VMAs: Burna Boy and Tems Miss Out as Madonna and Taylor Swift Shine

Nigerian music stars Burna Boy and Tems finished without awards at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27.

Burna Boy’s collaboration with Shakira, “Dai Dai,” was nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Latin but did not win either category.

Tems also missed out on Best R&B for “Raindance,” her collaboration with British rapper Dave. Bruno Mars won the category with “I Just Might.”

Madonna and Taylor Swift were among the night’s leading winners, with Madonna collecting Artist of the Year and Swift winning Video of the Year.

This year’s ceremony also omitted the Best Afrobeats category, introduced in 2023. Despite the disappointing results, Burna Boy and Tems’ nominations kept Nigerian talent represented on the international awards stage.