Fans are speculating as Davido remains silent on his 2026 Grammys submissions, leaving many wondering if he’s made a move or is sitting this one out.
As the buzz around the 68th Grammy Awards submissions heats up, some of Africa’s biggest names, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, and Tyla, have already gone public with their entries for the 2026 Grammys. But there’s one major silence that has the Afrobeats community talking: Davido.
Despite being a three-time Grammy nominee in 2024 and one of the continent’s most internationally recognised artists, Davido has made no public announcement regarding any submissions for this year’s awards. For many fans and industry watchers, the quietness seems unusual, but it may be more strategic than surprising.
The rules say it allFirst, let’s set the record straight. The Grammy eligibility period for the 68th edition ran from August 31, 2024, to September 2025, with the submission window officially closed. In simpler terms, no artist can submit any new work now; the deadline has passed.
So, if Davido hasn’t announced a submission by now, there are only two real possibilities: He did submit before the deadline but chose not to make it public, or he decided not to submit at all this year, an unlikely but not impossible scenario.
Given Davido’s global influence, recent body of work, and Grammy history, the first option seems far more probable.
The case for a silent submissionDavido’s 2025 album 5ive, along with a handful of collaborations and remixes, including With You featuring Omah Lay, Offa Me featuring Victoria Monet, and Funds featuring Odumodublvck and Chike, were all released within the eligibility window. Each of these songs easily qualifies for categories like Best African Music Performance or Best Global Music Album. So why stay silent?
Insiders and industry analysts believe Davido’s quietness might be a calculated move. Unlike Wizkid and Burna Boy, who publicly promote their Grammy pushes to rally fan support and media buzz, Davido may be choosing a low-key approach. In many cases, artists let their labels or management handle the submission process internally and only make public statements if the Recording Academy officially nominates them.
A strategic shift in focusInterestingly, Davido’s most recent major announcement wasn’t about an album or a campaign; it was about power and influence.
Earlier this year, he proudly revealed that he had been officially inducted as a voting member of the Recording Academy. This new role places him not as an applicant, but as a decision-maker in the Grammy ecosystem. In his own words, he said he was “honoured to be part of the Recording Academy community.”
That’s no small deal. As a voting member, Davido now helps shape the very process that determines who gets nominated and who wins. This milestone elevates his influence within the institution itself, arguably a bigger win than a single nomination.
With the first-round voting for the Grammys kicking off in October, Davido’s focus may have shifted from campaigning for recognition to contributing to the recognition of others, especially African artists.
Managing expectations or playing the long game?Another factor to consider is strategy. Davido’s 5ive album, though successful, didn’t quite have a global crossover single on the scale of Tyla’s Water or Burna Boy’s Last Last. That might explain why his team decided to avoid overhyping a Grammy campaign in major categories like Album of the Year or Record of the Year.
Instead, a quiet submission in the genre-specific African or Global Music categories could help manage expectations while still keeping his chances alive.
What it all meansAt this point, it is evident to say that the silence doesn’t mean absence. The submission window is closed, meaning Davido’s team either sent in their entries quietly or they didn’t submit at all. But given his experience, Grammy history, and new position as a Recording Academy member, it’s far more likely that Davido is playing a long, strategic game.
Rather than chasing headlines with a public announcement, he may be focused on influence, strengthening the African voice within the Academy, ensuring fair representation, and shaping the system from the inside.
Whether or not his submissions make the final nomination list, it is safe to say that Davido’s silence this time around isn’t a sign of retreat. It’s a sign of evolution.
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