South African singer Tyla picks up Grammys’ first African Music Performance Award

Tyla, a singer from South Africa, wins the first African Music Performance.

66th Grammy Awards

Tyla has taken home the first-ever African Music Performance Award, which is the Grammy’s top honour given only to African music.

The lead single from her self-titled debut studio album, Tyla, the South African singer’s song “Water,” won her an award. The vocalist refers to the song as “popiano,” combining elements of pop and amapiano, a South African house music subgenre.

Tyla defeated fierce competition in the Afrobeats realm, including Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Olamide, and Ayra Starr, in addition to fellow South African Musa Keys, who shared a nomination with Davido for Unavailable.

“What? Oh my gosh, guys, this is crazy! I never thought I’d say I won a Grammy at 22 years old,” she said in her acceptance speech. “If you don’t know me, my name is Tyla and I’m from South Africa, and last year God decided to change my whole life, thank you so much to God, to my team, my family.

“I know my mum is crying somewhere in here. Thank you to The Recording Academy for this category. It’s so important. I know I’m forgetting some things, but I won a Grammy!”

Tyla discussed the significance of the award for her in backstage.

“It means so much,” she said. “I’ve always been an advocate for African music. I love African music. It’s the music that I make. It’s the music that I listen to all the time and I’ve believed in it for so long. So, I’m just happy that it’s getting its recognition.”

Tyla’s song gained even more international recognition when it debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first solo South African artist to do so in 55 years, since trumpeter Hugh Masekela’s 1968 hit “Grazing in the Grass.”

In addition, Water topped Rolling Stone’s 2023 list of the top 40 afropop songs and is a 2024 Brit Award nominee for Best International Song.