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Naomi Campbell criticises Grammy Awards after Burna Boy loss
The model took to Instagram after Burna Boy failed to take home a trophy at the 2020 Grammy Awards.
Naomi Campbell has criticised the Grammy Awards after Burna Boy was denied a win at last week’s ceremony. Burna Boy was nominated for Best World Music Album for his 2019 record African Giant but lost out to Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo. Kidjo dedicated her victory to Burna Boy and a “new generation of artists coming from Africa.”
Taking to Instagram, Campbell praised Kidjo for her win, thanking her for “spreading light and opening minds” through her music, before criticising the Grammys for only nominating Burna Boy in the ‘World Music’ category.
Claiming that it was due to a lack of education that Burna Boy did not receive the accolades he deserved during the ceremony, Campbell asked the show organisers to reconsider what constitutes world music. She went on to speak at length about the misrepresentation of Afrobeats as a standalone genre, suggesting it needed more recognition at the show.
She said: “This misrepresentation diminishes an entire genre in which such a high standard of talent has emerged; a genre that has been a force of hope and positivity for many, and a vehicle for artistry on the continent of Africa.”
Concluding her open letter to the Grammys, Campbell urged organisers to include an Afrobeats “Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and all the subcategories that this genre so deserves – just as any other respected and recognized musical genre.”
