It has been three years since the Recording Academy introduced the Best African Music Performance category at the Grammy Awards, creating what many believed would be a historic opportunity for African genres including Tanzania's Bongo Flava, to compete on music's biggest stage.
Yet despite growing international recognition for Tanzanian music, no Bongo Flava artiste has secured a Grammy nomination in the category since its launch in 2023.
Instead, the nominations have largely been dominated by artists from Nigeria and South Africa, raising questions about what Bongo Flava needs to do to break through at the world's most prestigious music awards.
In June 2023, the Recording Academy announced the introduction of the Best African Music Performance award, expanding Grammy recognition for the continent's diverse musical styles.
The category celebrates a broad range of African genres, including Bongo Flava, Afrobeats, Afro-fusion, Afro-pop, Amapiano, Genge, Kizomba, Highlife, Fuji, Kwassa, Ndombolo, Afro-house, Ethio Jazz, Ghanaian Drill and many others.
The move was widely welcomed across Africa, with many seeing it as long-overdue recognition of the continent's growing influence on global music.
No Bongo Flava breakthrough
Despite the new platform, Bongo Flava has yet to make its mark.
For the 68th Grammy Awards in 2026, several Tanzanian artists submitted entries hoping to earn nominations in Best African Music Performance.
Among the works that advanced through the initial submission stage were Marioo's Nairobi, AY's Wanganeka and Simuoni, Fid Q's Glory 2, Diamond Platnumz and Ciara's Low, Abigail Chams' Me Too, while Harmonize submitted four songs for consideration.
However, none of the entries ultimately received a nomination after the Recording Academy's voting process.
The Academy's voting members—made up of artists, songwriters, producers, engineers and other music professionals—review submissions before selecting the official nominees.
Familiar faces continue to dominate
The 2026 Best African Music Performance nominees once again featured artists who have become Grammy regulars.
The nominees were Burna Boy – Love, Davido – With You, Eddy Kenzo – Hope & Love, Ayra Starr – Gimme Dat and Tyla – Push 2 Start (Winner).
Tyla's victory marked her second Grammy win in the category, further cementing South Africa's growing influence at the awards.
A category led by women
Since its introduction, only female artists have won the Best African Music Performance Grammy.
South African singer Tyla became the inaugural winner at the 66th Grammy Awards in 2024 with her global hit Water, defeating nominees including Asake and Olamide, Burna Boy, Davido featuring Musa Keys and Ayra Starr.
Her victory sparked heated debate online, particularly among Nigerian fans who believed Davido deserved the award.
The following year, Nigerian star Tems claimed the trophy with Love Me Jeje, overcoming competition from Asake and Wizkid, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade and Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay.
The win marked Tems' first Grammy for her own music and her second overall, following her earlier Grammy success through Wait For U, her collaboration with Future and Drake.
She also became the first Nigerian woman to win a Grammy for her own work, joining Burna Boy as one of Nigeria's artists to achieve the feat through solo releases.
Lessons from Africa's Grammy winners
While Bongo Flava continues its search for a breakthrough, several African artists have built successful Grammy careers through years of persistence.
Among them is Angélique Kidjo of Benin, who holds the record as Africa's most decorated Grammy-winning artist with five awards.
Kidjo's journey illustrates that international recognition often comes after decades of work.
After leaving Benin in 1983 because of political unrest, she relocated to Paris, where she studied music at the CIM music school. There, she met French musician and producer Jean Hébrail, who later became her husband and long-time collaborator.
Years later, the couple returned to Benin to record traditional sounds that influenced Kidjo's acclaimed work.
It took roughly 25 years from the beginning of her professional career before she won her first Grammy for Djin Djin, which earned Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Today, Kidjo has collaborated with Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz on the 2026 song Kakua, highlighting the growing connections between African music scenes.
The road ahead for Bongo Flava
The absence of Bongo Flava nominations does not necessarily reflect a lack of talent or commercial success. Tanzanian artists continue to enjoy strong streaming numbers, international collaborations and sold-out performances across Africa and beyond.
However, Grammy recognition often depends on more than popularity. Campaign strategy, international industry networks, visibility among Recording Academy voters and sustained global promotion all play significant roles in securing nominations.
Three years after Africa gained its dedicated Grammy category, Bongo Flava is still waiting for its breakthrough moment.
With the genre continuing to expand beyond East Africa and Tanzanian artists increasingly collaborating with international stars, many in the industry believe it is only a matter of time before Bongo Flava finally earns its place among the Grammy nominees.
