South African pop star Tyla has once again claimed the spotlight on the global music stage after winning the Best African Music Performance award at the 2026 Grammy Awards, edging out Nigeria’s biggest music exports, Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr and Wizkid, in a highly competitive category.
The 24-year-old clinched the honour with her viral single ‘Push 2 Start’, surpassing Burna Boy’s ‘Love’, Davido and Omah Lay’s collaboration ‘With You’, Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s ‘Gimme Dat’, as well as ‘Hope & Love’ by Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin.
The category, created to celebrate African musical excellence, continues to draw international attention as African sounds gain a stronger global footing.
The win marks Tyla’s second Grammy triumph in the Best African Music Performance category, following her historic 2024 victory with “Water.”
Her latest success reinforces her rising dominance on the international awards circuit and underscores South Africa’s growing influence within Africa’s rapidly expanding music industry.
Following the announcement in Los Angeles, Tyla expressed excitement and pride at representing Africa on one of the world’s biggest stages. Her victory sparked widespread celebration on social media, with congratulatory messages trending across South Africa and beyond, while some Nigerian fans acknowledged her consistency and global reach despite their disappointment.
For Nigeria, the 2026 Grammy Awards ended without a win, despite strong representation across several categories.
High-profile nominees including Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Wizkid all missed out, marking one of the few occasions Africa’s most influential music nation failed to secure a Grammy award in recent years.
Burna Boy also fell short in the Best Global Music Album category, where his project ‘No Sign of Weakness’ lost to Brazilian music icons Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, whose collaborative live album ‘Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo’ took home the prize.
Despite the absence of Nigerian wins, African presence remained prominent at the ceremony. Legendary Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was posthumously honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award, receiving global recognition 29 years after his death for his lasting impact on music and activism.
South Africa further enjoyed visibility at the event, with comedian Trevor Noah hosting the Grammy Awards for the sixth and final time, cementing his role as one of Africa’s most recognisable figures in global entertainment.
Tyla’s continued rise mirrors a broader shift in global music consumption, as African genres such as Afrobeats and Amapiano increasingly dominate international charts and playlists across Europe and the United States.
As competition among African artistes intensifies, the Grammys have become a key platform for showcasing the continent’s creative depth and worldwide appeal.
Her latest victory not only strengthens her position as one of Africa’s most successful young artistes but also highlights the expanding opportunities for African female performers on the global music stage.
