Nigerian music stars Tems, Asake, Rema, and Wizkid have secured nominations for the 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs), announced on April 22, 2025, cementing Afrobeats’ dominance on the global stage.
The AMAs, set for May 25 in Los Angeles, celebrate fan-voted excellence, and this quartet’s nods highlight Nigeria’s cultural export. Tems leads with three nominations, including Favorite R&B Artist and Favorite Collaboration for her hit “Burning” with Muni Long, following her Grammy-winning 2024.
Asake, nominated for Favorite Hip-Hop Artist, rides the wave of his 2024 album Lungu Boy, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Rema, up for Favorite Global Artist, earned praise for “HEIS,” a genre-bending project that topped charts in 10 countries.
Wizkid, a perennial contender, is nominated for Favorite Pop/R&B Song for “Piece of My Heart” with Brent Faiyaz, building on his Essence legacy. The nominations reflect Afrobeats’ crossover appeal, with streams from Nigeria surpassing 1.5 billion in 2024.
Fans, known as the “Afrobeats Army,” are mobilizing online to boost votes, with Tems favoured to win at least one category. The AMAs’ inclusion of a Global Artist category, introduced in 2023, underscores the genre’s influence. Industry analysts note that these nominations could pave the way for more African acts at major award shows. The artists expressed gratitude, with Wizkid dedicating his nod to his late mother.