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Grammy Awards 2021: Does Burna Boy stand a chance this time?

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The year 2019 was great a year for Nigerian Superstar Burna Boy. With the release of his fourth studio album, “African Giant” followed by well attended concerts all over the world, the “Odogwu” was poised for all the many accolades he could receive in the music world.

“The album which features guest appearances from Jorja Smith, Jeremih, Damian Marley and Future, among others, received generally favourable reviews from music critics, who called it cohesive and praised Burna Boy for not diluting his sound. It was included in the year-end lists issued by several publications, including Billboard, Complex and Pitchfork.”

See below weekly and year-end rankings of “African Giant” album.

Weekly charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)58
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)98
Canadian Albums (Billboard)33
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)12
French Albums (SNEP)54
Irish Albums (IRMA)80
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)64
UK Albums (OCC)16
US Billboard 200104

Year-end rankings 

PublicationAccoladeRank
ComplexThe Best Albums of 2019
13
BillboardThe 50 Best Albums of 2019
14
PitchforkThe 50 Best Albums of 2019
26
ViceThe 100 Best Albums of 2019
12
The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s
63
Rolling StoneThe 50 Best Albums of 2019
46
The AtlanticThe 18 Best Albums of 2019

 

It was therefore not a surprise at all when “African Giant was nominated in the ‘Best World Music Album’ category at the 2020 Grammy Awards together with Altin Gün, Bokanté & Metropole Orkest, Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet and Angelique Kidjo.

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Despite receiving formidable reviews, doing well on music charts and winning some major awards, Burna Boy lost out on the ultimate Grammy Awards.

While receiving the Grammy award for the best world album on January 27, 2020, Angelique Kidjo dedicated the award to Burna Boy and stated that indeed, Burna Boy is the future of African music.

“Four years ago, on the stage, I was telling you that the new generation of artistes coming from Africa are going to take you by storm. And the time has come. This is for Burna Boy. Burna Boy is among those young musicians that come from Africa that is changing the way that our continent is perceived and the way that African music has been the bedrock of every music,” she said during her acceptance speech at the award show.

After loosing out on the one thing that would have crowned all of his hard work, Burna Boy revealed that he “felt totally sick” but was however poised to work “Twice as tall.”

“Sick. Totally sick,” he stated. “My musical Mother @angeliquekidjo told me everything I needed to understand about the Grammys. So now I’m “Twice as Tall” (that’s the name of my next Album by the way dropping in July by the grace of the most High),” he wrote in a tweet.

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Indeed, the African Giant worked twice as hard and released his fifth studio album, “Twice as Tall”on August 14, 2020, this time, gathering the talents of Youssou N’Dour, Naughty by Nature, Sauti Sol, Chris Martin and Stormzy.

Executive produced by American singer and songwriter Diddy, with generally favourable reviews from music critics as well, “Twice as Tall” set out to take great positions on some music charts.

See chart performance for Twice as Tall below:

Chart performance for Twice as Tall
Chart (2020)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)69
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)22
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)22
Canadian Albums (Billboard)19
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)10
French Albums (SNEP)29
Irish Albums (OCC)31
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)47
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)12
UK Albums (OCC)11
US Billboard 20054

The pandemic has brought everything to a halt, which has stalled momentum with Twice as Tall. While it is doing amazing on charts, a world tour, as he did with “African Giant,”  would have cemented its position.

This year at the Grammys, Burna Boy faces competition from  Antibalas, Bebel Gilberto, Anoushka Shankar and Tinariwen.

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Twice as Tall  firmly establishes Burna’s political stance and like the album cover, a hero poised for greatness.

But will a “heroic” album get him a Grammy win when a dazzling crossover moment with African Giant didn’t?

We’ll find out on January 31, 2021.

 

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Kofi Kinaata Declares No Interest in Rap Beef; Focuses on Setting Positive Example

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Multiple award-winning Highlife singer and songwriter, Martin King Arthur, otherwise known as Kofi Kinaata has firmly stated his disinterest in participating in any form of lyrical confrontation with fellow musicians, commonly referred to as rap beef.  (more…)

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Musical Unity: Rocky Dawuni Encourages Artistes to Work Together, Not Against Each Other

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Ghanaian Reggae luminary, Rocky Dawuni has called on fellow musicians to steer clear of conflict and rivalry within the industry. (more…)

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Truck driver arrested following train crash on Tema-Mpakadan railway line

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The Ghana Police Service has arrested the driver of a Hyundai truck, who allegedly abandoned his truck on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, leading to a train crash on Thursday. (more…)

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Davido Inks Partnership with UnitedMasters For His Nine+ Records Venture

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Davido Inks Partnership with UnitedMasters For His Nine+ Records Venture

Making yet another major power move, three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated Nigerian global superstar and Afrobeats pioneer Davido has inked a deal with UnitedMasters for his recently launched label Nine+ Records.

In this groundbreaking collaboration, Davido will spearhead artist development, A&R, and behind-the-scenes curation, nurturing a pioneering lineup of artists across the continent under Nine+ Records. United by a shared vision, the teams will work together to introduce and foster talent, amplifying Davido’s influence and extending his reach even further. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in shaping the future of African and world music.

Together, the teams will collaborate closely in order to not only introduce, but cultivate career talent. It only expands Davido’s influence and reach.

Read Also: Davido gifts fan $50k to payoff student loans

Of today’s announcement Davido said, “I couldn’t be more proud to partner with Steve and the team at United Masters, this announcement represents an exciting new chapter for developing and established artists around the world.”

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Steve Stoute, Founder and CEO of UnitedMasters states, “Over the last 2 years, we’ve proven our commitment to Africa investing in artists, education, and technology. Today, we are doubling down. With this new venture with Davido & the launch of Nine Plus Records, we reinforce our mission in becoming a bridge for artists on the continent. Together we’ll identify & develop new artists while supporting them with brand and synch opportunities.”

Nine+ Records will be announcing more artists and partners in the future.

Last night, Davido just sold out one of the most iconic venues in the world, headlining Madison Square Garden in New York City. He ignited the stage with what will be remembered as a historic set, bringing Afrobeats to the Big Apple in the biggest way possible. In advance of the show, he extensively spoke to Billboard who praised how “Performing in New York has also become a special ritual” for him.

This news also arrives on the heels of various major company announcements for UnitedMasters. The company locked down a high-profile alliance with SymphonyOS and Groover. Plus, it hosted its annual “A Celebration of Independence” GRAMMY® Concert at the Palladium in Hollywood, CA. The show boasted an all-star lineup, including headliner Davido, Uncle Waffles, Tokischa, Donavan’s Yard, and NLE Choppa. Of the latter, The Source wrote, “This marked the first time UnitedMasters featured international acts, solidifying its impact and representation within the global independent artist movement.”

Stay tuned for a whole lot more soon

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Court Orders Service Of Notice For DNA Test To Mohbad’s Wife

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Mohbad

The Chief Magistrate Court in Ikorodu has granted approval to serve a notice for a DNA test to the wife of late singer Ileriouluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known as Mohbad, at her last known address. (more…)

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Ghana’s New Train from Poland Crashes During Test Run

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Reports reaching Ameyaw Debrah Media indicate that the recently imported train from Poland, designated for the Tema-Mpakadan railway route, has encountered an accident. (more…)

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