South African and Nigerian artists win big at the 65th Grammy Awards

Nigerian artist Tems (Temilade Openiyi) earned her first Grammy award for her contribution to Future's hit single 'Wait For U', which also features Drake.  

The song won the Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday,  beating strong artists in the category, which included Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar and DJ Khaled.

South Africans Zakes Bantwini, Nomcebo Zikode and Wouter Kellerman also won a Grammy in the Best Global Music Performance category, courtesy of their song, 'Bayethe'.

"Thank you so much. This is such a beautiful moment on the road to sharing South African music and culture with the world," Kellerman said during his acceptance speech. 

"I just want to say, we are coming from Africa, South Africa. And this moment right here to anybody who's in Africa just proves and affirms that every dream is valid," Bantwini added.

They trounced Nigeria's Burna Boy, Uganda's Eddy Kenzo and Ghanaian Rocky Dawuni to win the category.

The award is the first Grammy for Nomcebo and Bantwini and Kellerman's second.  

Nomcebo, whose step-up-to-fame moment came when she featured in Master KG's Jerusalema hit, also echoed the positive sentiments of her colleagues.

"Thank you so much to God. I once gave a song to the world that took the world by storm, but I didn't get this award and he then said 'don't worry my daughter, I will give you Bayethe'," she said.

Other Africans featured in the nominations (but did not win) included Uganda's Eddy Kenzo, who made his debut in the Grammy's nomination list in the Best Global Music Performance category with his song 'Gimme Love'.

In a Twitter message, the 33-year-old expressed gratitude to his fans while promising them more music.

"And the baby went to south Africa thank you for the support my people I'm forever grateful. Viva Uganda. this is just the beginning mbagala nyo," Kenzo wrote on Instagram. 

Ghana's Rocky Dawuni, a three-time Grammy nominee, was also among the Best Global Music Performance category nominees.

In an interview with VOA Africa, the artist, whose music features Afro Roots blended with Reggae and Soul, said the nomination was important for him because it meant "your peers within the music industry globally acknowledge your work."

While Nigeria's Burna Boy did not secure a win this time around, he is no stranger to the awards, having previously won a Grammy in 2021 with his album 'Twice as Tall' winning the Best Global Music Album.

Harry Styles scooped the coveted Album of the Year gong for his third solo album, Harry's House while Lizzo's viral single About Damn Time was named Record of the Year and Song of the Year went to Bonnie Raitt for her song Just Like That.