Rwandan singers Ariel Wayz and Nel Ngabo say songs are on 2027 Grammy first-round ballot

Rwandan musicians Ariel Wayz and Nel Ngabo said their songs "Waiting" and "Masterpiece" are on the first-round ballot for the 2027 Grammy Awards, The New Times of Rwanda reported on 12 October 2026.

First-round voting by Recording Academy members opened on 12 October and closes on 22 October. The Academy will announce the nominations on 16 November.

The New Times said appearing on the first-round ballot does not mean either artist has secured a nomination yet.

Recordings released between 31 August 2025 and 28 August 2026 are eligible for these Grammys, and entries were accepted from 7 July to 21 August, the Academy said.

Final-round voting runs from 10 December 2026 to 7 January 2027. The 69th Grammy Awards are set for 7 February 2027 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will be shown on ABC, Disney+ and Hulu.