When the Recording Academy unveiled its nominations for the Best African Music Performance category at the upcoming Grammy Awards 2026, excitement rippled across the continent — followed by silence in Tanzania. Despite several Tanzanian artists being under Grammy consideration, none made it to the final list.
This year’s nominees are Nigeria’s Burna Boy for Love, Davido featuring Omah Lay for With You, Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid for Gimme Dat, South Africa’s Tyla for Push to Start, and Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo for Hope & Love. Once again, Nigerian and South African artists dominated, while Tanzania — home to one of East Africa’s most dynamic music scenes — was left out.
Five Considered, None Nominated
Five Tanzanian artists were in the running for Grammy consideration this year, yet none advanced to the official nomination stage. Among them were Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize, Marioo, Fid Q, AY, and Abby Chams.
Diamond Platnumz was under consideration for his collaboration Low with American singer Ciara but the track failed to earn a nomination. Harmonize had four songs submitted — Me Too featuring Abby Chams, Simuoni with AY, Furaha, and Finally featuring Miri Ben-Ari — none made the cut.
Producer and artist Fid Q’s Glory 2, featuring Damian Soul and Uganda’s Jose Chameleone, also missed out, as did Marioo’s Nairobi and Abby Chams’ Me Too. AY, a veteran of Tanzania’s Hip-hop scene, had two submissions — Simuoni and Wanga Neka featuring Zambia’s Kanjiba — but both were passed over.
With only Eddy Kenzo representing East Africa among the final nominees, Tanzania’s absence has reignited debate within the country’s music industry: what keeps its artists from breaking through on the world’s biggest stage?
Beyond Popularity: The Sound of Recognition
Nigeria’s Afrobeats and South Africa’s Amapiano have achieved what every national sound aspires to — global recognizability. Their music carries distinct sonic signatures: the percussive swing of Afrobeats and the deep log-drum pulse of Amapiano. The world can tell where those sounds come from.
Tanzania’s case is different. While Diamond Platnumz’s 2024 hit Komasava drew massive attention across Africa, it was built on an Amapiano rhythm — not Bongo Flava. Likewise, Ciara’s Low, which featured Diamond, blended Afrobeats, R&B, and Amapiano. Apart from a few Swahili lyrics and Diamond’s unmistakable voice, there’s little that musically identifies either track as Tanzanian.
The issue, then, is not visibility — it’s identity. Tanzanian artists are popular, but their music doesn’t yet project a distinct sonic fingerprint that the world can instantly recognize.
Bongo Flava’s Identity Dilemma
Bongo Flava, Tanzania’s signature genre, was born in the 1990s from the fusion of Hip-hop, R&B, and local storytelling. Artists like Mr II, Juma Nature, and Professor Jay gave it a Swahili heartbeat, turning foreign rhythms into vehicles for social commentary. The genre’s identity lay in its language, attitude, and themes — not just its sound.
But over time, that flavour has shifted. Today’s Bongo Flava borrows freely from Afrobeats, Amapiano, and global pop, often losing the grounded storytelling that once made it unique. In chasing crossover success, Tanzanian artists risk sounding too familiar to stand out.
As media personality Imcalypsso observed, “Getting into the US industry and dominating charts takes a whole team effort. Nigeria has built an ecosystem that invests in its artists, giving them a strong global presence. Tanzania hasn’t reached that level yet.”
Representation also plays a role. Latisha Mussa, a Tanzanian artist, noted that “Out of more than 500 Grammy voters, none are Tanzanian or East African — but there are over 11 Nigerians. How do we expect Tanzanian music to compete under those circumstances?”
Finding the Tanzanian Voice
The challenge for Tanzania is not talent — it’s translation. The country’s artists are prolific, charismatic, and globally marketable. What’s missing is a collective sound and cultural positioning that make Tanzanian music instantly identifiable.
As Marlon Fuentes, former Global Music Manager at the Grammys, pointed out, “The more voting members from East Africa, the higher the chances of recognition. Artists need to put their best work out there — music that stands out across global platforms.”
Standing out, however, doesn’t mean sounding like everyone else. It means defining what makes Tanzanian music Tanzanian — and amplifying that uniqueness across global platforms.
Until that happens, Tanzania’s music will continue to fill playlists but not nomination lists. The world may dance to Tanzanian voices, but it won’t always recognize where the rhythm comes from.
For now, the Grammy stage has room for Africa — just not yet for Tanzania. But with a clearer identity and stronger industry networks, that day may not be far away.
