Entertainment
7 Iconic Performances Of Burna Boy
While several performances have shown Burna Boy to be best at what he does, there are doubtlessly some of his performances that stood out.
Burna Boy is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential African artists of his generation. Acknowledged as a pivotal force in releasing breathtaking rhythms of Afrobeats worldwide, he has been nominated for several awards of which he won many to his name. He has proven himself and his songs to not only be worthy of national recognition but also of international standard. While several performances have shown Burna Boy to be best at what he does, there are doubtlessly some of his performances that stood out.
Burna Boy performs at UEFA Champions League final
The 2023 UEFA Champions League final football match between Manchester City and Inter Milan took place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. The renowned Nigerian afrobeat singer, Burna Boy performed alongside Brazilian singer, Anitta. He delivered an electrifying medley of his global hits, “Last Last” and “It’s Plenty”.
Burna Boy performs alongside Tems and Rema in the NBA
Burna Boy, Rema, and Tems made Nigerians proud after delivering a one-of-a-kind performance during the Halftime of the NBA All-Star Weekend. The superstars delivered a first-of-its-kind Afrobeats-themed performance. The show was a lengthy celebration of Afro beats, fast becoming Nigeria’s biggest export.
Burna Boy started the show with his all-time hit “Anybody” from his African Giant album and “It’s Plenty” from his recent Love, Damini Album. Following the performance was that of Rema, who dazzled the crowd with energetic renditions of “Calm Down” and his latest single “Holiday” showcasing his unique style of legwork dance.
Tems performed last and started her performance, singing her two hits “Cr*zy Things and “Free Mind”. She also performed her verse from Wizkid’s “Essence” and Future’s “Wait For U.” Concluding the show, Burna Boy returned to the thrilled audience delivering an outstanding rendition of ‘Ye’ and ‘Last Last’.
The Madison Square performance- One Night in Space
Burna Boy’s “One Night in Space” concert at Madison Square Garden, New York is one of the most talked about legendary performances of the Afrobeat star.
The afro star show kicked off with an introductory speech from one of hip hop’s greats, Busta Rhymes. The Flipmode Squad frontman spoke briefly about the cultural significance of the concert and the mark the concert will leave on the music industry. Aside from getting the raving audience ready for what would be one of the greatest performances they had ever watched, it was also a worthy precursor to the electrifying performance by one of Africa’s most recognizable voices; Youssou N’dour.
After the legendary N’Dour bowed off the stage, Burna Boy stepped on with some of the mellow tunes on his Twice as Tall album, starting with “Wetin Dey Sup” and “Pull Up” from his African Giant album. By the time Burna Boy started singing “Rock Your Body”, his sensual joints off the Outside album, and “Onyeka (Baby)” off the Twice as Tall album, ladies in the audience were already taking off their bras and throwing them on stage. Burna, the lady’s man, picked up a few of those bras (this sent the ladies in the audience raving even louder) and held them for some time during the concert.
Though Burna was already an international rock star, his performance during the sold-out Madison Square Garden concert elevated him to a higher level in music, as the performances left people with no choice but to agree with the name given to him which is King Kong of Afrobeats.
This show reveals Burna Boy as the First African artist to sell out a U.S. stadium.
Burna Boy performs at the BET Hiphop Awards 2020
Burna Boy delivered a stellar performance at the BET hip-hop awards. The Nigerian superstar used his performance at the 15th annual BET Hip Hop Awards to bring more awareness to the #EndSARS protests happening in Nigeria. Adding more intensity to his politically-charged rendition of his single “Monsters You Made”, Burna made use of a full band dressed in t-shirts with #StopPoliceBrutality” printed across them, as Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who features on the track, tuned in to perform virtually. The track comes off Burna Boy’s latest studio album, Twice As Tall.
Towards the end of the performance, Burna Boy repeated his statements and call to end police brutality as he and his team stood proud with their fists in the air. And to hit the message home, a list featuring the names of those gunned down and brutally murdered during the peaceful protests.
Burna Boy performs at the BRIT Awards 2020
At the 40th edition of the BRIT Awards, live performances from some of the world’s hottest music stars at the moment including Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Tyler the Creator, Stormzy, and, Burna Boy were entertained. During the awards show, Stormzy performed his number 1 UK music chart-topper “Own It” which featured Burna Boy and Ed Sheeran, and on hand to support him was Burna who joined him to perform at the O2 Arena. Shortly after, Burna continued rocking the stage as he performed his solo hit tune “Anybody” to the excited audience. The audience was sent into a frenzy mood.
Burna Boy performs at the Grammy Awards in 2021
Burna Boy closed out the 2021 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony with a superb medley performance after winning his first-ever Grammy Awards for his 2020 album “Twice as Tall”.
He performed a blend of “Level Up” and “Onyeka” from his 2020 album “Twice As Tall”, and “Ye” from his 2018 album “Outside”. His performance began outside the National Arts Theatre in Lagos. He was joined by a choir dressed in white, before moving into a space decorated with stained glass where he was backed by musicians and dancers in traditional African dress.
The performance finished in a room filled with dry ice and mirrored screens, with the gospel choir returning and more musicians dressed in white joining the action. The performance was way different from the expected. This thrilled the audience.
Burna Boy performs at the Billboard Music Awards 2022
Burna Boy joined global stars like Megan Thee Stallion, BTS, Machine Gun Kelly, and others to perform at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. He closed out the 2022 Billboard Music Awards with a debut performance. The Afro-fusion singer started his performance with his new single “Last Last.” Then, with the help of a drumline band, he broke into his hit song Kilometre. The crowd couldn’t help but dance and vibe along, forsaking their seats.