South African music sensation Tyla took the stage by storm at the MTV European Music Awards held at the Co-op Live, Manchester, clinching three prestigious awards: Best Afrobeats, Best R&B, and Best African Act.
The awards show held on Sunday November 10, were extra special as Tyla wowed the audience with live performances of her chart-topping hit ‘Water’ and her latest single ‘Push 2 Start’.
In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Tyla emphasized the significance of her win not just for herself but for African music as a whole.
She called out the industry’s tendency to categorize African music under the ‘Afrobeats’ label, advocating for more recognition of the continent’s diverse sounds.
“This is such a big moment for Africa and African music. This proves that African music can be pop music too.”
“It is special but also bittersweet because I know there is a tendency to group all the African artistes under Afrobeats. Even though Afrobeats has opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse, it is more than just Afrobeats.”
The awards night also celebrated global icons, with Taylor Swift being the biggest winner, securing five awards including Best Artist.
Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes was honoured with the Global Icon Award, while Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ took home Best Song.
Ariana Grande won Best Pop Artist, and Eminem was recognized as Best Hip-Hop Act.
Tyla’s victory marks a milestone for African Artistes on the international stage.
