Tyla, Lira and TxC: South African stars eye Grammy glory with 2027 submissions

Tyla leads the Grammy submissions charge. South African music stars are making their Grammy ambitions clear. Tyla, Lira and TxC are among the artists hoping to turn global recognition into nominations next year. With the 69th Annual Grammy Awards race heating up, South Africa’s vibrant music scene is stepping into the spotlight. It is showcasing its diverse sounds across pop, R&B, dance and African music categories. However, being submitted for consideration does not guarantee a nomination. The entries form part of the Recording Academy’s first-round voting process, with the final nominees still to be announced. Pop sensation Tyla is making an ambitious push. Her album *A*Pop* and several tracks are reportedly submitted across more than 10 categories. Her song “Chanel” is among the key entries. Submissions reportedly include Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video. The singer’s other entries span different musical styles. “That Girl” is being considered for Best Pop Solo Performance. Meanwhile, “She Did It Again”, her collaboration with Zara Larsson, is entered for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Her track “Kiss” is in the running for Best Dance Pop Recording. In addition, “Right Now” has been submitted for Best R&B Solo Performance and Best R&B Song. She is also representing South African collaborations in the African music category. “I Don’t Care”, featuring Babalwa M, and “Memories”, featuring Lojay, are reportedly entered for Best African Music Performance. The submissions follow the singer’s growing international profile and previous Grammy success. This is strengthening her presence in conversations about African music’s global reach. Lira takes her sound to the international stage Lira. Picture: Gallo Images / City Press / Lucky Nxumalo South African singer Lira is also in the Grammy conversation with “Do Me”, her collaboration with Chase Bell. The song has reportedly been submitted for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, giving the award-winning vocalist another international opportunity. Known for blending soul, jazz and contemporary pop influences, Lira has built a career around a distinctive sound and powerful performances. Her reported submission puts her alongside a new generation of South African artists. These artists are pursuing recognition from the Recording Academy. TxC and dance music make their move Amapiano duo TxC, made up of Tarryn and Clair, are also reportedly targeting Grammy recognition with “Nakupenda”. The track has been entered for Best African Music Performance and Song of the Year. This places the duo’s internationally popular dance sound in the broader Grammy conversation. South Africa’s electronic music scene is also represented through reported submissions involving DBN Gogo, Da Capo and Ntwana_R. Their remixes of Black Coffee and Monique Bingham’s “Deep in the Bottom (of Africa)” are part of the dance music campaign. When will the Grammy nominations be announced? The key clarification is that Grammy submissions happen before the nominations are announced. The official Recording Academy calendar confirms the following timeline. The race for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards is moving into its first-round voting stage. This stage runs from 12 to 22 October 2026. The Recording Academy is scheduled to announce the official nominees on 16 November 2026. Final-round voting will then take place from 10 December 2026 to 7 January 2027. This comes ahead of the Grammy ceremony on 7 February 2027 in Los Angeles. For Tyla, Lira, TxC and the other South African artists reportedly submitted for consideration, the next major milestone is the November announcement. Until then, their entries should be described as submissions or campaigns for consideration, not confirmed nominations. The 2027 ceremony will take place on 7 February, when the winners will finally be revealed.