Award-winning Afrobeat singer, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu better known as Burna Boy has made the list of one of the Most Influential People of 2024.
The Grammy singer was named by Times Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People of 2024. According to the publication, they spent months discussing who belongs on the TIME 100, the people who they believe most changed the stories that define the year.
Penning a tribute to Burna Boy, Grammy singer, Angelique Kidjo, stated that 10 years ago when young African musicians would come to her for advice, she would tell them not to mimic American artists as the world needs the amazing richness and beauty of our traditional African music.
She believes Burna Boy has emboldened this as he has made the vision a global reality. She noted how his deeply original glow and his signature groove have conquered the world with an impressive series of firsts. In 2023. He became the first African artist to sell out a U.S. stadium, and in 2024, he became the first Afrobeats artist to sing at the Grammys.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 17, Times magazine said: “We spend months discussing who belongs on the TIME100, the people who we believe most changed the stories that define the past year.”
Penning a glowing tribute to Burna Boy, multi-Grammy-winning singer Angelique Kidjo said: “Ten years ago or so when young African musicians would come to me for advice, I would tell them, ‘You don’t need to mimic American artists! The world needs the amazing richness and beauty of our traditional African music and our culture. This land is where most of modern music comes from. This source of inspiration is inexhaustible. Its freshness and its elegance will get the world’s attention for sure.’
Burna Boy has made that vision a global reality. Inspired by the fantastic drums of Nigerian folk music, and studied in the craft of the great African singer-songwriters, he follows in the footsteps of Fela Kuti—the internationally celebrated Afrobeats artist and activist.
Burna Boy’s deeply original flow and his signature groove have conquered the world with an impressive series of firsts: in 2023, he became the first African artist to sell out a U.S. stadium, and in 2024, he became the first Afrobeats artist to sing at the Grammys.
He is history in the making. Now a whole generation of young people from the continent is looking up to him.”
Just last week, Burna Boy had made the list of the World’s Sexiest Men of the Moment. The singer was ranked alongside other top personalities from the world by Essence Magazine.
The publication noted how his voice and presence command the stage and he has an impeccable style, always groomed and iced out.
