners in all categories. Congratulations to them all!
Best World Music Album: Celia, Angelique Kidjo
Record of the Year: ‘Bad Guy,’ Billie Eilish
Album of the Year: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Billie Eilish
Song of the Year: ‘Bad Guy,’ Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist: Billie Eilish
Best Pop Solo Performance: ‘Truth Hurts,’ Lizzo
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: ‘Old Town Road,’ Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Look Now, Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Best Pop Vocal Album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Billie Eilish
Best Dance Recording: ‘Got to Keep On,’ The Chemical Brothers
Best Dance/Electronic Album: No Geography, The Chemical Brothers
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Mettavolution, Rodrigo y Gabriela
Best Rock Performance: ‘This Land,’ Gary Clark Jr.
Best Metal Performance: ‘7empest,’ Tool
Best Rock Song: ‘This Land,’ Gary Clark Jr., songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.)
Best Rock Album: Social Cues, Cage the Elephant
Best Alternative Music Album: Father of the Bride, Vampire Weekend
Best R&B Performance: ‘Come Home,’ Anderson .Paak Featuring André 3000
Best Traditional R&B Performance: ‘Jerome,’ Lizzo
Best R&B Song: ‘Sayso,’ PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton Featuring JoJo)
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Cuz I Love You (Deluxe), Lizzo
Best R&B Album: Ventura, Anderson .Paak
Best Rap Performance: ‘Racks in the Middle,’ Nipsey Hussle Featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy
Best Rap/Sung Performance: ‘Higher,’ DJ Khaled Featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend
Best Rap Song: ‘A Lot,’ Jermaine Cole, Dacoury Natche, 21 Savage & Anthony White, songwriters (21 Savage Featuring J. Cole)
Best Rap Album: Igor, Tyler, The Creator
Best Country Solo Performance: ‘Ride Me Back Home,’ Willie Nelson
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: ‘Speechless,’ Dan + Shay
Best Country Song: ‘Bring My Flowers Now,’ Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
Best Country Album: While I’m Livin’, Tanya Tucker
Best New Age Album: Wings, Peter Kater
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “Sozinho,” Randy Brecker, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album: 12 Little Spells, Esperanza Spalding
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Finding Gabriel, Brad Mehldau
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: The Omni-American Book Club, Brian Lynch Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album: Antidote, Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band
Best Gospel Performance/Song: “Love Theory,” Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: ‘God Only Knows,’ for King & Country & Dolly Parton; Josh Kerr, Jordan Reynolds, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone & Tedd Tjornhom, songwriters
Best Gospel Album: Long Live Love, Kirk Franklin
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Burn the Ships, for KING & COUNTRY
Best Roots Gospel Album: Testimony, Gloria Gaynor
Best Latin Pop Album: #ELDISCO, Alejandro Sanz
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: El Mal Querer, Rosalia
Best Regional Mexican Album (Including Tejano): De Ayer Para Siempre, Mariachi Los Camperos
Best Tropical Latin Album
Winner (Tie): Opus, Marc Anthony
Winner (Tie): A Journey Through Cuban Music, Aymée Nuviola
Best American Roots Performance: “Saint Honesty,” Sara Bareilles
Best American Roots Song: “Call My Name,” Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)
Best Americana Album: Oklahoma, Keb’ Mo’
Best Bluegrass Album: Tall Fiddler, Michael Cleveland
Best Traditional Blues Album: Tall, Dark & Handsome, Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men
Best Contemporary Blues Album: This Land, Gary Clark Jr.
Best Folk Album: Patty Griffin, Patty Griffin
Best Regional Roots Music Album: Good Time, Ranky Tanky
Best Reggae Album: Rapture, Koffee
Best World Music Album: Celia, Angelique Kidjo
Best Children’s Music Album: Ageless Songs for the Child Archetype, Jon Samson
Best Spoken Word Album: Becoming, Michelle Obama
Best Comedy Album: Sticks & Stones, Dave Chappelle
Best Musical Theater Album: Hadestown
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: A Star Is Born
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Chernobyl
Best Song Written for Visual Media: “I’ll Never Love Again” (Film Version), From: A Star Is Born
Best Instrumental Composition: “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite,” John Williams, composer (John Williams)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Cappella: “Moon River,” Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: “All Night Long,” Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier Featuring Jules Buckley, Take 6 & Metropole Orkest)
Best Recording Package: Chris Cornell
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Woodstock: Back to the Garden – The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive
Best Album Notes: Stax ’68: A Memphis Story, Steve Greenberg, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Best Historical Album: Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection, Jeff Place & Robert Santelli, compilation producers; Pete Reiniger, mastering engineer (Pete Seeger)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Rob Kinelski & Finneas O’Connell, engineers; John Greenham, mastering engineer (Billie Eilish)
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Finneas
Best Remixed Recording: “I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix),” Tracy Young, remixer (Madonna)
Best Immersive Audio Albu: Lux, Morten Lindberg, immersive audio engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive audio mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive audio producer (Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor)
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Riley: Sun Rings, Leslie Ann Jones, engineer; Robert C. Ludwig, mastering engineer (Kronos Quartet)
Producer of the Year, Classical: Blanton Alspaugh
Best Choral Performance: Durufle: Complete Chroral Works, Robert Simpson, conductor (Ken Cowan; Houston Chamber Choir)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Shaw Orange, Attacca Quartet
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: “Marsalis: Violin Concerto; Fiddle Dance Suite,” Nicola Benedetti; Cristian Măcelaru, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Songplay, Joyce DiDonato; Chuck Israels, Jimmy Madison, Charlie Porter & Craig Terry, accompanists (Steve Barnett & Lautaro Greco)
Best Classical Compendium: The Poetry of Places, Nadia Shpachenko; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, producers
Best Music Video: “Old Town Road (Official Movie),” Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus
Best Music Film: Homecoming
