Is it about the sound or the passport?
The Best African Music Performance category at the Grammys sounds exciting at first glance. You see the nominations and naturally think of Afrobeats, Amapiano, Afro-fusion distinct sounds that have shaped global music in recent years.
But here’s where the confusion starts.
Photos by Prince William, Claudio Lavenia & Elsa / Getty Images
The Grammys don’t appear to define “African” by sound. They define it by the artist.
That means once an artist is African, their song can land in this category even if the music itself leans more toward pop, R&B, or other global styles with little or no African sonic identity. This is why nominations like Tyla’s often feel “off” to some listeners. Not because the music isn’t good but because it doesn’t clearly represent a uniquely African genre.
Tyla with her Grammy for Best African Music Performance at the 68th GRAMMY Awards.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images.
So the real question the Grammys need to answer is simple:
What does “African” actually mean here passport or sound?
If African music is defined purely as music made by Africans, then this category isn’t celebrating a genre at all. It’s simply grouping artists by origin, regardless of musical style. And when that happens, Afrobeats, Amapiano, Highlife, Afro-fusion, and other African-rooted sounds lose the spotlight they deserve.
At BuzzVaultNG, our view is this:
lumping diverse sounds, cultures, and genres into one broad box doesn’t elevate African music it blurs it. Africa isn’t a genre. It’s a continent with rich, distinct musical identities.
If the Grammys truly want to celebrate African music, the category needs clearer boundaries ones that honor the sound, not just the surname.
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