{"id":219127,"date":"2025-10-17T06:24:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T06:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/219127\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T06:24:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T06:24:10","slug":"2026-grammys-nominations-predictions-global-reggae-african-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/219127\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Grammys Nominations Predictions: Global, Reggae, African Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThere are 10 categories in the Latin, Global<\/a>, Reggae<\/a> & New Age, Ambient or Chant Field at the 2026 Grammys<\/a>. Below, we assess the state of the race in four of those categories \u2014 best global music album, best global music performance, best African music<\/a> performance and best reggae album.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tExplore\t\t<\/p>\n

See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n

\t\tBest Global Music Album\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Afrobeats \u201cBig 3\u201d are the leading contenders for best global music album this year. Davido<\/a> (5ive), Burna Boy<\/a> (No Sign of Weakness) and Wizkid<\/a> (Morayo) should all make the final line-up of nominees. All three acts have been nominated here previously, and Burna won in 2021 with Twice as Tall. Although Wizkid\u2019s last studio album, More Love, Less Ego, missed out on a nod, it\u2019s safe to bet that Morayo will make the cut thanks to such hit singles as \u201cKese (Danse)\u201d and the Brent Faiyaz-assisted \u201cPiece of My Heart.\u201d Another name that\u2019s all but guaranteed to show up here on nominations morning on Nov. 7 is Anoushka Shankar<\/a> (We Return to Light), who boasts seven nominations (but zero wins) in this category.<\/p>\n

\n\tInternational jazz fusion ensemble Shakti, the 2024 victor in this category, is back in contention with Shakti: Mind Explosion \u2014 50th Anniversary Tour Live. As are previous nominees Ibrahim Maalouf (Trumpets of Michel-Ange), Femi Kuti<\/a> (Journey Through Life), and Seun Kuti <\/a>& Egypt 80\u2032 (Heavier Yet). Last year, Indian singer and flautist Varijashree Venugopal earned a best global music performance nod alongside Shankar and Jacob Collier, and she could turn that into a best global music album nod for her own Vari (The Live Sessions).<\/p>\n

\n\tThere\u2019s also the wild card of Machel Montano<\/a> (One Degree Hotter). Historically, soca has not fared well in this category, but if there was ever a year to honor the King of Soca, 2025 is it. Not only did Montano play the first-ever soca set<\/a> for NPR\u2019s Tiny Desk concert series, but he also notched his historic 11th Road March victory for his soca smash \u201cPardy.\u201d Other names to keep an eye out for include Anitta<\/a> (Ensaios Da Anitta), Eric Bellinger<\/a> (It\u2019ll All Make Sense Later), and Jamie Lozano & The Familia (Songs By An Immigrant, Vol. 3).<\/p>\n

\n\tOur Fearless Forecast<\/p>\n

\n\tWe\u2019re predicting: 5ive (Davido); No Sign of Weakness (Burna Boy); Morayo (Wizkid); We Return to Light (Anoushka Shankar); Journey Through Life (Femi Kuti)<\/p>\n

\t\tBest Global Music Performance\t<\/p>\n

\n\tHonoring \u201cinternational performers exhibiting \u2018non-European, indigenous traditions,’\u201d this category has only four years of history. In that time, Arooj Aftab<\/a> earned yearly nods, but this year, the Pakistani-American singer does not have a song in contention. Largely considered the frontrunner \u2014 whether it ended up in global music performance or African music performance \u2014 Moliy<\/a>, Silent Addy and Disco Neil<\/a>\u2018s \u201cShake It to the Max\u201d (with Shenseea<\/a> & Skillibeng<\/a>), does not appear on either ballot. With that in mind, expect some surprises in this category.<\/p>\n

\n\tBehind Aftab, Ang\u00e9lique Kidjo<\/a> and Burna Boy are tied with the most nominations in this category, boasting three each. Coincidentally, both acts have top contenders here, with \u201cJerusalema\u201d and \u201c4 Kamp\u00e9 II\u201d (with Jo\u00e9 Dw\u00e8t Fil\u00e9), respectively. Davido also scored a nod here in 2024 (\u201cFeel\u201d) and his international cross-genre \u201cAwuke\u201d duet with YG Marley<\/a> could land a nomination as well. That would help the Marley family tree\u2019s Grammy haul inch closer to 30, after Julian Marley\u2019s 2024 best reggae album win brought the count to 28. Shankhar boats two prior nods here, so a \u201cDaybreak\u201d appearance in the final nominee lineup would be unsurprising. Look out for Femi Kuti (\u201cJourney Through Life\u201d), Silvana Estrada<\/a> (\u201cDime\u201d), Venugopal (\u201cRanjani \u2013 Live\u201d) and Maalouf (\u201cTimless) as well, considering all four have earned previous nods in this category.<\/p>\n

