Nigerian global music icon, Burna Boy has achieved yet another historic feat, becoming the first Nigerian artiste to earn five career Grammy nominations in album categories.
The self-proclaimed African Giant reached this new milestone with his latest project, No Sign of Weakness (2025), which has been nominated for Best Global Music Album at the upcoming 2025 Grammy Awards.
The Recording Academy announced the nominations earlier this week, sparking excitement across the Nigerian and African music communities. Burna Boy’s inclusion continues his run as one of the continent’s most decorated international acts, reaffirming his reputation as a trailblazer in the global Afrobeats movement.
The Best Global Music Album category features a lineup of exceptional international talent. Competing alongside Burna Boy are Siddhant Bhatia’s Sounds of Kumbha, Senegalese music legend Youssou N’Dour’s Éclairer le monde: Light the World, Shakti’s Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live), Chapter III: We Return to Light by Anoushka Shankar featuring Alam Khan and Sarathy Korwar, and Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo by Brazilian icons Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia.
This marks Burna Boy’s fifth career nomination in the album category, a record-setting achievement for any Nigerian artist. His previous Grammy-nominated albums include:
- African Giant (2019), which earned his first nod,
- Twice As Tall (2020), which went on to win the Grammy for Best Global Music Album,
- Love, Damini (2022),
- I Told Them (2023), and
- now, No Sign of Weakness (2025).
Each of these projects has reinforced Burna Boy’s reputation for blending African rhythms with contemporary global influences, pushing the boundaries of what African music can achieve on the world stage.
Beyond the album category, Burna Boy also scored another nomination in the Best African Music Performance category for his hit single “Love.” The track, praised for its fusion of Afro-fusion melodies and heartfelt lyricism, continues his streak of producing chart-dominating anthems that resonate both locally and internationally.
The Best African Music Performance category, introduced in 2023, has become one of the most closely watched categories in recent Grammy history and this year’s nominations reflect Africa’s dynamic and diverse sound.
Joining Burna Boy in the category are several other Nigerian heavyweights, including Davido, who earned a nomination for “With You” featuring Omah Lay, and Ayra Starr and Wizkid for their collaborative single “Gimme Dat.”
Other nominees include Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin with “Hope & Love,” and South African breakout star Tyla with “Push 2 Start.”
These nominations collectively highlight the rising global influence of African music, with Nigerian artistes once again leading the continent’s charge onto the world’s biggest music stage. Over the last few years, Afrobeats has evolved from a regional sound to an international force, inspiring a new generation of listeners and creators across continents.
For Burna Boy, this latest recognition is more than a personal victory, it’s a symbol of how far African music has come. From his early days performing in Port Harcourt and Lagos to selling out arenas around the world, his journey reflects the ambition, creativity, and global appeal of today’s African artistes.
As the world awaits the 2025 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the excitement surrounding Burna Boy’s potential fifth Grammy win continues to grow. Whether or not he takes home another trophy, his legacy as a global cultural force is already secured.
With five Grammy album nominations to his name, Burna Boy has firmly cemented his place in history, not just as one of Africa’s greatest exports, but as a musician whose art continues to reshape the global soundscape.
The winners of the 2025 Grammy Awards will be announced in Los Angeles next year.
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