By Olaitan Ibrahim
Seni Saraki, the son of former Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki, on Sunday at the 67th Annual Grammy Award secured his first Grammy.
Seni, a graduate of the London School of Economics, co-founded The NATIVE in 2016, a platform dedicated to showcasing African youth culture.
His influence in the creative industry extends beyond journalism and content curation, as he played a key role in the Nigerian segment of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack in 2023, working with top artists such as Rema, Fireboy DML, Tems, and Burna Boy.
This year, Seni’s creative genius was instrumental in the production of Bob Marley: One Love—Music Inspired by the Film, an album designed to honor the legendary reggae artist. The project won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, marking a significant milestone in Seni’s career and a proud moment for Nigeria’s growing music influence on the global stage.
The Grammy-Winning Soundtrack
The One Love soundtrack is a 17-track collection featuring fresh interpretations of Bob Marley’s legendary songs. It emerged victorious over strong competitors, including Collie Buddz’s Take It Easy, Vybz Kartel’s Party With Me, Shenseea’s Never Gets Late Here, and The Wailers’ Evolution.
Bukola Saraki, who served as Nigeria’s Senate President from 2015 to 2019, also expressed his pride in Seni’s achievement through a heartfelt social media post.
Seni Saraki’s Reaction to the Win
In an interview at the Grammy Awards, Seni shared his excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to such a landmark project.
Reflecting on his involvement, he said, “I mean, it’s crazy. I got brought into the project and helped bring a few of the artists together, and they’re honestly just incredible. This is the second time I’ve worked on a soundtrack like this. Working with this team has been amazing—they are the best in the business.”
The One Love soundtrack was released in February 2024 through Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong and Island Records. Seni expressed gratitude to the artists, producers, and engineers who collaborated on the project, emphasizing the significance of reinterpreting Bob Marley’s legacy.
“Thank you to all the amazing artistes, producers, and engineers brave enough to take on this project. Bob Marley is a legacy—an incredible, iconic artist. For them to take on these songs, reinterpret them, and make them their own—Bloody Civilian, Wizkid, Jessie Reyez, Daniel Caesar—they’re all incredible artists,” he added.
The album features powerful renditions of Marley’s classics by Daniel Caesar, Kacey Musgraves, Wizkid, Leon Bridges, Shenseea, Farruko, Jessie Reyez, Mystic Marley, Bloody Civilian, and Skip Marley.