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List of South African Grammy Award winners and nominees

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A black and white image of Miriam Makeba performing in 1978
Miriam Makeba was the first African singer to win a Grammy Award.
Tyla at the Jennifer Hudson Show
Tyla was the youngest African to win a Grammy Award.

South African artists have collectively won a total of 33 Grammy Awards from 112 nominations. Africa had its first Grammy Award winner when South African recording artist Miriam Makeba won Best Folk Recording for An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba in 1966 at the 8th Annual Grammy Awards.[1] She did this while fighting the apartheid regime in South Africa during her exile.[2]

South Africa has produced thirteen Grammy Award winners.[a] Phil Ramone, a sound engineer,[4] is the most honoured with fourteen accolades, followed by Ladysmith Black Mambazo with five and the Soweto Gospel Choir with three.[5] In 2022, Black Coffee won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Subconsciously at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, making him the first African to win the category for an original work.[2] Nomcebo Zikode won her first Grammy in 2023, alongside Wouter Kellerman and Zakes Bantwini for "Bayethe".[6] In 2024, Tyla was named the youngest African soloist to win a Grammy after receiving the inaugural Best African Music Performance award for "Water" at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.[7][8] Nominated artists include Hugh Masekela and Trevor Noah, among others.[9]


1960s and 1970s

[edit]
List of Grammy Award winners and nominees from 1960 to 1979
Year[b] Category Nominee(s) Work Result Ref.
1961 Best New Artist of 1960 Miriam Makeba Nominated [10]
Best Performance – Folk Miriam Makeba Miriam Makeba Nominated
Best Vocal Performance Album, Female Nominated
1964 Best Folk Recording The World of Miriam Makeba Nominated
Best Vocal Performance, Female Nominated
1965 Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical Phil Ramone Getz/Gilberto Won [11]
Best Folk Recording Miriam Makeba The Voice of Africa Nominated [10]
1966 An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba Won
Best Folk Recording Makeba Sings! Nominated
1967 Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical Phil Ramone Presenting Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra Nominated [11]
Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, the Jazz Orchestra Nominated
1969 Best Contemporary-Pop Performance, Instrumental Hugh Masekela Grazing in the Grass Nominated [12]
1970 Best Score from the Original Cast Show Album Phil Ramone Promises, Promises Won [11]
1974 Pippin Nominated
Cyrano Nominated
Album of the Year There Goes Rhymin' Simon Nominated
1975 Best Score from the Original Cast Show Album The Magic Show Nominated
1976 Album of the Year Still Crazy After All These Years Won
Best Cast Show Album Chicago Nominated
1977 Record of the Year "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" Nominated
1978 "Evergreen" Nominated
1979 "Just the Way You Are" Won
Producer of the Year Phil Ramone Nominated

1980s

[edit]
List of Grammy Award winners and nominees from 1980 to 1989
Year[b] Category Nominee(s) Work Result Ref.
1980 Album of the Year Phil Ramone 52nd Street Won [11]
1981 Glass Houses Nominated
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical Phil Ramone Won
1983 Album of the Year Phil Ramone The Nylon Curtain Nominated
1984 An Innocent Man Nominated
Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special Flashdance Won
Record of the Year "Maniac" Nominated
Best Cast Show Album Little Shop of Horrors Nominated
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical Phil Ramone Nominated
1985 Best Rock Instrumental Performance Trevor Rabin "Cinema" Won [13]
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal 90125 Nominated
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal "Owner of a Lonely Heart" Nominated
Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices "Leave it" Nominated
1987 Best Music Video, Long Form 9012Live Nominated
1988 Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Big Generator Nominated
Best Traditional Folk Recording Ladysmith Black Mambazo Shaka Zulu Won [14]
Best Musical Cast Show Album Herbert Kretzmer Les Miserables Won [15]
Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) Jonathan Butler "Going Home" Nominated [16]
Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male "Lies" Nominated
1989 Best Traditional Folk Recording Ladysmith Black Mambazo Journey of Dreams Nominated [14]