\n\tThere are also especially buzzy names in contention this year, including Bad Bunny<\/a> (\u201cEoO\u201d), Rhiannon Giddens<\/a> (\u201cSwannanoa Tunnel \/ Steel-Driving Man\u201d), Little Simz<\/a> (\u201cLion,\u201d with Obongjayar), Rauw Alejandro<\/a> (\u201cCarita Linda\u201d), Peso Pluma<\/a> (\u201cGervonta\u201d), Natalia Lafourcade<\/a> (\u201cCocos en la Playa\u201d) and Julian Marley<\/a> (\u201cLight & Love,\u201d with A!MS & Antaeus). Realistically, Bad Bunny has the strongest chance of landing a nod out of this crop of contenders. It\u2019s hard to bet against a Super Bowl halftime show headliner, especially after he gave us one of the year\u2019s defining albums (Deb\u00ed Tirar M\u00e1s Fotos) and performances (the No Me Quiero Ir de Aqu\u00ed residency).<\/p>\n

\n\tOf course, there\u2019s also the breakthrough global soca hit \u201cThe Greatest Bend Over,\u201d credited to Full Blown and Yung Bredda<\/a>. If any soca song can rally Caribbean voters to make the final five, it\u2019s probably this one \u2014 and it would be very well-deserved. Speaking of soca, Montano is contending in this category with three different songs: \u201cPardy,\u201d \u201cFling It Up\u201d (with Davido), and \u201cTruth & Balance\u201d (with DJ Mac & Ayetian). Unfortunately, the Trinbagonian superstar would probably have been better off focusing his efforts on one submission.<\/p>\n

\n\tOur Fearless Forecast<\/p>\n

\n\tWe\u2019re predicting: \u201cJerusalema\u201d (Ang\u00e9lique Kidjo); \u201c4 Kamp\u00e9 II\u201d (Jo\u00e9 Dw\u00e8t Fil\u00e9 & Burna Boy); \u201cJourney Through Life\u201d (Femi Kuti); \u201cEoO\u201d (Bad Bunny); \u201cAwuke\u201d (Davido & YG Marley)<\/p>\n

\t\tBest Reggae Album\t<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s beyond time for the Grammys to split this category into best reggae album and best dancehall album. For now, we\u2019ll try to make sense of the race as it currently stands.<\/p>\n

\n\tLast year\u2019s biggest story was Vybz Kartel<\/a> finally earning his first Grammy nomination. This year, Worl\u2019 Boss is contending with Heart & Soul, which lacks both a standout hit single and the immediate glow of his release from prison. Then again, it\u2019s not like Party With Me, which earned him a nod here last year, had a massive hit either, but it\u2019s hard to deny the magnitude of Kartel\u2019s name. Other notable dancehall albums submitted for consideration in this category include Prove Them Wrong (Valiant<\/a>), International (Skillibeng), Pool Party (Konshens<\/a>), Time Is Now (Likkle Addi<\/a>), From Ding Dong to the World Ding (Ding Dong<\/a>), Hate Being Famous (Squash), Pieces of Me (450) and Ups & Downs (DJ Mac). Of this crop of contenders, Valiant and Skillibeng probably have the best shots at Grammy recognition. The former landed a spot on Billboard staff\u2019s mid-year Best Albums of 2025 list<\/a>, and the latter boasts the backing of RCA Records and the recent glow of \u201cShake It to the Max.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBack to reggae, additional leading contenders in that style include Treasure Self Love (Lila Ik\u00e9<\/a>), Jamaica Love (Mojo Morgan) and Blxxd & Fyah (Keznamdi<\/a>). All three acts are gunning for their first individual Grammy nod \u2014 Mojo has earned one win from two nominations as a part of Morgan Heritage \u2014 and it\u2019s not unlikely that they all make the final five. Ik\u00e9 boasts a Protoje co-sign and years of goodwill thanks to the extended lifespan of her 2020 The ExPerience EP, Mojo is mounting a strong campaign and his album features several generation-bridging collaborations, and Keznamdi\u2019s LP has lots of grassroots support. Bob Marley: One Love<\/a> stars Hector Roots Lewis and Aston Barrett Jr. are also in contention this year. The former is competing alongside Johnny Cosmic with Cosmic Love, and the latter is gunning for a nod with the Israel Vibration-assisted Reggae Music Never Dies. Also keep an eye out for two reggae legends, King Jammy (King Jammy Unites the Nation with Dub) and Niney the Observer (Niney the Observer), both of whom could earn their first Grammy nods.<\/p>\n

