The 63rd Grammy Awards held yesterday at Los Angeles, US. The 2021 biggest music Awards night in order to observe social distancing had 5 different stages arranged in a circle for the performers and no audience at the Los Angeles convention centre where the event took place.
It was a big night for Afrobeats as global stars Wizkid and Burnaboy bagged awards at the event.
Damini Ogulu popularly known as Burnaboy from Porthacourt, Nigeria won the Best Global Music Album category for his album “Twice as Tall”.
Twice as Tall was released on August 13, 2020. The 15 track album features the likes of British artist Stormzy, Chris Martin, Sauti Sol, Naughty by nature and Youssou N’Dour.
This was his second nomination at the Grammys. His first was for his 2019 “African Giant” album which he lost to Angelique kidjo in the category then known as Best World Music album. In solidarity for African music, Angelique Kidjo dedicated her win to him.
While the artiste released his first album L.I.F.E in 2013, he started receiving international acclam with his hit track “Ye” which caught the attention of Kanye in 2018. Many felt Burna was robbed of his 2019 Grammy Award.
In an interview he had with The PGM Club 6 months ago to discuss his Twice as Tall album, he spoke on his inability to bag the 2019 Grammy nomination and his feelings afterwards. He said;
It’s like steps, you get tired and devastated and it’s like you just want to do more than you’ve ever done before and then you just don’t care anymore. (Laughs) and then you just want to keep going. You just have no breaks at that point…
The Grammys described Twice as Tall as “a masterclass in the vibe and hustle that have made Burna Boy an international music force. He continues to torch limitations, seamlessly blending styles and genres and fearlessly fuelling the fire hearing the melting pot of Pop, Afrobeat, Dancehall, Reggae and more.”
The album was littered with socially conscious songs dealing with colonialism and its remnants on the African continent, the steadfast corruption of the Nigerian government and their massacres. It comes at no surprise that Burna has achieved this feat and proves himself as the legend he says he is.
