Kenya has set an ambitious plan to bring the Grammy Awards to Kenya, in what would be a first for the US-based music awards.
To term it a tall order is an understatement. According to our research, the Grammy Awards have never been held outside the US since their inception in 1959.
However, according to President William Ruto, Kenya will be the first. While speaking at a town hall meeting on Monday night, Ruto revealed that Kenya had already paid Ksh500 million to the Recording Academy in the United States, to have the awards held here.
“We already paid Ksh500 million for the Grammys,” Ruto revealed at the town hall on loans and job creation held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, KICC.
The Grammy Awards, often called the Grammys, are prestigious accolades presented annually by the Recording Academy in the United States. They recognise outstanding achievements in the music industry, spanning various genres and categories.
The awards have never been held outside the US, but the Recording Academy has organised international Grammy-related events. These include Grammy Museum exhibitions, special performances, and cultural outreach programs in various countries, including China, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
The government, however, failed to mention the timeline for the awards or whether it would be a Grammy-related event.
While speaking at the event, Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects in the Executive Office of the President, added that Ruto will meet a representative of the Recording Academy to iron out the modernities of the deal.
If successful, Kenya would play host to global music stars like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Adele, Kanye West, and others. This would increase the country’s attractiveness as a tourist destination while unlocking the potential for the creative economy.
In December last year, Ruto announced the Grammy Awards will from January this year begin shooting multiple movies in Kenya.
Speaking during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations held at Uhuru Gardens, the Head of State said Hollywood's innovation studio agreed to partner with Kenya to elevate talents.
"This administration has also taken deliberate steps to build and invest in the creative economy. First, the famous Grammy Awards have a partnership with us, and starting January, the innovation studios of Hollywood have agreed to begin shooting multiple movies right here in Kenya," he asserted.
