2025 Grammy: Tems, Asake, Burna, Yemi Alade seek to triumph

In less than 24 hours, the 2025 Grammy Awards will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA, and new winners will emerge.

Some of Nigeria’s biggest stars, including Tems, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, and Asake, will represent the country on the global stage, with fans hoping they win big.

In 2024, the Recording Academy introduced the Grammy for Best African Music Performance, highlighting unique African musical traditions.

South African singer Tyla won the inaugural award for “Water,” beating Nigerian stars like Asake, Olamide, Burna Boy, Davido, and Ayra Starr. With Afrobeats gaining worldwide recognition, Nigerian music stars again dominated the Best Global Music Album category this year, following Burna Boy’s 2021 win for ‘Twice as Tall.’ Last year, however, the award went to the Indian fusion group Shakti.

How Grammy win works

With nominations announced in November 2024, excitement is building for the Grammys on Sunday. Social media has been buzzing with support for Nigerian artistes whose music has crossed cultural and geographical boundaries.

While predictions and favourites circulate, the Grammys often surprise, just like last year when Nigeria’s stars took unexpected slots.

PREMIUM TIMES checks on the Grammy’s website show that winning depends on artistic achievement, technical skill, and overall excellence, with industry professionals valuing creativity and innovation.

Commercial success and public buzz don’t directly affect the results. The Grammy process starts with submissions from artistes and record companies, and recordings are released between 1 October and 15 September and available on approved platforms.

Experts then screen entries to ensure they meet the rules and are in the correct categories. Voting members nominate five entries per category, and special committees review specific nominations. After nominations, members vote for the winners, and Deloitte ensures accurate vote counting.

Winners are announced at the ceremony and receive the Grammy statuette, while nominees get a medallion and certificate in case of a tie.

Nominations analysis

Here, we explore the prospects of Tems, Asake, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Wizkid, Davido, and Rema, analysing their nominated song, cultural impact, and potential to clinch a coveted Grammy for Sunday.

Tems – ‘Love Me Jeje’ (Best Global Music Album, Best R&B, Best African Music)

In just five years, Tems won the hearts of a broad audience. The Grammy-winning Nigerian star and the first African act to top the Billboard Hot 100 – thanks to Future sampling her song Higher on Wait For U – has firmly cemented her place on the global stage.

While she has collaborated with the likes of Drake and Rihanna, 2024 marked the year she fully stepped into her spotlight with the release of her long-awaited debut album, ‘Born in the Wild.’

A standout from the project, ‘Love Me JeJe’ – which interpolates Seyi Sodimu’s beloved 1997 hit – became an instant success, reaching No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats Chart and No. 3 on Billboard’s US Afrobeats Songs. Tems debuted the track during her 2024 Coachella set, strategically bridging past African pop icons with contemporary global sounds. The gamble paid off – her ability to blend nostalgia with modern R&B and Afrobeats resonated widely, earning Love Me JeJe a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance.

Beyond this, Tems’ artistry is being recognised on a larger scale. Her album Born in the Wild is in contention for Best Global Music Album, facing off against international stars like Matt B and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Meanwhile, her soul-stirring ballad Burning is nominated for Best R&B Song. With three Grammy nominations, Tems’ rise to stardom is undeniable. While competition is fierce, her international recognition and ability to seamlessly blend genres make her a strong contender—particularly in the Best R&B Song category for Burning, which has garnered widespread critical acclaim.

Burna Boy – ‘Higher’ (Best African Music)

The music star is bringing on his African giant aura in this edition. Burna Boy’s dominance in African music is undeniable, and his consistent presence at the Grammys proves it. A past winner for Twice As Tall (2021) and a six-time nominee, he returns this year with Higher, a song that cements his role as a global ambassador of Afrobeats.

Unlike his brash, hip-hop-driven City Boys, which earned a Grammy nomination last year but lost to Tyla’s Water, Higher takes a more introspective turn.

Over a mellow, piano-infused beat by Yo Dibs, Burna reflects on life’s struggles and fleeting nature. The song’s video, reminiscent of Drake’s God’s Plan, shows him visiting his hometown, Port Harcourt, and giving back through his charity, Project PROTECT. This heartfelt approach has resonated widely, with Higher breaking streaming records – 1.3 million Spotify streams on its first day and over 8.6 million YouTube views.

In 2024, the music star became the first African artiste to hit 2 billion streams in the United Kingdom but winning won’t be easy despite his impact.

The Best African Music Performance category is fiercely competitive, but Burna’s legacy and global reach keep him firmly in the race.

