Nigerian music sensation Burna Boy has broken his streak of award disappointments by clinching the title of Best African Music Artist at the prestigious 2024 iHeart Radio Music Awards held in the United States.
The event, which aired live on FOX on Monday night, was hosted by renowned rapper Ludacris and saw Burna Boy rise to the occasion as he claimed the coveted award. Another Nigerian talent, Rema, also made waves by securing the Best Collaboration of the Year award for his track ‘Calm Down’ featuring Selena Gomez.
Adding to the star-studded lineup of winners, American pop icon Beyoncé was honored with the iHeart Innovator Award, while the legendary Cher received the iHeart Icon Award. However, it was Taylor Swift who emerged as the night’s biggest winner, sweeping six awards including Artist of the Year, Pop Artist of the Year, Tour of the Year, Best Lyrics, TikTok Bop of the Year, and Favorite Tour Style.
Burna Boy and Rema now join the esteemed ranks of Nigerian artists who have tasted success at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, alongside Wizkid and Tems.
Before his triumph at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, Burna Boy had faced a series of setbacks in the awards circuit. Despite his undeniable talent and global recognition, he endured a winless streak, missing out on multiple nominations at prestigious ceremonies. These included seven nominations at the 2023 BET Hip-hop Awards, four nods at the 2024 Grammys, six nominations at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, and an unsuccessful bid for the Best International Artist of the Year at the 2024 Brit Awards.