At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, South African artist Tyla emerged victorious, edging out Nigerian music heavyweights Burna Boy, Tems, and Ayra Starr. The event, held at the UBS Arena in Queens, New York, on Wednesday, was a celebration of global musical talent.
After receiving her award from Lil Nas X and Halle Bailey, Tyla expressed heartfelt gratitude to the event organizers, calling it “a big moment for Africa.” She highlighted the success of her hit song “Water,” noting its global influence and the broader potential for African music.
“African music can be pop music too,” Tyla said. “This win is special but bittersweet, as there’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats. African music is so diverse—it’s much more than just Afrobeats.”Tyla’s win follows in the footsteps of Rema, who clinched the Best Afrobeats award in 2023 for his hit “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez.
The night also saw Taylor Swift dominating with seven awards, tying for the most overall wins, while Eminem added to his record for the most wins by a solo male artist.
