Days after Burna Boy’s nomination by Grammy Awards was announced, social media is still buzzing with the news and accolades are still in order for the Afro-fusion artiste. While everybody is still focusing their energies on congratulating the ‘Ye’ singer, it is important to know that the nomination is not the end of the race for the energetic and highly vibrant musician, he has to bring home the prestigious plaque of the Grammys and make the dreams of many Nigerian artistes come true through him.
The only thing that is significant right now is how Burna Boy can bring home the Grammy Award plaque. We’ve seen a few of the Nigerian iconic musicians got nominated in the past, but failed to win because of the reasons best known to Grammy Awards organisers, The Recording Academy. Burna Boy’s nomination for the 2020 Grammy Awards in the ‘World Music Album’ category for his acclaimed album, ‘African Giant,’ is another chance for a Nigerian to win.
Burna Boy (real name Damini Ogulu), has four reputable contenders to go head to head with, including highly respected and one of the most decorated female musicians in Africa, Angelique Kidjo who has three Grammy Awards in her coffer – she won in the category of ‘Best Contemporary World Music Album’ in 2008, 2015, and 2016. Her Grammy nominations include the Best Music Video of 1995 and Best World Music Album for works completed in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2015, Kidjo is the major veteran our very own, Burna Boy will have to combat.
Other contenders on the list are Altın Gün – an Anatolian rock and Turkish Psychedelic Folk band from Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Jules Buckley – a British conductor, composer, arranger and 2016 Grammy Award winner for ‘Best Contemporary Instrumental Album’; Haitian-American electronic band Nathalie Joachim with Spektral Quartet, the band is also not a stranger to winning in the Grammy Awards.
Burna Boy is in for a battle, but we are fearless. While it is vital for him not to lose guard on all nominees in his category, if he can sail through Kidjo, the rest is history, that is, my prediction for the ‘World Music Album’ category is between the Beninese musician and Burna Boy, not because he’s a Nigerian, but his works in the year under review (October 1, 2018-August 31, 2019) that scored him a Grammy nod were ground breaking. He became a major force on the international scene following the release of his songs, ‘Ye’ and ‘Killin’ Dem’, which were received with love far and wide.
2019 has been great so far for Burna Boy, from performing at the Coachella, collaborating with Beyonce, Fall Out Boys, Jorja Smith and more treasured stars, winning Best African Act at the MTV EMA Awards, securing the Best International Act title at the BET awards, to releasing star-studded ‘African Giant’ album, the Grammy nomination walks in for him at the right time to crown all his efforts.
How can Burna Boy Win the 2020 Grammy Award?
Having being nominated, Burna Boy is a step closer to winning; similar to how Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, King Sunny Ade were nominated, but never won. Hopefully, Burna Boy would win.
According to The Recording Academy, the first round of the voting system determines who gets nominated (which already put Burna Boy on the list). Members of the Recording Academy are only permitted to vote in accordance to their area of expertise and they can vote in up to 15 of the Grammy Awards’ genre categories and the fields. After, the national nomination review committees vet the votes and they determine the final results for Grammy Awards nominations.
To win, which is the major focus of everyone right now, the Recording Academy members, again vote in up to 15 of the categories and all the fields to determine the winner in each category. Deloitte, an independent accounting firm follows up the voting by tabulating the ballots and present the winner’s name in a sealed envelope that will be opened on the day of the ceremony. It is imperative to note that winners are not known by the organisers until the night of the award.
Is there any shortcut to winning the Grammy?
There is hardly an award show that doesn’t have back doors, and of course Grammy is not an exception, this was confirmed by Femi Kuti, who had been nominated four time without winning any. In an interview with TheNetNg in 2016, he said Grammy is very political, it’s about participating, and lobbying” while speaking about why he hasn’t won at least one Grammy Award.
In his words, Femi said; “It’s not my objective, it has never been my objective to win an award, my career was never based on setting out to win awards, it’s always been about what I’m singing about. So if you ask me what is most important in my career, it’ll be that Nigeria has good electricity, good healthcare, good education for our people that hopefully in my lifetime we’ll be able to drive from Lagos to Nairobi (Kenya), we have good train networks like they have in Europe and America. These are more important than any award I can possibly win.”
He added, “Now imagine I win an award and the lyrics of my songs still remain depressive, of what significance is that award to the poverty level of my people, is it going to put food on the table for my people. I think if I really wanted to win a Grammy and I set my mind there, I would have won it a long time ago, it’s very political, it’s about participating, lobbying, going there and all that.
“But I think I’ve already proven in my career that I can do it, I won the first most important award in Africa, the KORA award, and when I won it I felt very empty, I came back to Lagos and there was no light in my house, there was still poverty everywhere. Right now, I stay in Alagbole, there’s a bridge they’ve been building there for over six years, we haven’t had electricity in that area for one month now. So I’ll rather not win any award and see smiles on everyone’s face.”
The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards event is slated for January 27, 2020, at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, California in the United States.
Finally, for us to say ‘Burna Boy wins Grammy Award’, he has to meritoriously secure most votes by the Academy voting members and (or) lobby!
How else do you think Burna Boy can win the Grammy award? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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