1990s

[edit]
List of Grammy Award winners and nominees from 1990 to 1999
Year[b] Category Nominee(s) Work Result Ref.
1990 Best Musical Cast Show Album Hugh Masekela Sarafina! The Music of Liberation Nominated [12]
1991 Best Recording for Children Ladysmith Black Mambazo How the Leopard Got His Spots Nominated [14]
Best Traditional Folk Recording Classic Tracks Nominated
1994 Best World Music Album Johnny Clegg and Suvuka Heat, Dust and Dreams Nominated [17]
1995 Best Musical Show Album Phil Ramone Passion Won [11]
Best Traditional Folk Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Liph' Iqiniso Nominated [14]
Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocals Lebo Morake "Circle of Life" Won [18]
1996 Best Music Video, Short Form Dave Matthews "What Would You Say" Nominated [19]
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
1997 Best Traditional Folk Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Thuthukani Ngoxolo (Let's Develop in Peace) Nominated [14]
Best Musical Show Album Phil Ramone A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Nominated [11]
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Dave Matthews "So Much to Say" Won [19]
Best Rock Album Crash Nominated
Best Rock Song "Too Much" Nominated
1998 Best Rock Album Kevin Shirley Nine Lives Nominated [20]
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Dave Matthews "Crash Into Me" Nominated [19]
Best Rock Song Nominated
1999 Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Dave Matthews "Crush" Nominated [19]
Best Rock Album Before These Crowded Streets Nominated

2000s

[edit]
List of Grammy Award winners and nominees from 2000 to 2009
Year[b] Category Nominee(s) Work Result Ref.
2000 Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals Dave Matthews "Love of My Life" Nominated [19]
2001 Best Musical Show Album Phil Ramone The Wild Party Nominated [11]
Best World Music Album Miriam Makeba Homeland Nominated [10]
Best Traditional Folk Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Live at the Royal Albert Hall Nominated [14]
2002 Best Musical Show Album Phil Ramone Seussical: The Musical Nominated [11]
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Dave Matthews "The Space Between" Nominated [19]
2003 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Phil Ramone Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues Won [11]
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Dave Matthews "Where Are You Going" Nominated [19]
2004 Best Male Rock Vocal Performance "Gravedigger" Won
2005 Best Surround Sound Album Phil Ramone Genius Loves Company Won [11]
Album of the Year Won
Best Musical Show Album The Boy from Oz Nominated
Best Traditional World Music Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Raise Your Spirit Higher Won [14]
2006 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Phil Ramone The Art of Romance Won [11]
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Beyond the Sea Nominated
Best Contemporary World Music Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo No Boundaries Nominated [14]
2007 Long Walk to Freedom Nominated
Best Traditional World Music Album Soweto Gospel Choir Blessed Won [21]
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Phil Ramone Duets: An American Classic Won [11]
2008 Best Traditional World Music Album Soweto Gospel Choir African Spirit Won [21]
2009 Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu Won [14]
Best Contemporary World Music Album Soweto Gospel Choir Live at the Nelson Mandela Theater Nominated [21]

2010s

[edit]
List of Grammy Award winners and nominees from 2010 to 2019
Year[b] Category Nominee(s) Work Result Ref.
2010 Album of the Year Dave Matthews Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King Nominated [19]
Best Rock Album Nominated
2011 Best Rock Instrumental Performance Kundalini Bonfire Nominated
Best Traditional World Music Album Soweto Gospel Choir Grace Nominated [21]
2012 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Phil Ramone Duets II Won [11]
Best Surround Sound Album An Evening with Dave Grusin Nominated
Best World Music Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Songs from a Zulu Farm Nominated [14]
2013 Best World Music Album Hugh Masekela Jabulani Nominated [12]
2014 Ladysmith Black Mambazo Live: Singing for Peace Around the World Won [14]
2015 Best New Age Album Wouter Kellerman Winds of Samsara Won [22]
2016 Best World Music Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Music from Inala Nominated [14]
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Wouter Kellerman Love Language Nominated [22]
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song Brenton Brown "Soul on Fire" Nominated [23]
Best Gospel Performance/Song Neville Diedericks "How Awesome Is Our God (Live)" Nominated [24]
2017 Best World Music Album Ladysmith Black Mambazo Walking in the Footsteps of Our Fathers Nominated [14]
2018 Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration Won
Best Children's Album Songs of Peace & Love for Kids & Parents Around the World Nominated
2019 Best World Music Album Soweto Gospel Choir Freedom Won [21]