\n\tNotably, an AI-assisted album is also seeking a nomination. Adrian Donsome Hanson\u2019s Dem Can\u2019t Stop My Joy (Rastafari Forever), a collaboration with AI-generated band Forever Rootz Band, is looking to write the next chapter in the Grammys\u2019 relationship with AI. In 2023, Ghostwriter\u2019s \u201cHeart on My Sleeve,\u201d an AI-generated song inspired by Drake and The Weeknd, was deemed ineligible<\/a> for Grammy consideration. At the most recent Grammys ceremony in February, The Beatles\u2019 \u201cNow and Then,\u201d which used AI <\/a>to \u201c[clean] up some existing recordings,\u201d won best rock performance.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI do about 90% of the work myself \u2013 building the riddim, writing the lyrics, shaping the melodies, and even recording demo vocals,\u201d Hanson explained<\/a> to Jamaica Gleaner. \u201cI also worked with Shan Blair to provide the female vocals [and] ad-libs. Then, I use AI for maybe 10% of the process \u2013 mostly to experiment with sound textures or to adjust how a vocal feels. So it\u2019s not a fully AI-driven album; it\u2019s human-led from start to finish, with AI only supporting my vision. I control the process, and that human direction is what gives the album its soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAdditional contending reggae albums include Spain Root (Royal Blu), Nirvana (Jahmiel), Find Me Here (Sherwin Gardner), No Place Like Home (Jesse Royal), Sherlock (Cham), and Island Waves, Vol. 2 (Loud City & ZJ Sparks).<\/p>\n

\n\tOur Fearless Forecast<\/p>\n

\n\tWe\u2019re counting on: Jamaica Love (Mojo Morgan); No Place Like Home (Jesse Royal); Treasure Self Love (Lila Ik\u00e9); Heart & Soul (Vybz Kartel); Blxxd and Fyah (Keznamdi)<\/p>\n

\t\tBest African Music Performance\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThere are only two years of data for this young Grammy category, and the only decipherable trend thus far is that women are the big winners; Tyla\u2019s \u201cWater\u201d was the inaugural winner in 2024 and Tems<\/a>\u2018 \u201cLove Me Jeje\u201d followed in 2025.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis year, Tyla is back in contention with \u201cPush 2 Start,\u201d and she\u2019s likely the frontrunner to win. In fact, it\u2019s possible the entire inaugural lineup of best African music performance nominees (Tyla, Asake<\/a>, Burna Boy, Davido and Ayra Starr<\/a>) repeats this year. \u201cWith You\u201d (Davido & Omah Lay<\/a>), \u201cLove\u201d (Burna Boy), \u201cWhy Love\u201d (Asake) and \u201cGimme Dat\u201d (Wizkid & Ayra Starr) are all leading contenders. Wizkid is also competing with his Brent Faiyaz-assisted \u201cPiece of My Heart,\u201d which could result in some unfortunate vote-splitting. In 2024, Rema\u2019s historic \u201cCalm Down\u201d missed out on a Grammy nod because both the original song and its Selena Gomez-assisted remix were released outside of the eligibility period. This year, he could earn his first nod in this category with \u201cBaby (Is It a Crime?)\u201d Finally, Kidjo is one of the most successful artists in the Grammys\u2019 global field, and she could reap her first bid in this category with \u201cPolice\u201d (with Kizz Daniel <\/a>& Johnny Drille).<\/p>\n

\n\tFor all of the seismic international Afrobeats that we\u2019ve gotten over the years, those songs by non-African performers don\u2019t do too well at the Grammys. Chris Brown<\/a> (\u201cSensational\u201d) is the only non-African performer to land a nod in this category, and Ciara<\/a> could join him if her Diamond Platnumz<\/a>-assisted \u201cLow\u201d earns enough votes.<\/p>\n

\n\tOther songs to look out for include \u201cMwah\u201d (Lojay & Odeal<\/a>), \u201cZenzele\u201d (Uncle Waffles<\/a>, et al.), \u201cEmi Aluta (Zamrock Remix)\u201d (Seun Kuti & Egypt 80\u2019), \u201cSo It Goes\u201d (Black Sherif<\/a> & Fireboy DML<\/a>), \u201cPity This Boy\u201d (Odumodublvck<\/a> & Victony<\/a>) and \u201cShaolin\u201d (Seyi Vibez<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\n\tOur Fearless Forecast<\/p>\n

\n\tWe\u2019re predicting: \u201cPush 2 Start\u201d (Tyla); \u201cLove\u201d (Burna Boy); \u201cGimme Dat\u201d (Wizkid & Ayra Starr); \u201cWith You\u201d (Davido & Omah Lay); \u201cBaby (Is It a Crime?) (Rema)\u00a0<\/p>\n


\n \"Billboard
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