The highly anticipated 66th Grammy Awards, held on February 5, 2024, in Los Angeles, left Nigerian music enthusiasts disappointed as prominent artists, including Burna Boy, Davido, Asake & Olamide, and Ayra Starr, failed to secure victories in their nominated categories.
In the aftermath of the awards ceremony, disappointments reverberated among fans as the Nigerian contingent, boasting a total of 10 nominations, left the event without any accolades.
Harvey Mason, the President of the Recording Academy Board of Trustees, shed light on the Grammy selection process, emphasizing that each song’s quality and the opinions of Academy members determine the winners. In response to queries about the behind-the-scenes process, Mason clarified that the Academy’s focus is solely on the submitted songs’ merit.
The Academy, comprised of music professionals in the United States, exercises its voting power to decide the winners in each category. Mason emphasized that factors such as streams, fanbase size, and social media following are not considered; rather, it is the votes of music professionals that dictate the outcomes.
“There are no committees, no journalists, no labels, but just music professionals voting for their peers,” Mason emphasized during the post-Grammy press conference.
Despite the disappointment for Nigerian artists in categories like Best African Music Performance and Best Global Music Performance, conversations surrounding the Grammy outcomes persist, sparking discussions on the transparency and fairness of the selection process.