Tyla Stuns at 2025 VMAs, Wins Best Afrobeats Award Over Nigerian Giants

South African sensation Tyla has once again etched her name in Afrobeats history, clinching the Best Afrobeats Award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).

The 23-year-old star bagged the award for her chart-topping single “PUSH 2 START”, edging out Nigerian powerhouses Asake, Burna Boy, Rema, Tems, and Wizkid.

This marks Tyla’s second consecutive win in the Afrobeats category, following her 2024 triumph with “Water” — a song that not only dominated global charts but also earned her a Grammy.

Her victory underscores both the growing international visibility of African artists and the evolution of Afrobeats as a genre that is no longer dominated by a single country but represents a wider African narrative.

Opinion: A Wake-Up Call or a Celebration?

Tyla’s win is both a moment of pride and a point of reflection. For years, Afrobeats has been synonymous with Nigeria, thanks to trailblazers like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido who carried the genre to global stages. But now, the landscape is shifting.

South Africa’s Tyla, with her Amapiano-infused sound, is proving that Afrobeats is not confined to borders — it is Africa’s global sound. Her back-to-back VMAs wins signal a broader acceptance of diverse African styles under the Afrobeats umbrella.

For Nigerian artists, this shouldn’t be seen as a loss, but rather as healthy competition. It’s a reminder that the world is listening more than ever, and the stakes are higher. Innovation, lyrical depth, and authenticity will be the key drivers as the genre continues to expand.

Ultimately, Tyla’s triumph is Africa’s triumph. Every win by an African artist, whether Nigerian, South African, or Ghanaian, adds another brick to the global fortress that Afrobeats and African music are building.

The message is clear: Afrobeats belongs to Africa, not just one country.