South African singer Tyla has claimed her second Grammy Award, winning the Best African Music Performance category at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, defeating a strong field of Nigerian music heavyweights including Davido, Burna Boy and Ayra Starr.
The 24 year old artist secured the prestigious honour with her hit single Push 2 Start during the Awards Premiere Ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. She becomes the first artist to win the category twice since its introduction in 2024, having previously won the inaugural award with her global breakthrough hit Water.
The victory sparked celebrations among South African fans but also reignited debate about Grammy voting patterns after three Nigerian nominees failed to capture the trophy despite dominating global charts and streaming platforms. Tyla edged out Burna Boy for Love, Davido featuring Omah Lay for With You, Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid for Gimme Dat, and Ugandan artist Eddy Kenzo with Mehran Matin for Hope and Love.
Push 2 Start, lifted from Tyla’s self titled debut album released in 2024, gained widespread popularity through streaming platforms and social media dance challenges. The song combines amapiano rhythms with polished pop production and themes centered on romance and self confidence. It topped the Billboard United States Afrobeats Songs chart for 14 weeks and achieved gold certification in America in August 2025 for sales exceeding 500,000 units.
Nigerian American country artist Shaboozey also won on the night, taking home Best Country Duo or Group Performance for his single Amen alongside Jelly Roll. During his acceptance speech, he addressed the current political climate in the United States, stating that immigrants built the country.
The Grammy ceremony delivered mixed results for Nigerian artists. Burna Boy earned nominations in two categories, with Love competing in Best African Music Performance and his album No Sign of Weakness nominated for Best Global Music Album. He lost in both categories, though his nomination streak extended to seven consecutive years, making him the first African artist to achieve this milestone.
Angélique Kidjo, the Beninese music icon, did not win Best Global Music Performance for her cover of Jerusalema, while Senegalese singer Youssou N’dour lost out in the Best Global Music Album category with Eclairer Le Monde.
The Best African Music Performance category was established by the Recording Academy in 2024 to recognize emerging sounds from the continent, including Afrobeats, Amapiano, highlife and other African genres. Nigerian singer Tems won the award at the 2025 ceremony for her song Love Me Jeje, becoming the first Nigerian to capture the title in that category.
Tyla’s back to back victories have drawn attention to her ability to blend amapiano, pop and rhythm and blues into a sound that resonates with international audiences. Since emerging from Johannesburg and signing with an international label in 2021, she has achieved major commercial milestones, including a top 25 debut on the Billboard 200 and global chart success.
The result triggered widespread reaction across social media platforms, with supporters praising Tyla’s artistry while others questioned the criteria used in judging African music at international award ceremonies. Some observers argued the category appears to favor crossover appeal over traditional African sounds, while others insisted African music is evolving and deserves evaluation on a broader spectrum.
Trevor Noah hosted the 68th Grammy Awards for the sixth consecutive time, honoring the biggest musical achievements of the past year. The ceremony brought together artists from across the globe competing for golden gramophone trophies across 95 categories, celebrating recordings released between September 2024 and August 2025.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar led nominations with nine nods for his album GNX, followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut with seven nominations each. The ceremony aired live on CBS and streamed on Paramount Plus, featuring performances from Justin Bieber, Rosé, Bruno Mars, Tyler the Creator, Sabrina Carpenter and Lady Gaga.
African music’s prominence at the awards reflected the continent’s growing influence on global sounds. From Lagos to Johannesburg, Accra to Nairobi, African artists continue influencing how audiences worldwide dance, remember, mourn and celebrate, according to music industry observers tracking the continent’s impact.
The Recording Academy has expanded and diversified its membership in recent years, incorporating more voices with lived experience across wider arrays of musical cultures. As the voting body becomes more reflective of the world’s actual musical communities, the awards naturally shift, creating an environment where African musicians play an essential role in defining the conversation.
The 68th Grammys also honored legendary Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti posthumously with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African to receive the prestigious honor. President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria paid glowing tribute to the Afrobeat pioneer following the historic recognition by the Recording Academy of America.
Push 2 Start accumulated over 440 million streams on Spotify ahead of the ceremony and entered the Billboard Hot 100, making Tyla the second female African artist to have multiple solo entries on the chart. The song also peaked high on the UK Afrobeats Singles chart and achieved top 40 positions on various global charts.
