By Seyi Babalola
The 2025 Grammy Awards was held on Sunday, February 2, celebrating music’s biggest night, with Nigeria’s Tems among the winners of the night.
The Grammy Awards, established in 1954, are widely regarded as the pinnacle of musical honours. They continue to spotlight and celebrate extraordinary musical talents on a global scale.
Aside from its supremacy in Africa, the Nigerian music industry is not only growing locally but also garnering worldwide prominence, attracting the attention of the Grammys.
Before the newly established African Grammy Awards category, numerous Nigerians have received the coveted accolade.
Daily Sun brings to you 7 Nigerian artists who have won Grammy awards:
- Helen Folasade Adu
Popularly known as Sade Adu, she is the first Nigerian to win a Grammy. She won Best New Artist in 1986, Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals in 1994 for her song ‘No Ordinary Love’, Best Pop Vocal Album in 2002 for her album ‘Lovers Rock’ (beating Janet Jackson and NSYNC), and R&B Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals in 2011 for her song ‘Soldier of Love’.
Sade Adu has a total of eight Grammy nominations. She was born on January 16, 1959, in Ibadan, Nigeria, and was brought up in England at the age of four.
- Seal
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel, better known by his stage name Seal, is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
He was born on February 19, 1963, in Paddington, London, to a Nigerian mother, Adebisi Ogundeji, and an Afro-Brazilian father, Francis Samuel. He has won four Grammys in total.
- Siriku Adepoju
Many of you may be unfamiliar with the name Siriku Adepoju, but he is a Nigerian drummer and recording artist who specializes in traditional African and global music.
He received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music CD in 2009 for his work on the ‘Global Drum Project’ CD.
Siriku Adepoju has only received one Grammy nomination.
- Kevin Olusola
Kevin Oluwole Olusola, better known as K.O., is an American singer-songwriter, beatboxer, and cellist. Kevin was born on October 5, 1988, to a Nigerian father, Oluwole Olusola, and a Grenada-born mother, Curline Pauland.
He is well known as the beatboxer for the A cappella group Pentatonix. In 2015, he and his trio, Pentatonix, received the Best Arrangement, Instrumental, or Acapella award for their acapella song “Daft Punk.”
- Burna Boy
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and record producer.
Born on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, the African Giant, as he refers to himself, is also known as the King of Afrofusion.
He is one of Nigeria’s musical prodigies, creating waves both in Africa and beyond the world.
In 2021, he won a Grammy for Best Global Music Album for his highly praised album ‘Twice As Tall’.
Burna Boy has ten Grammy nominations.
- Wizkid
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, professionally known as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter. He was born on July 16, 1990, in Surulere, Lagos, and has 12 female siblings.
Wizkid is a well-known personality in the contemporary Afrobeats music industry, and he is recognized as one of the most financially successful and influential African recording artists of the twenty-first century.
He received a Grammy in 2021 for Best Music Video for his work with Beyoncé on the song ‘Brown Skin Girl’. Wizkid has four Grammy nominations.
- Temilade Openiyi
Temilade Openiyi, aka Tems, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. She earned her first Grammy in 2023 for Best Melodic Rap Performance for her work on “Wait For U” with Future and Drake.
Tems was born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to the United Kingdom with her family when she was five years old.
At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards 2025, Nigerian singer Tems secured her second Grammy, winning Best African Music Performance for her song Love Me Jeje.
Tems has a total of eight Grammy nominations.
