Grammy 2027: Davido, Tems, Asake, Ayra Starr and Africa’s Biggest Stars Enter the Race

October 20, 2026 | Afrobeat Magazine | Grammy News

The Grammys are coming, and Africa isn’t showing up quietly.

From Lagos to Johannesburg, some of the continent’s biggest musical names are making their cases for a place on music’s biggest stage.

Davido, Tems, Asake, Ayra Starr, Seun Kuti, Tyla, and Angélique Kidjo are among the African artists whose music has reportedly been submitted for consideration at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled for February 7, 2027.

And judging by the reported entries, nobody is thinking small.

We’re talking Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best African Music Performance, and several other major categories.

But before anybody starts clearing space on the trophy shelf, there’s one important thing to understand.

A Grammy submission is not a Grammy nomination.

The reported entries come from music-industry submission lists and media coverage, including reports associated with The Grammy Guru. The Recording Academy will announce its official nominees on November 16.

Until then, it’s anybody’s conversation.

Davido: Could This Finally Be His Year?

Five Grammy nominations. Zero wins.

For an artist with Davido’s international success, that’s one statistic his fans would love to see change.

The Nigerian superstar is reportedly putting his sixth studio album, ORIADÉ, into consideration for Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical), and Best Album Cover.

And he’s not stopping with the album.

His collaboration “B4 B4,” featuring Mayorkun and FOLA, reportedly targets Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best African Music Performance.

“NAKUPENDA,” featuring TxC, Zlatan, Shoday, Scotts Maphuma, and Al Xapo, is also in the conversation, alongside “LE SHOW,” featuring Ayra Starr and French Montana.

Meanwhile, “I KNOW WHO I BE,” featuring JAZZWRLD and GL_Ceejay, has reportedly been submitted for Best Music Video.

Davido has already helped take Afrobeats into arenas and onto stages around the world.

Now the question is whether Recording Academy voters will reward his latest work.

You can bet his fans will have plenty to say about that.

Tems: Playing in More Than One Musical Lane

If there’s one thing Tems has demonstrated, it’s that her voice doesn’t belong in just one category.

The Nigerian singer and two-time Grammy winner is reportedly submitting her LOVE IS A KINGDOM project for Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical), and Best Album Cover.

Her song “WHAT YOU NEED” is also reportedly being considered across major songwriting, recording, and R&B categories.

Then there’s “RAINDANCE,” featuring British rapper Dave, which has been linked to several general-field and rap submissions.

“BIG DADDY” is reportedly entered for Best African Music Performance, while her collaboration with Justin Bieber, “I THINK YOU’RE SPECIAL,” is targeting recognition in R&B.

That’s a pretty wide musical net.

But that’s what makes Tems interesting. One minute she’s delivering soulful vocals, the next she’s comfortably standing beside some of the biggest names in international music.

She has already collected two Grammy trophies.

A third certainly wouldn’t look out of place.

Asake: Mr. Money Wants Grammy Gold

Asake has built a reputation for doing things his own way.

His reported 2027 Grammy campaign follows that same approach.

The Nigerian hitmaker’s album M$NEY is reportedly submitted for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album.

His song “GRATITUDE” is being put forward for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best African Music Performance.

And the collaborations don’t stop there.

“JOGODO,” featuring Wizkid, reportedly joins the Best African Music Performance conversation, while “WORSHIP,” featuring DJ Snake, targets Best Dance Pop Recording.

It’s another example of just how difficult it has become to squeeze Afrobeats into one musical category.

These artists aren’t only making African music for African audiences anymore.

They’re making music that crosses genres, languages, and continents.

And they’re expecting the world’s biggest music institutions to recognize that.

Ayra Starr: She’s Not Just Shooting for One Star

Now here’s where things really get interesting.

Ayra Starr may have one of the broadest reported submission lists among the Nigerian artists this season.

Her album STARRGIRL has reportedly been entered for Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, Best Engineered Album, and Best Album Cover.

Her collaboration with British singer ZAYN, “HEAVEN BABY,” is targeting Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

“WHO’S DAT GIRL,” featuring Rema, is reportedly in the running for Best Global Music Performance.

