The 67th Annual Grammy Awards have come and gone, and one of the biggest names to emerge from this year’s nominations was Nigerian-American artiste Collins Chibueze, known as Shaboozey.
With five Grammy nominations across multiple categories, Shaboozey stood out as the Nigerian artiste with the most nominations, marking a significant moment in his genre-bending music career.
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Shaboozey, who performed his hit song, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” at the ceremony, received five nominations for Best New Artiste, Song of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Solo Performance.
He was also nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his feature on Beyoncé’s “Spaghetti”. He received a sixth nomination for Best Remixed Recording thanks to David Guetta’s remix of his song.
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Although American singer Chappell Roan won the Best New Artiste, these nominations confirm Shaboozey’s rising influence in the music industry.
Nigerian roots
Shaboozey, born on 9 May 1995 in Woodbridge, Virginia, to Nigerian parents, got his stage name from the mispronunciation of his full name, Chibueze, which means “God is King” in Igbo. During junior high, he spent two years at a boarding school in Nigeria, which influenced his worldview and music.
His father, a former farmer in Nigeria, moved to the US to study and brought a love for country music. Shaboozey recalls his father’s strong work ethic, saying, “I kind of ended up being a lot like him.”
The mix of West African storytelling and American country music became central to Shaboozey’s style. His father introduced him to country legends like Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks. At the same time, Shaboozey also enjoyed artists such as Ja Rule and Usher, who blended these influences into his unique sound.
Shaboozey gained significant recognition with his song “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, matching the record set by Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road’’ in 2019. Before that, he made waves with his 2018 song “Start a Riot,” which featured on the *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* soundtrack. In 2024, he collaborated with Beyoncé on her *Cowboy Carter* album.
Country Star
Shaboozey initially pursued writing and filmmaking, even aspiring to be a novelist, with storytelling central to his creativity. However, after exploring music production, he transitioned into creating unique sounds that blended various musical influences.
He debuted with the album “Lady Wrangler” (2018) and followed it with “Cowboys Live Forever and Outlaws Never Die” (2022). His third album, “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going” (2024), launched him to international fame, with the hit single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” as a standout track.
Shaboozey draws inspiration from Western films, pulp fiction, and legendary musicians such as Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, and Fela Kuti. His diverse influences are reshaping contemporary country music.
In 2024, he received significant accolades, including nominations at the Country Music Association Awards and high-profile performances, such as joining Beyoncé for the NFL Halftime Show. His collaborations with Beyoncé’s recent Grammy-winning album, ‘Cowboy Carter,’ sparked discussions about African country music and highlighted his role in bridging the American and African musical scenes.
Though he may have left the 2025 Grammys without a win, the Nigerian-American trailblazer continues to break barriers and challenge genre norms with an undeniable impact musically.
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