Amaarae, the Ghanaian-American singer, has criticized the Recording Academy, the organizers of the Grammy Awards, for consolidating all African music genres into a single category at the prestigious award show.
The newly introduced category, ‘Best African Music Performance,’ encompasses a wide range of musical styles from the continent, including Afrobeats, Afro-pop, Amapiano, High Life, and Fuji. However, in an interview with Metro TV, Amaarae expressed her discontent with this arrangement, deeming it “reductive.”
She argued that there are numerous African music genres deserving of their own individual categories rather than being grouped together. Amaarae cited examples of popular songs like ‘Sad Girlz,’ ‘Calm Down,’ and ‘Last Last,’ which achieved global success and impact beyond Africa, suggesting that such records should be considered in genres like pop, hip-hop, or R&B rather than being confined to the African category. She emphasized the need to recognize and celebrate African artists’ efforts in breaking boundaries and expanding their reach internationally.