South African singer Tyla has clinched her second Grammy Award, edging out several African heavyweights, including Nigerian stars Davido, Burna Boy and Ayra Starr, to win the Best African Music Performance category.
The 24-year-old won the award for her song Push 2 Start, which beat Love by Burna Boy, With You by Davido featuring Omah Lay, Gimme Dat by Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid, and Hope & Love by Ugandan singer Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin.
This marks Tyla’s second consecutive win in the category, having also taken home the same award in 2024 for her global hit Water, where she similarly triumphed over a strong field of Nigerian artists.
Reacting to the victory at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Tyla expressed excitement and pride, saying,
“This is insane, this is so insane! I’m just so lucky to be here, and I’m so proud to be African. I’m excited to see more of us over here.”
Following the announcement, congratulatory messages flooded social media, with “Congratulations Tyla” trending in South Africa and beyond. Many fans praised the singer for her consistency and growing global influence.
“South Africa is proud of you! We are proud of you!” one user posted on X, while another, despite rooting for Ayra Starr, admitted Tyla’s effort deserved recognition.
Despite the dominance of Afrobeats on the global stage, Nigerian music fans expressed disappointment after none of the country’s nominees won in the category. Burna Boy was also nominated in the Best Global Music Album category, alongside Senegalese legend Youssou N’Dour, while Angélique Kidjo received a nod in the Best Global Music Performance category. However, none of them claimed a Grammy.
Nigeria, however, had a moment of recognition as Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti was posthumously honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, 29 years after his death.
Meanwhile, South African comedian Trevor Noah also had a standout night, returning as host of the Grammy Awards ceremony for the sixth consecutive year.
