Tyla, the 22-year-old sensation from Johannesburg, made history at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, becoming the first South African artist to take home a VMA.
Winning in the Best Afrobeats category for her chart-topping hit Water, Tyla stood out in a category filled with music heavyweights like Burna Boy, Tems, and Ayra Starr.
Photo by Manny Carabel/Getty Images for MTV
As she took to the stage to accept her award, Tyla was beaming with pride. “This is such a big moment for Africa and African music,” she said. Despite her excitement, she acknowledged a challenge many African artists face, “It’s special but also bittersweet. There’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats, but our music is so much more diverse.” She also made sure to highlight her South African roots, representing amapiano, a genre that’s been making waves globally.
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Dressed in a head-turning bright yellow corset fringe top with a matching miniskirt, Tyla embraced the spotlight with her bold fashion statement. Her vibrant look, fresh off the New York Fashion Week runway, was paired with neon sandals and voluminous ombré curls, adding to her already star-studded evening.
(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV)
In her heartfelt speech, she thanked MTV, her fans (lovingly called the “Tygers”), her team, and God. She also gave a nod to her fellow nominees in the Afrobeats category, saying, “Shout out to all the Afrobeats artists with me. Tems, Ayra Starr, Lojay, Rema, Wizkid, Burna Boy—we’re all taking Africa to the world!”
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Tyla’s Water has had massive global success, with more than 230 million views on YouTube and nearly 800 million streams on Spotify, proving African music can thrive on a pop stage. Her victory also marks the second year of the Afrobeats category at the VMAs, a category introduced in 2023, with Rema and Selena Gomez taking the win last year.
(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Although Tyla missed out on the Best R&B and Best New Artist awards, her historic win solidifies her unstoppable rise in the music world. With her playful charm, she ended her speech with a quick reminder: “Stream my album, Tyla!”
The night saw other big wins, including Taylor Swift taking home seven awards, and Sabrina Carpenter winning Song of the Year. But for Africa and its diverse musical landscape, Tyla’s win was a landmark moment, cementing her as one of the continent’s brightest stars.
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Featured Image: Getty
