At the 30th MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) held in Manchester, UK, South African artist Tyla had a historic night, taking home three awards. She triumphed in the Best Afrobeats Artist category, defeating top Nigerian contenders like Asake, Tems, Rema, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr. Tyla also claimed the Best African Act award, where she beat Nigerian stars Ayra Starr and Asake, along with DBN Gogo, TitoM & Yuppe, and Diamond Platnumz.
For her third win, Tyla was awarded Best R&B Artist, a category in which she outshone prominent American artists like Kehlani, SZA, Tinashe, Usher, and Victoria Monét. The night concluded with Tyla’s moving acoustic performance of her hit song Water, which has captivated audiences worldwide.
Despite multiple nominations, Nigerian singer Ayra Starr went home empty-handed, losing in categories like Best African Act, Best New Artist, Best Afrobeats Artist, and Best Push. Tyla’s win at the EMAs follows her previous victories over Nigerian stars at both the 2024 Grammy Awards for Best African Music Performance and the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Afrobeats Artist earlier this year.
