How South Africa’s Tyla beat top Nigerian artists at Grammys 2026
Tyla is the first aritist to win the Best African Music Performance prize twice
South Africa's global superstar Tyla has beaten top Nigerian stars to solidify her status as a generational talent, etching her name into the record books by winning the Grammy for Best African Music Performance for a second time.
Her latest win for "Push 2 Start" makes her the first artist to claim the category twice since its introduction in 2024.
Twenty-four-year-old Tyla edged out a formidable field of nominees, including Nigerian Afrobeats icons Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, Wizkid, and Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo, to secure the historic victory. The track has been praised for its innovative fusion of pop, R&B, and Amapiano, following its previous triumph at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
The win marks a powerful full-circle moment for the singer, who first won the award in 2024 as its youngest-ever recipient at age 22 for her global hit "Water".
Fela’s award
Speaking with Billboard News in Los Angeles on the red carpet after her win on February 1, Tyla shared the spontaneous, joyful moment she learned the news, revealing she found out in the lobby after arriving two minutes late for the ceremony.
Despite the unconventional announcement, Tyla’s gratitude and sense of mission were profound. She stated: “Thank you to everybody on my team. I could never do this alone. My supporters literally changed my life… all the African kids, all the immigrants, everybody… we are fire. Never be ashamed of where you’re from.”
The victory is more than a personal milestone; it is a resonant symbol for the ascendance of African pop music on the world's stage.
Also, at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, the legendary Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti, was honoured posthumously with a Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive this recognition.