It was a first for Nigeria at the much-awaited 67th Grammy Awards ceremony in fire-ravaged Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Singer Tems, became the second-ever winner of the African Music Performance Award for her Afrobeats hit, Love me JeJe, from her debut album, “Born in the Wild”.
The Nigerian recording artist said she felt “blessed”.
“As much I think I have something and I’m talented and I have all these gifts, there’s so many talented African young artists in Africa that are going to come out and even do more than me,” she said.
Last year, South African sensation, Tyla, was the first winner of the newly created category.
This year, it was dominated by Nigerian artists, including Burna Boy and Asake.
Tems said she felt “some kind of crazy” to think she could inspire some other talented young artist after winning the award.
“It feels like a weird blessing to be someone that inspires someone like that, that is looking at me right now and thinking, I could do that too.”
She said it made her feel like she has “some kind of purpose or mission.”
In another win for Africa, South African flautist Wouter Kellerman, was awarded a Grammy in the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album category.
He won it together with Japanese cellist, Eru Matsumoto, and Indian vocalist, Chandrika Tandon, for their album “Triveni”.
The festivities were revamped to be part awards show and part fundraiser for people affected by the LA wildfires.
A choir of students from schools destroyed in the fires sang the famine relief anthem “We Are the World”.
South African comic, Trevor Noah, who hosted the event, said at least $7 million were raised during the live broadcast.