And then there are four separate tracks reportedly submitted for Best African Music Performance:

• “MS. PAPER,” featuring Theodora
• “AYE KAN (ARE YOU COMING BACK?),” featuring Angélique Kidjo
• “LE SHOW,” featuring Davido and French Montana
• “SHOW ME,” featuring Latto

Add “TORNADO” for Best Music Video and “WO MAN – EDIT” with Peggy Gou for Best Dance Pop Recording, and you’ve got an artist whose music is reaching into several different corners of the industry.

Ayra Starr already has two Grammy nominations to her name, including recognition for “RUSH” and “GIMME DAT” with Wizkid.

Now she’s looking to take the next step.

And with that many reported entries, she’s certainly giving voters plenty to consider.

Seun Kuti Keeps the Original Afrobeat Spirit Alive

While Afrobeats continues dominating international conversations, Seun Kuti is making sure the original Afrobeat tradition isn’t forgotten.

The son of legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti has reportedly submitted two recordings for Best African Music Performance.

“NA DEM,” featuring Tom Morello, and “PROBLEMS,” featuring Jamaican reggae artist Kabaka Pyramid, carry the socially conscious musical approach associated with the Kuti legacy.

There’s something fitting about seeing Seun’s name alongside this new generation.

His father helped create a sound rooted in African rhythms, jazz, funk, and political expression.

Decades later, an entirely new generation is taking African music into places few could have imagined.

Different styles. Different generations.

But the musical family tree keeps growing.

South Africa and Benin Want Their Flowers Too

Let’s not make the mistake of thinking this Grammy conversation begins and ends in Nigeria.

South Africa’s Tyla is reportedly mounting an extensive campaign with her album APop*, targeting Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and other categories.

Her reported submissions include “CHANEL,” “I DON’T CARE” featuring Babalwa M, “MEMORIES” featuring Lojay, and “BODY GO” featuring Ghanaian singer MOLIY.

Her collaboration “PBT,” featuring Travis Scott and Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel, is also reportedly being considered for Best Music Video.

Meanwhile, Benin’s legendary Angélique Kidjo reportedly has her HOPE! project in consideration for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album, along with individual songs, including her collaboration with Ayra Starr.

Both artists show why African music deserves coverage that reaches beyond any single country or sound.

And with other reported entries from Victony and Burna Boy also circulating, there’s still plenty to investigate before nomination day.

Five New Grammy Categories Join the Competition

The Recording Academy is introducing five new categories for the 2027 ceremony:

• Best Asian Pop Music Performance
• Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance
• Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance
• Best Traditional Folk Album
• Best Latin Song

The additions reflect changes in how the organization recognizes different musical styles and performances.

The Grammys are also entering a new broadcasting era.

For the first time since 1972, the ceremony returns to ABC, with streaming available on Disney+ and Hulu.

Mark Your Calendar: Grammy 2027

Here’s the official schedule:

Event	Date
First-round voting	October 12–22, 2026
Nominations announced	November 16, 2026
Final-round voting	December 10, 2026–January 7, 2027
69th Grammy Awards	February 7, 2027

First-round voting closes October 22 at 6 p.m. Pacific, so the nomination race is already approaching its first major finish line.

Afrobeat Magazine Take: Africa Has More Stories to Tell

Whether every reported submission makes it onto the official ballot or not, one thing is becoming increasingly clear.

African artists are no longer limiting their ambitions to one Grammy category or one international market.

They’re submitting albums for the industry’s biggest honors, collaborating across continents, and participating in musical conversations that stretch from Lagos to London, Johannesburg to Kingston, and beyond.

But there’s another part of this story that deserves attention.

So far, much of the reporting has concentrated on Nigerian artists. Afrobeat Magazine will continue digging into the music and reported submissions from Ghana, Senegal, Congo, South Africa, and the rest of the continent.

Because Africa’s musical story is bigger than any one nation.

And when November 16 arrives, we’ll find out which of these reported contenders have made the official nominations list.

Until then, we’ve got a question for the fans:

Who do YOU think deserves a Grammy nomination in 2027?

Davido? Tems? Asake? Ayra Starr? Tyla? Seun Kuti? Or somebody the industry isn’t talking about enough?

Drop your picks in the comments.

Afrobeat Magazine — The Sound of Africa, Amplified.