Chris Brown x Davido X Lojay – ‘Sensational’ (Best African Music)

Davido returns to the Grammy race with “Sensational,” a collaboration with Chris Brown and Lojay in the Best African Music Performance category.

Having received previous nominations for his album Timeless and the hit single “Unavailable,” Davido continues to prove his consistency and international appeal.

“Sensational” blends Afrobeats with R&B, leveraging Chris Brown’s established presence in the American music industry. This collaboration has amplified its reach, positioning Davido as a global ambassador for the genre.

While Davido’s nomination underscores his enduring influence, his chances of winning depend on how the Academy values collaborations versus solo efforts. However, his star power and global influence cannot be overlooked.

Yemi Alade – ‘Tomorrow’ (Best African Music)

Yemi Alade is already a legend in African pop music, with a career spanning over a decade and hits like Johnny and Oh My Gosh with Rick Ross. Yet, her latest album, Rebel Queen, has taken her artistry to new heights, blending highlife, dancehall, and amapiano in a global celebration of Black music.

Her Grammy-nominated song, ‘Tomorrow,’ is a triumphant Amapiano track produced by Yasso. It features choral vocals and lyrics in English and Nigerian Pidgin. The song reflects her confidence and unwavering belief in herself, cementing her status as “Mama Africa.”

The song’s visual portrayal and context are a checkpoint, marking the songstress’s first-ever Grammy nomination, a well-deserved recognition of her influence. However, with intense competition from Tems and Burna Boy, securing the win will be tough for Yemi.

Asake x Wizkid – ‘MMS’ (Best African Music)

Asake had quite a successful 2024, and featuring Wizkid was a big move for the singer last year. The singer quickly rose to the top of the Afrobeats scene with his genre-bending style, seamlessly fusing amapiano, fújì, and mainstream Afropop. After earning a Grammy nomination last year for Amapiano, he returns with MMS, a sophisticated collaboration with Wizkid that blends Yoruba choral vocals, jazz-infused instrumentals, and ‘90s R&B influences.

The nomination stems from his third studio album, ‘Lungu Boy.’ Produced by P.Priime, MMS is a reflective track highlighting Asake’s artistic evolution, with lyrics in English, Yoruba, and Nigerian Pidgin narrating his journey and trust in fate. Wizkid, a Grammy winner himself, adds a smooth, effortless touch, making this one of the most refined Afrobeats songs of the year.

With its global appeal and the combined star power of Asake and Wizkid, MMS is a serious contender for Best African Music Performance.

However, the category is stacked with intense competition from Burna Boy, Tems, and Yemi Alade. Asake’s rapid rise and ability to reinvent his sound give him a solid chance at taking home his first Grammy. Speaking of winning, Wizkid’s influence may earn him more chances than the other contenders.

Rema – ‘HEIS’ (Best Global Music Album)

Rema secures a nomination for Best Global Music Album with HEIS, marking a milestone in his burgeoning career. This album had a lot ongoing in terms of his evolution and reach, and in the space of months, it has given him a new face.

His ability to innovate within Afrobeats while embracing a genre-fluid approach has earned him critical acclaim. HEIS album showcases his range, from smooth melodic tracks to high-energy anthems.

While Rema’s nomination alone is a win, he faces tough competition from seasoned artistes. However, his trajectory suggests future Grammy wins are well within reach.

He is a contender with Tems on her debut album, ‘Born in the Wild.’ Looking at the technical excellence and appeal, the two albums stand at a different level, and the Recording Academy votes will tell who can clinch the coveted prize.

PREMIUM TIMES’ Predictions

As Grammy night approaches, speculation is rife over who will emerge victorious. Regardless of the outcomes, the nominations alone affirm Nigeria’s pivotal role in shaping contemporary global music.

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For the Best R&B Song category, SZA’s “Saturn” and Kehlani’s “After Hours” are strong contenders. Still, PREMIUM TIMES predicts the Grammy consensus points to Tems’ ‘Burning’ having the most substantial chance of clinching the award.

In the Best African Music, Asake is a formidable contender and could earn the coveted prize with his stellar cross-border influence and technical excellence of ‘MMS’ with Wizkid.

At the same time, Burna Boy and Davido might come close to the edge. Given her first-ever nomination, Yemi Alade could closely follow her, but Asake appears to be a sure ticket.

For the Best Global Music Album, Rema’s ‘HEIS’ would win. His innovative sound and rising international profile make the album a noteworthy entry in this category.

Regardless of the final results, one thing is clear: Nigerian music is no longer knocking on the door of global recognition – it has arrived and is here to stay.

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