SHABOOZEY WINS FIRST GRAMMY, DEDICATES AWARD TO IMMIGRANTS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Nigerian-American singer Collins Obinna Chibueze, popularly known as Shaboozey, has won his first Grammy Award at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, held on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Shaboozey clinched the Best Country Duo/Group Performance award for Amen, his gospel-inspired country collaboration with Jelly Roll. The song, featured on Jelly Roll’s album, blends contemporary country sounds with themes of faith, redemption and gratitude.
The victory marks a significant milestone for the Woodbridge, Virginia-born artiste of Igbo-Nigerian descent, whose music uniquely fuses hip-hop, R&B and country influences. It also represents Jelly Roll’s first-ever Grammy win, highlighting the growing acceptance of genre-blending artistes within country music.
The award was presented during the Grammy Premiere Ceremony, with Shaboozey arriving just moments before the category was announced, a detail that added to the emotional weight of the moment.
Visibly overwhelmed, the singer fought back tears as he delivered one of the most memorable acceptance speeches of the night. After thanking God, he dedicated the award to his mother, describing her as “an immigrant who retired from her nursing career that very day after more than 30 years of working multiple jobs to support her family.”
He then extended the dedication to immigrants across the United States.
“This is for all children of immigrants. This is also for those who came to this country in search of better opportunity, to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity for everyone willing to work for it,” Shaboozey said.
“Thank you for bringing your culture, your music, your stories and your tradition here. You give America colour. Immigrants built this country, literally.”
The speech drew widespread praise online, with many viewers describing it as one of the most emotional highlights of the ceremony.
Speaking backstage, Shaboozey described the win as surreal and credited his management teams at American Dogwood and EMPIRE for their unwavering support.
The main Grammy Awards ceremony was broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
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