South African music sensation, Tyla, has emerged winner of the Favourite Afrobeats Artist award at the 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs), beating an impressive lineup of Nigerian heavyweights, including Wizkid, Tems, Rema, and Asake.
The prestigious fan-voted ceremony, held on Sunday 26 May at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, saw Tyla honoured for her groundbreaking year in the global music scene cementing her place as a rising star on the Afrobeats and international stage.
Tyla, 22, shot to global prominence with her hit single Water, which sparked a viral dance trend on TikTok and topped music charts worldwide. The success of the song earned her a Grammy Award earlier this year for Best African Music Performance, and she continues to receive international acclaim for her genre bending sound.
Reacting to the win, an elated Tyla thanked her fans and paid tribute to African musicians who continue to shape the global soundscape.
“This is such a dream,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I’m grateful to everyone who believed in me. This award is not just mine, it belongs to all the African artists pushing boundaries and bringing our sound to the world. Thank you for embracing Water, and for embracing me.”
Her victory has sparked conversations across the continent and the diaspora, as it marks a rare feat by a South African artist in a category historically dominated by West African acts.
In Nigeria, where the Afrobeats genre originated and remains a cultural powerhouse, Tyla’s win has been met with mixed reactions. While many fans congratulated her for the achievement, others questioned the widening definition of Afrobeats highlighting ongoing debates around genre classification and representation.
Music critic and culture commentator, Ayo Lawal, weighed in on the conversation, stating, “Tyla’s win is proof of Afrobeats’ evolving identity on the global stage. While her sound leans heavily on Amapiano and pop fusion, the industry must now grapple with what the term ‘Afrobeats’ truly encompasses.”
Despite the debate, Tyla’s milestone is being hailed as a major victory for African music and for women in the industry. She joins a growing list of female African artists gaining global recognition and breaking long-standing barriers.
The 2025 American Music Awards also saw performances from international superstars and recognised excellence across various genres. Tyla’s moment in the spotlight, however, was undoubtedly one of the evening’s most talked-about highlights.
With a debut album expected later this year, the young artist shows no signs of slowing down. As she continues to bridge borders through music, not just in South Africa, but across Africa and the world.
