At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) held at the USB Arena in New York on September 11, Tyla won the Best Afrobeats award for her hit single “Water.” She triumphed over strong contenders, including Ayra Starr, Chris Brown featuring Lojay and Davido, Usher featuring Pheelz, and Tems.
Tyla’s song “Water” has been a standout hit this award season, also securing the Best African Song Performance at the 66th Grammys, solidifying her international success.
During her acceptance speech, the South African artist identified herself with Amapiano, a popular genre from South Africa, rather than Afrobeats, which is the category she won.
Tyla acknowledged the global impact of Afrobeats but used the opportunity to highlight the diversity of African music, emphasizing that her sound is rooted in Amapiano.
She expressed pride in representing South African culture, despite being recognized in the Afrobeats category.
Tyla’s speech has sparked debate, particularly her distinction between Amapiano and Afrobeats. She pointed out that African music is often miscategorized under the Afrobeats umbrella, which she feels does not accurately represent the full range of African genres.
Her words:
“I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists as Afrobeats. Even though Afrobeats has run things and opened doors for us, African music is so diverse,
“I come from South Africa and I represent Amapiano and my culture.”
She also took the time to shout out her fellow nominees, including prominent Afrobeats stars like Rema, Tems, Burna Boy, and Davido, acknowledging their contributions to the genre’s global rise.
However, her comments drew criticism from Nigerian media personalities and fans, particularly for her acceptance of an Afrobeats award while seemingly distancing herself from the genre.
Nigerian OAP Do2tun openly criticized Tyla for accepting the award if she did not believe her song “Water” was Afrobeats. He argued that Tyla should have rejected the nomination or returned the award if she felt misrepresented, as “Water” is not an Amapiano track either.
Tyla’s statements are part of a broader conversation about the growing influence of African music genres and the need for more accurate representation.
While Afrobeats has undeniably played a pivotal role in opening doors for African artists worldwide, Tyla’s remarks suggest that artists from other African genres, like Amapiano, are seeking recognition in their own right, separate from the Afrobeats label.