2020s

[edit]
List of Grammy Award winners and nominees from 2020 to 2029
Year[b] Category Nominee(s) Work Result Ref.
2020 Best Comedy Album Trevor Noah Son of Patracia Nominated [25]
2022 Best Dance/Electronic Album Black Coffee Subconsciously Won [26]
Best New Age Album Wouter Kellerman Pangaea Nominated [22]
2023 Best Global Music Performance Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode "Bayethe" Won [c]
2024 Best African Music Performance Tyla "Water" Won [29]
Musa Keys "Unavailable" Nominated [30]
Best Comedy Album Trevor Noah I Wish You Would Nominated [25]
2025 Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album Wouter Kellerman Triveni Won [22]
Best Comedy Album Trevor Noah Where Was I Nominated [25]
Best Global Music Performance Soweto Gospel Choir "Sunlight to My Soul" Nominated [21]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ Including Herbert Kretzmer, born and raised in Kroonstad, Free State, South Africa and moved to London, England in the early 1950s.[3]
  2. ^ a b c d e f Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
  3. ^ References for Grammy Awards history of Zakes Bantwini,[27] Nomcebo Zikode,[28] and Wouter Kellerman.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ References:
    • Kazeem, Tiléwa (13 February 2024). "South African Singer Tyla Won The Inaugural Best African Music Performance Category At The 2024 GRAMMYs. What Does It Mean For African Music On The Global Stage?". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024. A similar trend is observed in South Africa, where Miriam Makeba was both Africa's first Grammy winner and the country's solo female vocalist to win prior to Tyla.
    • "Miriam Makeba Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 14 March 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
    • "Roger Miller Tops Grammy". Edmonton Journal. 16 March 1966. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
    • "A history of African artists at the Grammys". CNN. 31 January 2024. Archived from the original on 21 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b Markowitz, Douglas (10 January 2024). "10 African Grammy Winners Through The Years: From Miriam Makeba To Angélique Kidjo & Burna Boy". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  3. ^ Coveney, Michael (14 October 2020). "Herbert Kretzmer obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  4. ^ Sweeting, Adam (1 April 2013). "Phil Ramone obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  5. ^ Adams, Mariette (5 February 2024). "Updated: List of South African Grammy Award winners!". The South African. Archived from the original on 21 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  6. ^ "7 South African artists who have won Grammys". Bona. Archived from the original on 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  7. ^ Kazeem, Tiléwa (13 February 2024). "South African Singer Tyla Won The Inaugural Best African Music Performance Category At The 2024 GRAMMYs. What Does It Mean For African Music On The Global Stage?". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024. A similar trend is observed in South Africa, where Miriam Makeba was both Africa's first Grammy winner and the country's solo female vocalist to win prior to Tyla.
  8. ^ Retief, Chanel (5 February 2024). "South African Singer Tyla Wins Her First Grammy, Making Her The Youngest From Africa To Hold The Gong". Forbes. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025. At 22, she is the youngest South African and to win a Grammy. She is also the youngest African Grammy winner.
  9. ^ Clifford, Elizabeth (19 January 2025). "All South African artists who have won Grammy Awards". NotJustOk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "Miriam Makeba (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Phil Ramone (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "Hugh Masekela (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Trevor Rabin (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Herbert Kretzmer (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Jonathan Butler (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Johnny Clegg And Suvuka (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Lebo Morake (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h "Dave Matthews (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Kevin Shirley (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  21. ^ a b c d e f "Soweto Gospel Choir (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  22. ^ a b c d e "Wouter Kellerman (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Brenton Brown (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  24. ^ "Neville Diedericks (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  25. ^ a b c "Trevor Noah (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Black Coffee (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  27. ^ "Zakes Bantwini (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  28. ^ "Nomcebo Zikode (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 20 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  29. ^ "Tyla (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  30. ^ "Musa Keys (Grammy Awards history)". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
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