2027 Grammys: Davido, Tems, Asake and Ayra Starr Chase Album and Record of the Year
Nigeria’s biggest music stars are going after music’s biggest prize again. Davido, Tems, Asake and Ayra Starr have all submitted their latest work for consideration at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled for February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles — and this time they are not settling for the categories reserved for African music alone. They are aiming for the main prizes: Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
The submissions, reported by Nigerian outlets including TheCable Lifestyle, Tribune Online and Credible News, show a coordinated push by the country’s leading artistes to be judged alongside the biggest names in global music. First-round voting for the awards ran from October 12 to 22, and the official nominees will be announced on November 16. Until then, the submissions are entries for consideration — not nominations — but the scale of the Nigerian push is already a story in itself.
Davido leads with five entries
Davido has submitted five entries, led by his sixth studio album Oriadé, which is in contention for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album, as well as Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) and Best Album Cover. The album, released on July 31, 2026, is the centrepiece of his campaign for the 2027 ceremony.
His songs are spread across the major categories. “B4 B4”, featuring Mayorkun and FOLA, is entered for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance. “Nakupenda”, featuring TxC, Zlatan and others, is also in the running in the Record and Song of the Year fields, while “Le Show”, his collaboration with Ayra Starr and French Montana, is entered for Best African Music Performance. His track “I Know Who I Be” is entered for Best African Music Performance and Best Music Video, according to reports.
Davido is no stranger to the Grammys. He earned three nominations at the 2024 ceremony, including Best Global Music Album for Timeless and Best African Music Performance for “Unavailable”. He did not win on that occasion, but the nominations placed him firmly in the Recording Academy’s orbit — and his 2027 submissions are broader and more ambitious than anything he has entered before.
Tems: the most decorated Nigerian at the Grammys
Tems arrives at the 2027 race with the strongest Grammy record of any Nigerian artiste. She won Best African Music Performance for “Love Me JeJe” at the 2025 ceremony, and she previously won Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023 for her contribution to Future’s “Wait for U”, featuring Drake. She now has more Grammy Awards than any other Nigerian artist.
For 2027, Tems has submitted her project Love Is a Kingdom for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album, as well as Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) and Best Album Cover. Her song “What You Need” is entered for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song and Best Music Video.
Her collaboration with British rapper Dave, “Raindance”, is entered across Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Music Video. “Big Daddy” is her entry for Best African Music Performance, while “I Think You’re Special”, her collaboration with Justin Bieber, is entered for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. “Bunce Road Blues”, featuring J Cole and Future, is also in the Best Melodic Rap Performance field.
The breadth of Tems’ submissions reflects the range of her music. She is competing in R&B, rap and African music categories at the same time, a sign of how difficult it has become to put her sound into a single box.
Asake’s four entries
Asake’s label, Giran Republik, announced four entries on October 8. His album M$NEY is submitted for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album, while his single “Gratitude” is entered for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance.
His collaboration with Wizkid, “Jogodo”, is also vying for Best African Music Performance, and his dance fusion with French DJ Snake, “Worship”, is submitted for Best Dance Pop Recording. It is a compact but strategic set of entries, covering the flagship album categories, the song categories and the dance field.
Asake’s rise has been one of the fastest in Afrobeats history, and a Grammy nomination would be the latest milestone in a career that has already delivered sold-out arenas and some of the most streamed Nigerian songs of the decade.
Ayra Starr’s big swing
Ayra Starr has submitted heavily, with her album Starrgirl entered for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album. Her collaboration with Zayn Malik, “Heaven Baby”, is in contention for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Her collaboration with Rema, “Who’s Dat Girl”, is entered for Best Global Music Performance, and she has four entries in the Best African Music Performance field, including “Aye Kan” with Angélique Kidjo and “Show Me” with Latto.
Ayra Starr is already a Grammy nominee, having been nominated for “Rush” at the 2024 ceremony. She has had a remarkable year, becoming the first African artiste to headline an NFL halftime show when she performed at the NFL London game on October 11, 2026. Her Grammy submissions are the latest step in a career that keeps breaking new ground for African women in music.
More Nigerians in the race
The four headliners are not alone. Seyi Vibez and Victony are also among the Nigerian artistes who have submitted work for the 2027 awards, according to TheCable Lifestyle, and Seun Kuti has reportedly submitted “Na Dem” and “Problems” for consideration in the Best African Music Performance category.
The wide spread of submissions shows how deep Nigeria’s bench has become. It is no longer one or two stars carrying the flag. Artistes from different generations, sounds and scenes are all putting their work before the Recording Academy at the same time.
Why the general-field push matters
For years, the Best African Music Performance category — introduced at the 2024 Grammys — has been the main route for Nigerian artistes into the awards. It gave Afrobeats a dedicated home at the ceremony, and Tems and other Nigerian stars have won in it. But it also raised a question: would Nigerian music ever be judged in the same categories as the biggest pop, rock and hip-hop records in the world?
The 2027 submissions answer that question with ambition. Davido, Tems, Asake and Ayra Starr have all entered albums for Album of the Year and songs for Record and Song of the Year. Those are the categories that define the night, and getting a nomination in any of them would be a first for a Nigerian-led project.
The strategy also reflects how Afrobeats is now made and marketed. These are not niche records aimed at a single audience. They are global pop albums, recorded with collaborators from America, Britain and France, released by major labels, and promoted on world tours. The artists are asking the Academy to judge them on those terms.
What happens next
First-round voting has already closed, having run from October 12 to 22. The official nominees for the 69th Grammy Awards will be announced on November 16, and only then will fans know whether the Nigerian submissions have made the shortlist. The main ceremony takes place on February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.
It is worth remembering what a submission is — and what it is not. Any eligible recording can be submitted, and thousands of entries are filed every year. A nomination is the real achievement, and it requires the votes of Recording Academy members. The Nigerian artistes have done their part by entering strong work. The rest is in the hands of the voters.
That has not stopped the excitement. Across Nigerian social media, fans have been breaking down the entries, debating which songs have the best chance, and celebrating the fact that four of the country’s biggest stars are all in the race at once. For many, the submissions themselves are a sign of how far the music has travelled — from Lagos clubs to the biggest night in world music.
A decade of climbing
The 2027 push is the latest chapter in a decade-long climb. Nigerian music has moved from occasional Grammy recognition to a permanent presence at the ceremony. Burna Boy won Best Global Music Album in 2021. Wizkid won for his contribution to Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl”. Tems has won twice. Davido, Ayra Starr and Asake have all been nominated or are chasing their first nominations.
Each year, the list of Nigerian names in the Grammy conversation grows a little longer. Whether or not November 16 brings nominations for Davido, Tems, Asake and Ayra Starr, the submissions show an industry that is no longer content with a single category or a single night. Afrobeats wants the whole stage — and in February 2027, the world will find out how close it has come.
Source: TheCable Lifestyle, Tribune Online, Credible News, Wisevoter, Newscall Media