At a Glance:
- Afrobeats stars compete for the Favorite Afrobeats Artist award.
- Tems and Asake extend Africa’s influence with Grammy wins and global recognition.
- Kendrick Lamar leads 2025 AMAs with 10 nominations; Taylor Swift earns six more.
Wizkid, Rema, Tems, Asake, and Tyla have secured nominations at the 51st American Music Awards 2025, highlighting the explosive global rise of Afrobeats.
The five artists will compete for the Favorite Afrobeats Artist award, with Tyla riding high after her Grammy win for Best African Music Performance with her global smash “Water.”
Introduced in 2022, the Afrobeats category has rapidly become a key highlight, with Wizkid—who first won the title—continuing to shape the genre’s international momentum.
His hit single “Joro” recently achieved RIAA gold certification in the United States, marking another major career milestone.
Tems, Asake extend Africa’s influence in global music
Tems’ ascent continues, following her Grammy wins for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best African Music Performance with “Love Me JeJe.”
Asake, fresh from a MOBO Award and multiple Grammy nominations, cements his reputation as one of Afrobeats’ most innovative voices on the global stage.
His third studio album Lungu Boy, along with Wizkid’s Morayo, propelled their Grammy-nominated collaboration MMS and helped secure their 2025 AMA nods.
Meanwhile, Rema’s “Calm Down,” featuring Selena Gomez, remains a cross-continental phenomenon, showcasing the growing footprint of African pop music.
Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lopez add star power
Kendrick Lamar, a Grammy legend, dominated the 67th Grammy Awards with five wins, leading the AMAs nominations with 10 nods, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for “GNX.”
Post Malone trails closely with eight nominations, while Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey each secured seven.
Taylor Swift, already the most awarded artist in AMAs history, added six more nominations.
The 2025 American Music Awards, hosted by Jennifer Lopez at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 26, will introduce three new categories: Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Social Song of the Year.
Lopez, returning as host for the first time since 2015, will also deliver a special performance, ensuring the night captures the spirit of today’s global pop culture evolution.
