As Nigerian music continues to gain international acclaim, Afrobeats stars are achieving significant milestones, including winning prestigious awards like the Grammys, which is regarded as the pinnacle of musical achievement.
On August 26, 2024, Davido took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to announce his latest collaboration, “Joy,” featuring Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo. The highly anticipated track is set to be released on Friday, August 30, 2024, coinciding with the Grammy entry deadline for the upcoming awards season. This timing has fueled speculation that Davido is aiming to enhance his Grammy prospects through this collaboration with the five-time Grammy winner.
Davido made his Grammy debut in 2023, securing nominations for Best Global Album with his record-breaking fourth album “Timeless,” Best Global Song Performance for “Feel,” and Best African Song Performance for “Unavailable” featuring Musa Keys. Although he did not win at the 66th Grammys, the nominations marked a significant achievement in his career. Now, with “Joy,” Davido is positioning himself for another potential Grammy nod, leveraging Kidjo’s history of 14 nominations and her status as a global music powerhouse.
Burna Boy, another Nigerian Grammy winner, earned one of his ten Grammy nominations through his feature on Kidjo’s “Do Yourself,” which received a nomination for Best Global Song Performance at the 64th Grammys. With “Joy,” Davido appears to be following a similar path, aiming to secure a nomination in the global categories where Kidjo has consistently excelled.
