Nigerian singer Burna Boy seems to be solidifying his status as the greatest Afrobeat singer following his appearance at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
On Monday evening, Burna made his appearance at the 70th annual Ballon d’Or ceremony alongside Adekunle Gold at the London Palladium in London, United Kingdom.
The singer took to the stage to present Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka with the prestigious 2026 Socrates Award.
While presenting the award, Burna used the opportunity to talk about his football academy in Nigeria, expressing hope that it will someday produce outstanding players who win the Ballon d’Or.
He also revealed that Thierry Henry was his favourite footballer growing up.
Recently, Forbes named Burna Boy, alongside influential figures such as Aliko Dangote, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Mo Abudu, on its list of 15 African Icons. The singer was recognised for helping bring African music and culture to audiences worldwide.
Weeks ago, Burna had tooted his horns on Spotify after entering the top 200 US album charts. Burna, bragging about it, noted that he had made the list without publicity in America. He further stated that he has no sign of weakness.
Last year, 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.
That same year, Time magazine named the singer one of the Top 100 Most Influential People of 2024.
The Grammy award-winning singer has no doubt made Africans proud across the globe with his eccentric performances and unique voices. The music star was the only African artist to appear in the Grammy official cover for 2024, in the midst of the American and British personalities.
In 2023, he made headlines as he performed on stage before the start of the UEFA Champions League final. The singer thrilled football fans with an electrifying performance as he performed some of his hit records including global chart-topping Last Last.
Speaking out following his performance, Burna Boy stated that he was sitting on top of the world.
The singer bragged about being richer than many of the people he once looked up to as he reflected on his journey. According to him, he now has more money than 90% of the people he onced looked up to as money makers.
In 2024, Burna Boy surprised many when he revealed the names of artists who paved the way for him in the industry. He named 2baba, Timaya, Dbanj, Larry Gaga and Wande Coal as the only veterans he respected in the music industry, and tremendously impacted his life and career.
