Grammy-award winner Burna Boy touches down in Trinidad on December 16th for the first stop on his three-leg Caribbean tour. The African Giant, as he’s widely known, is wrapping up his groundbreaking year – in which he became the most streamed African artist across Apple Music and Spotify – with a trio of landmark concerts celebrating his 2022 album, Love Damini. After Trinidad, Burna Boy will perform in Antigua on December 17th and then in Jamaica on December 18th.
Selling Out Fast
Recently, at a press conference held at the Hilton Trinidad in Port-of-Spain, Burna Boy’s team outlined how the Caribbean tour is part of a larger initiative to marry Caribbean and African cultures. “The project is something we hope is ongoing that helps the culture, and helps to blend the relationship between the sound from the (African) continent, and those from the continent on the other side of the world. It’s about bridging the gap.”
Burna Boy will be the first African artist to perform on these three stages – a significant milestone in Afrobeats’ rapid rise as a globally beloved genre. Despite this, he has no shortage of Caribbean fans. Within 15 minutes of ticket availability in Trinidad, all general admission and VIP tickets at the first tier were sold out. In just 24 hours, the second tier was sold out, and then the first tier of VIP tickets was sold out as well.
Who is Burna Boy
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, was born in Nigeria in 1991. He grew up in Nigeria and left to attend university in London in 2008, where he studied for degrees in media and communications. After completing his studies, he returned to Nigeria and interned at a local radio station before forging a solid career as a rising, international artist.
Burna Boy credits highly lauded, pioneering Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti, for his success. In an interview he notes, “Fela is my inspiration and my childhood hero, so if you think comparing me to Fela is honorable, it’s actually not,” he states. “It actually makes me feel weird. Fela was Fela, and if it wasn’t for Fela, there probably wouldn’t be any me, so I don’t understand the comparison.”
In recent years, Burna Boy has collaborated with international acts Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Jorja Smith, and Stormzy as well as local icons Wizkid and D’Banj, showcasing versatility that has endeared him to his massive fan base.
Joined By Caribbean Acts
During his Caribbean concerts, Burna Boy will be joined by several powerhouse local artists. In Trinidad, Kes The Band will make an appearance. In Jamaica, popular Dancehall artist Popcaan, as well as Reggae artist Lila Ike, are both slated to join Burna Boy on stage.
Burna Boy’s biggest global hit to date is his song “Last Last,” for which he recently received a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Performance. His recent album was also nominated for a Grammy for the Best Global Music Album.
