‘A source of immense pride for SA’: Gayton McKenzie on flautist Wouter Kellerman’s third Grammy win

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has described South African flautist Wouter Kellerman’s third win at the Grammy Awards as inspirational for a generation of artists.

“Kellerman’s dedication to his craft and ability to blend cultures through music is a source of immense pride for South Africa,” said McKenzie.

Kellerman won in the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album category for his album Triveni at the 66th Grammy Awards held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday.

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Kellerman’s winning album

The album is a collaborative project that Kellerman made together with Japanese cellist Eru Matsumoto and Indian vocalist Chandrika Tandon.

It weaves together musical traditions from three continents, creating a unique and meditative sonic experience.

“His achievements continue to inspire generations of artists and allow them to believe that they too can achieve global recognition. We celebrate his success and look forward to his continued impact on the world stage,” averred McKenzie.

This marks his third Grammy victory, following his Best New Age Album win in 2015 with Ricky Kej and his Best Global Music Performance win in 2023 alongside Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode.

In addition to his latest victory, Kellerman also has five additional Grammy nominations.

The category is for albums containing more than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental new-age recordings.

 “Our goal with Triveni was to create a space for healing and reflection, a meeting place for different cultures, and a celebration of the power of music to connect us all,” said the Kellerman about the album.

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Tems bags another win for Africa

Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems was another winner from the African continent after scooping the Best African Music Performance award.

The win was for her hit song Love Me Jeje, which samples the iconic 1997 single with the same title by Nigerian pop star Seyi Sodimu.

“Dear God, thank you so much for putting me on this stage,” said Tems.

The 29-year-old is the first woman from Nigeria to win a Grammy in 2023, when she won Best Melodic Rap Performance as a featured artist on Future’s song “Wait For You” with Drake.

This latest win is her first solo Grammy.

Last week, Tems cancelled her March concert in Rwanda because of the country’s role in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict.

“So I recently promoted my show in Rwanda without realising that there is ongoing conflict between Rwanda and Congo,” said Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi.

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