This archive report was first published on 23 November 2019.
Kenyan singer J.S Ondara has made history by being nominated for the prestigious 62nd Grammy Awards, scheduled for January 26, 2020.
His debut album Tales of America, released in February 2019, has been nominated under the best Americana Album category.
The album, which features 11 songs based on the life of an immigrant in America, has received widespread acclaim.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Ondara's passion for music began as a teenager, but his family couldn't afford instruments.
He moved to the US as a student at the age of 20 after winning a green card lottery and settled in Minnesota, where he taught himself to play and pursued a career in music.
Featured on Billboard's Emerging Artist in March 2019, Ondara's album landed on the Billboard Heatseekers Album, Americana/Folk Album Sales, and Rock Album Sales charts.
