Following the Grammys on Sunday, social media was abuzz with reactions to the award winners.
The focal point was the contentious Best African Music Performance category, ultimately won by South Africa’s Tyla for her hit “Water.” This stirred dissatisfaction among Nigerians, alleging bias and arguing that Burna Boy’s “City Boy” or Davido’s “Unavailable” deserved the honor.
In the midst of the critique, blogger Tosin Silverdam has offered a divergent perspective. In a podcast, he defended Tyla’s victory, and reminded critics of Africa’s musical diversity.
He stated, “Let’s be honest, Tyla’s song; ‘Water,’ was actually the biggest song in that category. So why are Nigerians angry? I wasn’t expecting Davido to win this category.” He further expressed surprise at the absence of Rema’s “Calm Down,” stating, “I’m actually more shocked for the fact that Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ was not even nominated, ‘cos it was big…and it was not even nominated, so what are we talking about expecting Davido to win for ‘Unavailable.'”
The Best African Music Performance category is a recent addition for the 2024 Grammys, acknowledging outstanding African music performances from the past year.
Watch the podcast below:
Regarding Rema’s “Calm Down,” it’s important to clarify that the song was not eligible for the recent awards as it was released in 2022, while the awards specifically honored works from 2023.
